Exploring Azerbaijan's Complex Cultural And Historical Identity

Azerbaijan is a geographic region in the extreme northwestern portion of Iran. It is bounded on the north by the Aras River, which separates it from the Republic of Azerbaijan and Armenia. The region was once a centre of several ancient civilisations, including Urartu and Media. In the 4th century BCE, Alexander the Great conquered the region and named it Atropatene after one of his generals, Atropates.

The people of Azerbaijan are known as Azerbaijanis or Azeris. They are a Turkic ethnic group, predominantly Shia Muslims, and the second-largest ethnic group in Iran after Persians. They speak the Azerbaijani language, which belongs to the Oghuz branch of the Turkic languages. Iranian Azerbaijanis are mainly found in the Iranian Azerbaijan region, which includes the provinces of East Azerbaijan, Ardabil, Zanjan, and West Azerbaijan. They are also present in smaller numbers in other provinces such as Kurdistan, Qazvin, and Hamadan.

The modern-day name Azerbaijan is derived from the Arabic form of Āzarpāyegān, meaning 'the guardians of fire'. The name Azerbaijan itself is believed to be derived from Atropates, the Persian satrap (governor) of Medea in the Achaemenid Empire.

Azerbaijanis are a Turkic ethnic group

The term "Azerbaijani" or "Azeri" refers to the Turkic peoples of Iran's northwestern historic region, known as Iranian Azerbaijan, and the Republic of Azerbaijan. Historically, they were referred to as "Muslims" or "Turks," and their ethnonym evolved over time due to political and linguistic changes.

The Azerbaijani language, which belongs to the Oghuz branch of Turkic languages, is closely related to other languages in the region, such as Qashqai, Gagauz, Turkish, Turkmen, and Crimean Tatar. While most Azerbaijanis are bilingual, speaking languages like Persian or Russian in addition to their native tongue, their rich literary tradition spans centuries and includes renowned poets like Nasimi and Fuzuli.

The cultural and ethnic identity of Azerbaijanis is influenced by their indigenous, Iranian, and Turkic roots. Their music, dance, and literature reflect these diverse traditions, and they celebrate Iranian holidays like Nowruz while also embracing their own unique customs.

The history of Azerbaijanis is closely tied to the region's geopolitical shifts. The territories of Qajar Iran in the Caucasus were ceded to the Russian Empire following the Russo-Persian Wars in the 19th century, leading to the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in 1918. This further solidified the distinction between Azerbaijanis in Iran and those in the Republic of Azerbaijan, who were now separated by an international border.

In terms of demographics and society, Azerbaijanis are well-integrated into Iranian society and are represented in various sectors, including politics, military, and academia. They have a strong presence in commerce and are known for their active participation in bazaars across Iran. While they primarily reside in the northwestern provinces of Iran and the Republic of Azerbaijan, internal migration has led to significant Azerbaijani populations in major cities like Tehran.

In conclusion, Azerbaijanis are a Turkic ethnic group with a rich history and diverse cultural influences. They have shaped and been shaped by the regions they inhabit, contributing to a unique ethnic identity that blends indigenous, Iranian, and Turkic elements.

Azerbaijani language is Turkic

The Azerbaijani language, also referred to as Azeri Turkic or Azeri Turkish, is a Turkic language from the Oghuz sub-branch. It is spoken primarily by the Azerbaijani people, who live mainly in the Republic of Azerbaijan, where the North Azerbaijani variety is spoken, while Iranian Azerbaijanis in the Azerbaijan region of Iran speak the South Azerbaijani variety. Azerbaijani has official status in the Republic of Azerbaijan and Dagestan (a federal subject of Russia), but it does not have official status in Iran, where the majority of Iranian Azerbaijanis live.

Azerbaijani is a member of the Oghuz branch of the Turkic languages and is closely related to Turkish, Qashqai, Turkmen and Crimean Tatar. Turkish and Azerbaijani are known to closely resemble each other, and a native speaker of one language is able to understand the other, though it is easier for a speaker of Azerbaijani to understand Turkish than the other way around.

Historically, the language was referred to by its native speakers as türk dili or türkcə, meaning either "Turkish" or "Turkic". In the early years following the establishment of the Azerbaijan Soviet Socialist Republic, the language was still referred to as "Turkish" in official documents. However, in the 1930s, its name was officially changed to "Azerbaijani". The term Azeri, generally interchangeable with "Azerbaijani", is from Turkish Azeri which is used for the people (azerice being used for the language in Turkish), itself from Persian آذری, Āzarī.

