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THE ROOTS OF TURKISH-AZERBAIJANI BROTHERHOOD CAN BE FOUND IN MEDIEVAL POETRY
Zaur Hasanov
Today's Zaman
Aug 10, 2011
Turkey
Shortly after his ascent to the throne, Caucasian nations approached
Alexander the Great and begged him to protect them against "wild
Russian tribes" periodically attacking from the north.
One warrior called his loyal commanders and told them he wanted
thousands of Turkish fighters "inhabiting areas from the Caspian
to the Chinese seas" to join his dangerous adventure. Asked why,
Alexander responded, "Our minds may differ, but to Russians they are
equally hostile."
Of course, there were no "wild Russian tribes" attacking Caucasian
nations during Alexander's tenure, nor were there Turks fighting
side-by-side with the great hero. This story is from an epic
"Iskander-name" (Story of Alexander the Great) by the medieval
Azerbaijani poet Nizami Ganjevi (1141-1209). In "Iskander-name,"
Alexander also fights against Persian King Darius III in Mosul and
Arabs in North Africa, and converts many nations of Central Asia and
the Caucasus to Islam. Nizami's Alexander fought against nations and
tribes who opposed Turkish rulers and challenged their dominance in
the region.
What led a poet, often considered a Persian poet outside Azerbaijan,
to praise Turks? There are at least two explanations. First, Nizami
lived and wrote during the renaissance of the first Azerbaijani-Turkic
"Atabeg" state (1136-1225). The title of atabeg was common during the
Selcuk rule of the Near East from the 12th century: When a Selcuk
prince died, leaving minor heirs, a guardian would be appointed
to protect the young princes. They called those influential court
appointees atabegs.
In Nizami's era Shamseddin Eldagiz and later his son, Jahan Pahlavan,
were atabegs of a vast territory including present Azerbaijan, Gilan,
Hamedan, Rei, Mazandaran and Isfahan.
By any account, Atabeg Eldagiz was a unique statesman. Sold into
slavery in childhood, he managed to become appointed an atabeg of
Azerbaijan from Baghdad. He defeated rivals in neighboring regions,
accumulated power and later successfully lobbied for his son-in-law
Arslan's claim to the throne in Baghdad.
Today, we can see the signs of the first Azerbaijani state all over
Eldagiz's former dominion. Roughly 25 million Azeris in northern Iran,
9 million in the Republic of Azerbaijan and up to 3 million Turkmens
in northern Iraq speak the same language.
While the Georgian Queen Tamara patronized Shota Rustaveli, Atabeg
Eldagiz and his son Jahan's court were filled with scholars, historians
and poets. Even though Nizami Ganjevi refused to become a courtier, his
"Khosrov and Shirin" poem was written at the request of Jahan Pahlavan.
Second, Nizami Ganjevi, who lived all his life in Ganja, was a Turk
himself. He wrote in Persian but as Mammad Amin Rasulzade, founder of
the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, points out in his book "Azerbaijani
Poet Nizami," the values Nizami preached in his poetry all related to
the Turkish mindset: "...who dares to say 'he [Nizami] was not a Turk'
about the poet who named someone beautiful and grand a Turk, who saw in
beauty and grandeur Turkishness, who called a beautiful and great word
Turkish, and who named this country of beauty and grandeur Turkestan?"
Those details are a perfect setting for Nizami's writings, and explain
why he was so preoccupied with his Turkish identity and his nation's
values. Remember, we are not talking about an ordinary writer. There
are more statues of Nizami in the former USSR and European capitals
than any other Azerbaijani poet; streets are named after him in
most cities of Azerbaijan; and Nizami's poems are the first to be
learned from high school textbooks. Nizami's influence on Azerbaijani
consciousness is as great as that of Abu Abdullah Rudaki (860-941)
on Tajik or Alisher Navoi (1441-1501) on Uzbek mentality.
This year we Azerbaijanis celebrate the 870th birthday of Nizami and 20
years of our independence. The poet's ideas and values have survived
the test of time and Turkish-Azerbaijani relations have reached a
strategic level. On July 28, in a joint press conference, Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
in all senses spoke the same language in their responses to recent
territorial claims made by Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan. In this
moment, the oft-quoted idea of "one nation, two states" proved itself
in action.
This brotherhood does not only exist at the governmental or official
level but among the common people of both nations. Nigar Jamal bore a
Turkish flag when she took the stage as the winner of Eurovision. You
will see as many Turkish flags as Azerbaijani ones in Baku next year
when we host Eurovision 2012.
