This beautiful area has many natural and cultural-historical monuments, which still attract the attention of some researchers and tourists. But mountain Karabakh is better known to the whole world for the ethnic conflict that erupted in 1988 - that is what history has ordered. The start of the sad, which claimed many lives incident was the statement of the autonomy’s leadership on joining Armenia. Currently, the region, which is actually the administrative part of Azerbaijan, is controlled by the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic in the world.
Nagorno-Karabakh: where is it located?
It occupies the mountainous and foothill region of the Lesser Caucasus, a geographic area of the same name. The etymology of the name comes from the Turkic “Kara” (which means “black”) and “Bach” (in Persian - “garden”). Often this term - mountainous Karabakh - also refers to the unrecognized republic itself . But geographically, the territories coincide only partially.
Ancient history
In ancient times, the mountainous Karabakh was inhabited by tribes that had non-Indo-European roots. These tribes mingled with the Armenians, and the region itself became part of it (4-2 century BC). At this time, the area was part of the Yervanda Armenian Kingdom (it was called - the province of Artsakh). After the fall of the Armenian kingdom, it departs to Caucasian Albania (dependent on Persia). But for a long time being in Armenia, the tribes were Armenized and acquired all the signs of Armenian culture. So, according to one historical source, in 700 AD e. the people inhabiting mountainous Karabakh then spoke the Armenian dialect. And they had all the signs of belonging to this ethnic group.
Middle Ages and New History
In the 9-11th century, the territory is included in the restored Armenian state, and from the 13th century, Armenian princes ruled there. In the 12-13 centuries, Karabakh was one of the centers of Armenian culture and political life (according to the testimony of foreign travelers). Until the 16th century, as some historians believe, the institutions of Armenian statehood were preserved in Artsakh.
Ottoman occupation
In the 20s of the 18th century, Karabakh was the center of the struggle against the Osman Empire, designed to free the Armenians from occupation. And starting from the reign of Peter the Great and later, priests conduct secret correspondence with the goal of joining the territories of Karabakh to the Russian Empire. In the mid-18th century, a khanate was formed that subjugated Armenian Karabakh, and the locality and people are under Turkic control.
the Russian Empire
And in 1805, during the Russian-Persian war, Russian troops entered Karabakh. So since 1813 (a peace treaty was signed) - this is officially Russian territory. And since 1823, after the complete liquidation of the Khanate, Nagorno-Karabakh was first part of the Karabakh Russian province, and then several counties of the province.
After 1917
The Russian Empire collapsed, and the Azerbaijani state immediately disputes the right of Armenians to control the territory. The area is once again becoming the area for interethnic clashes between Armenians and Azerbaijanis. With foreign help, the latter succeed, and the territory passes under the control of Azerbaijan. In the Soviet years, the area was considered controversial, but in 1921-23. he finally becomes part of the Azerbaijan SSR, and then stands out in the autonomous region.
Mountain Karabakh. War and the essence of conflict
The Armenian population of the region has always wanted restoration (in his opinion) of justice in historical terms. After all, Artsakh, a well-known region with many years of Armenian history, was the willful decision of the Soviet government transferred to the power of Azerbaijanis and became part of the Azerbaijan SSR. The unequal position of some representatives of the people (and the number of Armenians during the years of the USSR in Karabakh decreased significantly), was the main reason for the unwillingness to remain in this position. All this led to a conflict situation: pogroms in Sumgait, events in Baku, Khojal.
Its very essence is explained by the fact that the Azerbaijani authorities do not want to recognize Karabakh as originally Armenian lands, designating Armenia as an aggressor and occupier. And in the early nineties, spontaneous, and then already large-scale military operations erupted, which led to a real war between Azerbaijan and Armenia. Shaky and relative, the world was restored only by the 94th year.
Independence referendum and current situation
In the 91st in Nagorno-Karabakh, a nationwide referendum on independence was held. The republic has formed autonomous institutions of power. The UN and other international structures do not yet recognize the sovereignty of the country. Solidarity and loyalty are shown only by Abkhazia, South Ossetia, Transnistria, which to one degree or another are themselves unrecognized. The Russian Federation has repeatedly acted as a peacemaker in resolving the dispute. But the conflicting countries still have not reached a consensus on borders and territories. Azerbaijan continues to scare by forceful seizure of the republic, and Armenia insists on self-determination and a new referendum. What is happening in Nagorno-Karabakh now? In a shaky world, the republic continues to develop industries such as agriculture, tourism, and mining. But the provocations and attacks of sabotage groups continue, although the government assures that the situation is under control.