Sharur-Daralayaz uezd explained

Area Total Km2:3,001.64
Established Date:1849
Established Title:Established
Extinct Date:1929
Extinct Title:Abolished
Mapsize:220px
Sharur-Daralayaz uezd
Native Name:Шаруро-Даралагёзский уезд
Native Name Lang:ru
Population As Of:1916
Population Density Km2:auto
Population Rural:100.00%
Population Total:90,250
Seat:Bashnorashen
(present-day Sharur)
Seat Type:Capital
Settlement Type:Uezd
Subdivision Name:Russian Empire
Subdivision Name1:Caucasus
Subdivision Name2:Erivan
Subdivision Type:Country
Subdivision Type1:Viceroyalty
Subdivision Type2:Governorate
Total Type:Total

The Sharur-Daralayaz uezd was a county (uezd) of the Erivan Governorate of the Caucasus Viceroyalty of the Russian Empire.[1] It bordered the governorate's Erivan and Nor Bayazet uezds to the north, the Nakhichevan uezd to the south, the Zangezur and Jevanshir uezds of the Elizavetpol Governorate to the east, and Persia to the southwest. It included most of the Vayots Dzor Province of present-day Armenia and the Sharur District of the Nakhchivan exclave of present-day Azerbaijan. The administrative centre of the county was Bashnorashen (present-day Sharur).

Economy

Armenians were mostly concentrated in mountainous Daralayaz, while lowland Sharur was overwhelmingly Tatar. The population in Daralayaz was engaged primarily in cattlebreeding while the residents of Sharur were engaged in agricultural farming and gardening. Manufacturing was not developed in this part of the governorate. Only 47 winemaking enterprises, 299 mills, 89 cotton-cleaning, 4 rice-cleaning factories existed in the Sharur-Daralayaz uezd.

Geography

The geography of the uezd resembled a crater surrounded from the south, north and east by tall mountain ranges of the Lesser Caucasus. The plain, which made up a small part of the uezd, was close to the Aras River, into which the only river irrigating the plains, the Arpa-chay, discharged. The mountainous part of the territory was called Daralayaz and the lowland part was called Sharur. Daralayaz constituted approximately 70% of the whole uezd area and Sharur constituted approximately 30%, even though it included about half of the uezd's population. The Arpa-chay started at the southeastern tip of Lake Sevan (Gokcha) and flowed 107 versts before discharging into the Aras. It had many tributaries, the Alagyoz-chay being the longest. Approximately 12,150 desyatins of the mountainous part of uezd was forested. The temperature in the winter reached -27 °C.[2]

History

The territory of the uezd was part of Persia's Erivan and Nakhchivan Khanates until 1828, when according to the Treaty of Turkmenchay, they were annexed to the Russian Empire. It was administered as part of the Armenian Oblast from 1828 to 1840.[3] In 1844, the Caucasus Viceroyalty was re-established, in which the territory of the Sharur-Daralayaz uezd formed part of the Tiflis Governorate. In 1849, the Erivan Governorate was established, separate from the Tiflis Governorate. It was made up of the Erivan, Nakhchivan, Alexandropol, Nor Bayazet, and Ordubad uezds. Following administrative reforms, the northern part of the Nakhchivan uezd (Daralayaz) was separated to form part of the new Sharur-Daralayaz uezd in 1870.[4]

Throughout 1918–1920, the uezd was heavily contested between forces of the First Republic of Armenia and Azerbaijan Democratic Republic.

After the establishment of Soviet rule in 1920, the territory of the uezd was divided. Daralayaz (modern-day Vayots Dzor) became part of the Armenian SSR and Sharur became part of the Nakhichevan ASSR of the Azerbaijan SSR in accordance with the treaties of Moscow and Kars.

Administrative divisions

The subcounties (uchastoks) of the Sharur-Daralayaz uezd in 1913 were as follows:

Name1912 populationArea
1-y uchastok 44,051747.26verst2
2-y uchastok 44,4481890.24verst2

Demographics

Russian Empire Census

According to the Russian Empire Census, the Sharur-Daralayaz uezd had a population of 76,538 on, including 41,055 men and 35,483 women. The plurality of the population indicated Tatar to be their mother tongue, with significant Armenian and Kurdish speaking minorities.[5]

Linguistic composition of the Sharur-Daralayaz uezd in 1897!Language!Native speakers!%
Tatar51,56067.37
Armenian20,72627.08
Kurdish3,7614.91
Assyrian3310.43
Russian610.08
Ukrainian570.07
Polish120.02
Georgian70.01
Jewish60.01
Belarusian40.01
Greek40.01
German10.00
Italian10.00
Other70.01
TOTAL76,538100.00

Kavkazskiy kalendar

According to the 1917 publication of Kavkazskiy kalendar, the Sharur-Daralayaz uezd had a population of 90,25on, including 47,399 men and 42,851 women, 88,496 of whom were the permanent population, and 1,754 were temporary residents. The statistics indicated the uezd to be overwhelmingly Shia Muslim with a significant Armenian minority:

NationalityNumber%
Shia Muslims57,98264.25
Armenians29,16532.32
Kurds1,8612.06
Asiatic Christians5980.66
Sunni Muslims5110.57
Russians1220.14
Other Europeans80.01
North Caucasians30.00
TOTAL90,250100.00

Settlements

According to the 1897 census, there were 58 settlements in the Sharur-Daralayaz uezd with a population over 500 inhabitants. The religious composition of the settlements was as follows:[6]