*Zaur Hasanov is author of "Mountaineer," a semi-fictional book which
parallels the history of the Chechen wars and Nizami Ganjevi's account
of Alexander the Great.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
Zaur Hasanov
Today's Zaman
Aug 10, 2011
Turkey
Shortly after his ascent to the throne, Caucasian nations approached
Alexander the Great and begged him to protect them against "wild
Russian tribes" periodically attacking from the north.
One warrior called his loyal commanders and told them he wanted
thousands of Turkish fighters "inhabiting areas from the Caspian
to the Chinese seas" to join his dangerous adventure. Asked why,
Alexander responded, "Our minds may differ, but to Russians they are
equally hostile."
Of course, there were no "wild Russian tribes" attacking Caucasian
nations during Alexander's tenure, nor were there Turks fighting
side-by-side with the great hero. This story is from an epic
"Iskander-name" (Story of Alexander the Great) by the medieval
Azerbaijani poet Nizami Ganjevi (1141-1209). In "Iskander-name,"
Alexander also fights against Persian King Darius III in Mosul and
Arabs in North Africa, and converts many nations of Central Asia and
the Caucasus to Islam. Nizami's Alexander fought against nations and
tribes who opposed Turkish rulers and challenged their dominance in
the region.
What led a poet, often considered a Persian poet outside Azerbaijan,
to praise Turks? There are at least two explanations. First, Nizami
lived and wrote during the renaissance of the first Azerbaijani-Turkic
"Atabeg" state (1136-1225). The title of atabeg was common during the
Selcuk rule of the Near East from the 12th century: When a Selcuk
prince died, leaving minor heirs, a guardian would be appointed
to protect the young princes. They called those influential court
appointees atabegs.
In Nizami's era Shamseddin Eldagiz and later his son, Jahan Pahlavan,
were atabegs of a vast territory including present Azerbaijan, Gilan,
Hamedan, Rei, Mazandaran and Isfahan.
By any account, Atabeg Eldagiz was a unique statesman. Sold into
slavery in childhood, he managed to become appointed an atabeg of
Azerbaijan from Baghdad. He defeated rivals in neighboring regions,
accumulated power and later successfully lobbied for his son-in-law
Arslan's claim to the throne in Baghdad.
Today, we can see the signs of the first Azerbaijani state all over
Eldagiz's former dominion. Roughly 25 million Azeris in northern Iran,
9 million in the Republic of Azerbaijan and up to 3 million Turkmens
in northern Iraq speak the same language.
While the Georgian Queen Tamara patronized Shota Rustaveli, Atabeg
Eldagiz and his son Jahan's court were filled with scholars, historians
and poets. Even though Nizami Ganjevi refused to become a courtier, his
"Khosrov and Shirin" poem was written at the request of Jahan Pahlavan.
Second, Nizami Ganjevi, who lived all his life in Ganja, was a Turk
himself. He wrote in Persian but as Mammad Amin Rasulzade, founder of
the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, points out in his book "Azerbaijani
Poet Nizami," the values Nizami preached in his poetry all related to
the Turkish mindset: "...who dares to say 'he [Nizami] was not a Turk'
about the poet who named someone beautiful and grand a Turk, who saw in
beauty and grandeur Turkishness, who called a beautiful and great word
Turkish, and who named this country of beauty and grandeur Turkestan?"
Those details are a perfect setting for Nizami's writings, and explain
why he was so preoccupied with his Turkish identity and his nation's
values. Remember, we are not talking about an ordinary writer. There
are more statues of Nizami in the former USSR and European capitals
than any other Azerbaijani poet; streets are named after him in
most cities of Azerbaijan; and Nizami's poems are the first to be
learned from high school textbooks. Nizami's influence on Azerbaijani
consciousness is as great as that of Abu Abdullah Rudaki (860-941)
on Tajik or Alisher Navoi (1441-1501) on Uzbek mentality.
This year we Azerbaijanis celebrate the 870th birthday of Nizami and 20
years of our independence. The poet's ideas and values have survived
the test of time and Turkish-Azerbaijani relations have reached a
strategic level. On July 28, in a joint press conference, Azerbaijani
President Ilham Aliyev and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan
in all senses spoke the same language in their responses to recent
territorial claims made by Armenian President Serzh Sarksyan. In this
moment, the oft-quoted idea of "one nation, two states" proved itself
in action.
This brotherhood does not only exist at the governmental or official
level but among the common people of both nations. Nigar Jamal bore a
Turkish flag when she took the stage as the winner of Eurovision. You
will see as many Turkish flags as Azerbaijani ones in Baku next year
when we host Eurovision 2012.
*Zaur Hasanov is author of "Mountaineer," a semi-fictional book which
parallels the history of the Chechen wars and Nizami Ganjevi's account
of Alexander the Great.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress