How did the treaties of Golestan and Turkmenchay affect Azerbaijanis?

The treaties of Golestan (1813) and Turkmenchay (1828) were not merely administrative agreements; they fundamentally reshaped the lives of Azerbaijanis by establishing a new border between the Russian Empire and Iran.12

These treaties had several profound effects:

• Geographic and Social Division: The border separated the Azerbaijani Turks of Caucasia from the majority of their linguistic and religious compatriots who remained in Iran.12
• Imperial Incorporation: Russia acquired key territories, including Baku, Ganja, and Yerevan. This incorporation provided new opportunities for the educated elite, some of whom shifted from traditional religious upbringings toward secularism and Western learning.12
• Economic and Demographic Shifts: As Baku became a global center for petroleum, it attracted a massive influx of workers, leading to complex social segregation. Azerbaijanis often found themselves at the bottom of a hierarchy of skills and wages, while political power remained concentrated among non-Muslims.12

Ultimately, these treaties placed Azerbaijanis under Russian influence, setting the stage for the development of a distinct national identity that emerged in the following decades.12