What role did the Russian Empire play in Azerbaijan’s history?

The Russian Empire played a transformative role in Azerbaijan’s history, primarily through territorial expansion, economic exploitation, and the stimulation of modern national identity.

Territorial Acquisition and Division

Following conflicts with Iran, the treaties of Golestān (1813) and Turkmenchay (1828) established new borders that incorporated Baku, Shirvan, Ganja, Nakhichevan, and Yerevan into the Russian Empire. This effectively separated the Azerbaijani Turks of Caucasia from their linguistic and religious compatriots in Iran.12

Economic and Social Impact

The Russian Empire viewed its presence in the region as a civilizing mission, though it primarily benefited from the massive petroleum industry in Baku, which by 1901 produced over half of the world’s oil. This industrialization drew a diverse workforce to the Abşeron Peninsula, creating a complex, segregated society where Muslims often occupied the lowest rungs of the economic and political hierarchy.132

Intellectual and National Development

Incorporation into the empire provided new outlets for education, leading some intellectuals to adopt secular outlooks and study the Azerbaijani language. While the Russians referred to the local Muslim population as "Tatars," the term "Azerbaijani" emerged among urban nationalist intellectuals during the prerevolutionary decades. This period saw the rise of political movements like Musavat, as well as ethnic tensions that occasionally erupted into violence. Following the collapse of tsarism in 1917, these developments culminated in the proclamation of an independent Azerbaijani republic in 1918.123