NameFaithTOTAL
RussianRomanizedArmenian ApostolicMuslimArmenian CatholicMaleFemaleBoth
Аг-АхмедAg-Akhmed (Axaməd)811435376811
Аг-кендAg-kend (Aghnjadzor)670373297670
АзадекAzadek (Azatek)731357394751
Айназур (Агавнадзор)Aynazur (Agavnadzor) (Aghavnadzor)776452399851
АлаклуAlaklu (Ələkli)740395372767
АлишарAlishar (Alışar)1,1255835421,125
Араб-ЕнгиджаArab-Yengija (Ərəbyengicə)652355297652
АргезArgez (abandoned)587323264587
АрпаArpa (Areni)545312267579
АхураAkhura (Axura)537309228537
БашкендBashkend (Vernashen)570317277594
БашнорашенBashnorashen (Sharur)132687504363867
ВармазиарVarmaziar (Vərməziyar)985516469985
Гасан-кендGasan-kend (Shatin)522278245523
ГергерGerger (Herher)5111,0477817811,562
ГиндевазGindevaz (Gndevaz)442163338267605
ГорсGors (Hors)1,1366544821,136
ДжульJul (Artavan)1,2146595551,214
ДудангаDudanga (Düdəngə)922507415922
Енгиджа (Енгиджа-Султан)Yengija (Yengija-Sultan) (Yengicə)2,0341,1509272,077
ЗейваZeyva (Zeyvə)600316284600
КабахлуKabakhly (Goghtanik)566312254566
КазулджаKazulja (abandoned)630357273630
КарагасанлуKaragasanlu (Qarahəsənli)777407372779
КараклухKaraklukh (Karaglukh)786417372789
КархунKarkhun (abandoned)334267601
КешишкендKeshishkend (Yeghegnadzor)1,2956886131,301
КештазKeshtaz (Çəmənli)355323369309678
Кийтул (Котур)Kiytul (Kotur) (Getap)735400371771
Кишляг-АббасKishlyag-Abbas (Qışlaqabbas)666365301666
Кущи (Кущи-Биляк)Kushchi (Kushchi-Bilyak) (Kechut)631326305631
Кущи-ДемурчиKushchi-Demurchi (Dəmirçi)1,8381,0338051,838
КяримбеклуKyarimbeklu (Kərimbəyli)847444403847
КюртчулуKyurtchulu (Kürçülü)610319291610
МалишкаMalishka1,2306736081,281
МартиросMartiros1,0225304921,022
Махмуд-кендMakhmud-kend (Mahmudkənd)609344265609
МахтаMakhta (Maxta)1,1866435441,187
МуганлуMuganlu (Muğanlı)608331277608
ОртакендOrtakend (Gladzor)686360343703
ПарчиParchi (absorbed by Xanlıqlar)105406263248511
ПашалуPashalu (Zaritap)682338383721
ПисианPisian (Püsyan)1,3547436111,354
СаллыSally (Salli)668363305668
СараглуSaraglu (abandoned)504269235504
СиягутSiyagut (Siyaqut)388281374333707
Тазакенд (Сардарабат)Tazakend (Sardarabat) (Təzəkənd)627349278627
Улия НорашенUliya Norashen (Oğlanqala)1,2286605941,254
ХаладжKhalaj (Xələc)598303295598
ХанлухлярKhanlukhlyar (Xanlıqlar)1,0235994911,090
ХачикKhachik968515453968
ЧарчибоганCharchibogan (Çərçiboğan)933487446933
ЧиваChiva689355334689
ЧомахтурChomakhtur (Çomaxtur)1,0185304881,018
ШагриарShagriar (Şəhriyar)1,2276695581,227
ЭльпинElpin (Yelpin)708356352708
ЭрдапинErdapin (Artabuynk)530278252530
ЯйджиYayji (Yuxarı Yaycı)1,8469728741,846
TOTAL17,93831,10328126,98923,49650,485

Bibliography

39.5458°N 44.9722°W

Notes and References

  1. Web site: НЭБ - Национальная электронная библиотека . 2022-08-03 . rusneb.ru - Национальная электронная библиотека . en.
  2. Web site: http://gatchina3000.ru/brockhaus-and-efron-encyclopedic-dictionary/114/114875.htm . ru:Большой энциклопедический словарь Брокгауза и Ефрона. Шаруро-Даралагезский уезд . Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedia Dictionary. Sharur-Daralagyoz Uyezd. ru.
  3. Book: Bournoutian, George A.. George Bournoutian

    . George Bournoutian. The Khanate of Erevan Under Qajar Rule, 1795-1828. Mazda Publishers. Costa Mesa. 1992. 9780939214181. 26.

  4. Web site: Административно-территориальные реформы на Кавказе в середине и во второй половине XIX века. Administrative-territorial reforms in the Caucasus in the middle and second half of the 19th century. ru.
  5. Web site: Демоскоп Weekly - Приложение. Справочник статистических показателей. . 2022-03-26 . www.demoscope.ru.
  6. Book: Troinitsky, N. A. . Населенные места Российской империи в 500 и более жителей с указанием всего наличного в них населения и числа жителей преобладающих вероисповеданий, по данным первой всеобщей переписи населения 1897 г. . Tipografiya Obshchestvennaya polza . 1905 . Saint Petersburg . 52–56 . ru . Populated areas of the Russian Empire with 500 or more inhabitants, indicating the total population in them and the number of inhabitants of the predominant religions, according to the first general population census of 1897 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220810153601/https://www.prlib.ru/item/428670 . 10 August 2022.