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History of Azerbaijan
From antiquity to the modern era — the historical eras, key events, and narrative that shaped Azerbaijan.
Overview
THE THREE REPUBLICS of Transcaucasia--Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia--were included in the Soviet Union in the early 1920s after their inhabitants had passed through long and varied periods as separate nations and as parts of neighboring empires, most recently the Russian Empire. By the time the Soviet Union dissolved at the end of 1991, the three republics had regained their independence, but their economic weakness and the turmoil surrounding them jeopardized that independence almost immediately.
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Historical Eras
The major periods of {country}’s history at a glance.
Ancient & Medieval Roots
600 BCE – 1501
Settled by Medes, Persians, and Scythians, Azerbaijan absorbed deep Persian cultural and Zoroastrian religious influences before Arab conquest in the seventh century introduced Islam. Turkish groups gradually displaced Arab political authority between the eleventh and fourteenth centuries, while Mongol invasions twice disrupted the region. The period between 1000 and 1200 saw a golden age of Azerbaijani literature and architecture before Ottoman expansion absorbed much of the region by 1400.
Safavid & Persian Rule
1501 – 1813
The Azerbaijani-origin Safavid Dynasty established Persian imperial rule in 1501, cementing Shia Islam as the dominant faith across the region—a legacy that endures today. Persian cultural influence flourished but weakened over subsequent centuries as the empire declined, allowing Russia to begin encroaching on northern Azerbaijan from around 1700 onward. The era closed with the Treaty of Gulistan in 1813, by which Persia formally ceded its northern Azerbaijani territories to the Russian Empire.
Russian Imperial Era
1813 – 1918
Following the Treaty of Gulistan, Russia consolidated control over Azerbaijan, permanently dividing Azerbaijani populations between the Russian and Persian empires. The discovery and exploitation of Baku's enormous oil reserves in the late nineteenth century brought rapid industrialization alongside intense social inequality. By 1900, radical political organizations had begun forming in response to Tsarist rule, laying groundwork for the nationalist movements that would emerge during World War I.
First Republic & Soviet Annexation
1918 – 1936
Following the collapse of the Russian Empire, Azerbaijan declared independence in 1918 as part of the short-lived Transcaucasian federation, establishing one of the first Muslim-majority democratic republics in the world. The Red Army invaded in 1920, forcibly incorporating Azerbaijan into the Soviet Union, and in 1922 Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia were merged into a single Transcaucasian Soviet republic. Stalin's 1936 constitution reorganized them as distinct Soviet Socialist Republics, giving Azerbaijan nominal but controlled separate status.
Soviet Azerbaijan
1936 – 1991
As a Soviet republic, Azerbaijan endured Stalinist purges that peaked under Lavrenti Beria in 1936–37, decimating the intelligentsia and political leadership. Soviet industrialization heavily exploited Baku's oil infrastructure, yet economic benefits accrued predominantly to the central Soviet state. Ethnic tensions over the Armenian-populated Nagorno-Karabakh enclave intensified in the late 1980s alongside the broader nationalist awakening that accompanied Gorbachev's reforms, propelling Azerbaijan toward independence.
Independent Azerbaijan
1991 – present
Azerbaijan restored independence following the Soviet Union's dissolution in 1991, but immediately faced war with Armenia over Nagorno-Karabakh, losing approximately 16 percent of its territory before a 1994 ceasefire. The conflict displaced an estimated 800,000 refugees and internally displaced persons, straining the new state's institutions. Vast Caspian petroleum reserves offered the promise of prosperity, though corruption and uneven development have constrained the benefits of oil wealth for the broader population.
Timeline Preview
The first 7 key events. View the full chronology on the timeline page.
600
Four centuries of Arab control of Azerbaijan begin, introducing Islam in seventh century.
Four centuries of Arab control of Azerbaijan begin, introducing Islam in seventh century.
1000 – 1200
Golden age of Azerbaijani literature and architecture.
Golden age of Azerbaijani literature and architecture.
1100 – 1400
Turkish groups wrest political control of Azerbaijan from Arabs.
Turkish groups wrest political control of Azerbaijan from Arabs, introducing Turkish language and culture.
1200 – 1400
Mongols twice invade Azerbaijan, establishing temporary dynasties.
Mongols twice invade Azerbaijan, establishing temporary dynasties.
1400
Most of modern Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia become part of Ottoman Empire.
Most of modern Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Georgia become part of Ottoman Empire.
1501
Azerbaijani Safavid Dynasty begins rule by Persian Empire.
Azerbaijani Safavid Dynasty begins rule by Persian Empire.
1700
Russia begins moving into northern Azerbaijan as Persian Empire weakens.
Russia begins moving into northern Azerbaijan as Persian Empire weakens.