Azerbaijani evolved from the Eastern branch of Oghuz Turkic ("Western Turkic") which spread to the Caucasus, in Eastern Europe, and northern Iran, in Western Asia, during the medieval Turkic migrations. Persian and Arabic influenced the language, but Arabic words were mainly transmitted through the intermediary of literary Persian. Azerbaijani is, perhaps after Uzbek, the Turkic language upon which Persian and other Iranian languages have exerted the strongest impact—mainly in phonology, syntax, and vocabulary, less in morphology.

The Turkic language of Azerbaijan gradually supplanted the Iranian languages in what is now northwestern Iran, and a variety of languages of the Caucasus and Iranian languages spoken in the Caucasus, particularly Udi and Old Azeri. By the beginning of the 16th century, it had become the dominant language of the region. It was one of the spoken languages in the court of the Safavids, Afsharids and Qajars.

Azerbaijan was part of Iran

Azerbaijan was historically a part of Iran. The territories that now constitute the Republic of Azerbaijan were separated from Iran in the first half of the 19th century through the Russo-Persian Wars. The territories south of the Aras River, which comprised the region historically known as Azerbaijan, became the new northwest frontier of the Persian Empire and later Iran.

The name Azerbaijan is derived from Atropates, the Persian Satrap (governor) of Medea in the Achaemenid Empire, who ruled a region found in modern Iranian Azerbaijan called Atropatene. Atropates's name is believed to be derived from the Old Persian roots meaning "protected by fire."

Iranian Azerbaijan includes three northwestern Iranian provinces: West Azerbaijan, East Azerbaijan, and Ardabil. Some authors also include Zanjan in this list, either in a geographical sense or a cultural one due to the predominance of the Azeri Turkic population there. The region is mostly populated by Azerbaijanis, with minority populations of Kurds, Armenians, Tats, Talysh, Assyrians, and Persians.

The region has a rich history and has been influenced by various civilizations throughout the centuries. It formed part of Urartu and later of Media. In the 4th century BCE, it was conquered by Alexander the Great and was named Atropatene after one of Alexander's generals, Atropates, who established a small kingdom there. The area returned to Persian (Iranian) rule under the Sasanians in the 3rd century CE. The Arabs controlled Azerbaijan from the 7th century until Turkish nomads overran it in the 11th century.

The region was later overrun by the Mongols in the 13th century, and under the ruler Hulagu Khan, Azerbaijan became the center of a Mongol empire extending from Syria in the west to the Oxus River (now Amu Darya) in the east. Tabriz, the region's largest city, was the capital of this empire and became a center of cultural and commercial life.

Iranian Azerbaijan has played a significant role in the cultural and economic life of Iran throughout history, and it continues to be an important region within the country today.

Azerbaijanis are Shia Muslims

Azerbaijan is a secular country, but it is considered a Shia majority country. The population of what is now Iran and Azerbaijan were converted to Shia Islam at the same point in history. In the 16th century, the Safavid ruler Shah Ismail I established Shia Islam as the state religion.

Shia Islam is prevalent in the western, central, and southern regions of Azerbaijan. Villages around Baku and the Lankaran region are considered Shia strongholds. Shia Muslims in Azerbaijan follow the Ja'fari school of Shia Islam.

Azerbaijanis are Iranians of Azerbaijani ethnicity, mainly found in the Iranian Azerbaijan region, which includes the provinces of East Azerbaijan, Ardabil, Zanjan, and West Azerbaijan. They are primarily of Iranian descent and are bilingual in Azerbaijani and Persian.

Azerbaijanis constitute the largest minority ethnic group in Iran, and they are well-integrated into Iranian society. They are also present in significant numbers in Tehran, where they are the largest ethnic group after Persians.

Azerbaijanis are the largest minority ethnic group in Iran

Azerbaijani is the dominant language of the Turkish ruling dynasties of the area, and most Iranian Azerbaijanis are bilingual in Azerbaijani and Persian. Iranian Azerbaijan was almost fully Turkicized by the 14th and 15th centuries, though the local population left its mark on the Azerbaijani culture and language.

Iranian Azerbaijanis constitute a significant minority in Tehran, Karaj, and other regions, and have also immigrated and resettled in large numbers in Central Iran, mainly Tehran, Qom, and Karaj. They are well-integrated into Iranian society and are quite conservative compared to Azerbaijanis in the Republic of Azerbaijan. They are also represented in high positions of authority, with the current Supreme Leader of Iran, Ali Khamenei, being of Azerbaijani descent.

Azerbaijani music and art are distinct and tightly connected to the music and art of other Iranian peoples. Carpet weaving is a significant aspect of Azerbaijani art, with Tabriz being one of the main centers of carpet weaving in Iran.

The majority of Azerbaijanis are followers of Shia Islam and commemorate Shia holy days with intensity. There is also a small minority of Baháʼís and Christians among them.

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