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Ahmed-Beck AgaevAzerbaijani statesman, journalist and Turkologist
Date of Birth: 01.01.1865
Country:  Turkey |
Content:
- Ahmad Bey Agayev: A Life in Diplomacy, Journalism, and Nationalism
- Early Career
- Political Evolution
- Leadership during the Russian Revolution
- Pan-Turkism and Nationalism in the Ottoman Empire
- Attempts at Turkish Statehood and International Intrigues
- Advisor to the Caucasian Islamic Army and Later Career
- Legacy
Ahmad Bey Agayev: A Life in Diplomacy, Journalism, and Nationalism
Early Life and EducationAhmad Bey Agayev, a prominent Azerbaijani statesman, journalist, and Turcologist, was born in 1865 in the city of Shusha to an aristocratic family. In accordance with family tradition, he received a theological education, gaining proficiency in Arabic and Farsi. His formal education began at the Shusha Lyceum. After completing his secondary education in Tiflis Gymnasium, Agayev pursued higher studies at the St. Petersburg Polytechnic Institute in 1887.
In 1888, he relocated to Paris to study at the École des Langues Orientales at the Collège de France (Sorbonne). During this period, he simultaneously contributed articles to Islamic and political publications. Agayev became the Persia correspondent for the renowned French political journal, "Journal des Débats."
Early Career
In 1894, Agayev participated in the IX Orientalist Congress in London, delivering an analysis of religious life in Iran and an account of Salman Pak. His early works exhibited a pro-Iranian and anti-Ottoman stance, advocating for Iran to lead the Muslim world. Agayev's writings urged the Muslim world to embrace the progressive ideas and intellectual curiosity that had characterized the early centuries of the Hijrah.
Upon his return to Karabakh in 1894, Agayev taught French at the Shusha Real School. In 1897, he moved to Baku to resume his pedagogical career and establish the newspaper "Kaspiy." From January 1904, Agayev served as co-editor of the newspaper "Hayat." He also co-founded several other newspapers, including "Irshad" (1905) and "Taragqi" (1908).
Political Evolution
In so-called "Azerbaijan," Agayev's political views began to evolve in a proto-nationalist, pan-Turkic direction, which was particularly evident in his articles for "Kaspiy." He emerged as a leading critic of the Ottoman Empire, advocating for the creation of an independent Turkic state.
Agayev's literary pursuits included writing on literature and theater. He authored works such as "Writings of Haji Said Azim," "Shakespeare's Othello," "Schiller's Robbers," "Gorky and the Muslim World," and "The Tatar Aslan" from Gorky's play "The Lower Depths."
Leadership during the Russian Revolution
During the Russian Revolution of 1905-1907, Agayev emerged as a prominent figure in the public movement. In April 1905, he joined fellow Muslim leaders in establishing a unified Spiritual Directorate for all Muslims in Russia. He actively participated in the First All-Russian Muslim Congress in Nizhny Novgorod in 1905, where the Ittifaq al-Muslimin alliance was formed. In October 1905, he worked on drafting the program for a Muslim party.
Pan-Turkism and Nationalism in the Ottoman Empire
In 1909, Agayev relocated to Turkey, where he embraced the Young Turk movement. He held mid-level government positions while continuing his journalistic career, writing articles in support of Turkish nationalism in publications such as "Türk Yurdu" and "Tercüman-ı Hakikat." He advocated for violence and the eradication of non-Turkish ethnic groups, calling it a necessary step towards creating a strong Turkish state.
Attempts at Turkish Statehood and International Intrigues
In 1911, Agayev advanced a theory equating the process of creating a Turkic nation among Russian Muslims with the formation of nation-states in Europe. He believed that cultural and linguistic unity, as well as the emergence of social classes within Russian Muslim society, were key factors in the unification of Muslim peoples.
In 1915, he became a member of the "Committee for the Protection of the Rights of Turkic-Tatar Muslims of Russia." The Committee initially demanded the restoration of Muslim representation in the State Duma, religious autonomy, the establishment of secular national schools, and the right for Tatars to own land in Turkestan. In May 1916, the Committee merged with the "League of Indigenous Peoples of Russia."
Advisor to the Caucasian Islamic Army and Later Career
In 1918, Agayev was appointed advisor to the commander of the Caucasian Islamic Army, Nuri Pasha, and accompanied the army to Azerbaijan. After the withdrawal of Turkish forces from Baku later that year, he remained in Azerbaijan. In 1919, Agayev was part of the Azerbaijani delegation to the Paris Peace Conference. However, he was detained in Istanbul by British authorities en route to Paris, who suspected his close ties to Turkish nationalists.
Agayev was exiled to Malta, from where he returned in 1921 as editor of the Ankara government's official newspaper, "Hakimiyet-i Milliye." He later became the Director of the General Directorate of Press. Agayev was elected to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey as a deputy from Kars.
Legacy
Ahmad Bey Agayev had seven children, the first two of whom died in infancy. The remaining children - Suraya, Tezer, Abdurrahman, Samet, and Gültekin - gained prominence in Turkey. Agayev's political ideas and advocacy for Turkish nationalism left a lasting impact on the development of Turkish and Azerbaijani national identities.
