On International Women's Day, most civilized countries talk about achievements of women, regardless of national borders or ethnic, linguistic, cultural, economic and political differences. For most nations, a woman has always been a symbol of peace, home and motherland. And if we talk about the Caucasus with its ancient traditions, sometimes they were brave warriors here who fought and died on the battlefield on an equal footing with men.
Let us recall the Qajar dynasty, which ruled Iran from the end of the 18th century to 1925. A Qajar woman is not just a preserver of the hearth, but also of her people's traditions. For a long time, men took as wife only girls of their ethnic group. "Shahs of Qajar married princesses from their tribes and from close families," French archeologist, politician, diplomat, and writer Victor Berard wrote.
Azerbaijani poetess, daughter of the second Khan of Karabakh Ibrahim Khalil Khan, wife of Fath-Ali Shah Qajar left her mark in history of world literature. Her name was Aghabeyim agha. According to the legend, joining Fath-Ali's harem, his wives could choose any dress from the palace wardrobe, and wise Aghabeyim agha found the dress of the shah's mother. Seeing the young wife in his mother's dress, the shah was amazed and appointed her chief wife.
Despite the acquired wealth and honor, Aghabeyim agha was longing for her homeland:
My beloved Karabakh,
Sheki, Shirvan, Karabakh!
Even if Tehran becomes a paradise
I will not forget Karabakh.
Fath-Ali Shah, who loved his wife, ordered to plant the Karabakh garden for her with all kinds of plants from Karabakh. Only one flower - Khari-bulbul (nightingale with a thorn) did not take root in the Shah's garden. It can grow only at home.
"Country garden" is in blossom,
But for flower - nightingale,
Why is everything in blossom?
Yellow breasted nightingale!
Aghabeyim agha wrote.
The ruler of the Quba Khanate, outstanding Azerbaijani statesman of the 18th century Fatali Khan of Quba was married to amazing woman Tuti-Bike. There is a legend saying that Fatali Khan made a shooting contest once. The winner was a young man in a mask. But when the shooter opened his face, it turned out that this was not a young warrior, but the sister of the utsmiy (hereditary title of ruler) of Qaytaq (region in Dagestan) Amir Hamza. Her name was Tuti-Bike. Fatali Khan fell in love, got married and made his wife the ruler of Derbent. In reality, their love story was more prosaic, but the fact that Fatali Khan lived in Quba for half a year and in Derbent for another half a year was confirmed by historians. As well as the fact that in the absence of her husband, the city was ruled by Tuti-Bike.
By giving his sister in marriage to Fatali Khan, the utsmiy hoped to marry his sister. But Fatali Khan refused to give his sister in marriage to Amir Hamza, which put a wedge between the rulers. Several times, taking advantage of Fatali Khan's absence in the city, Amir Hamza attacked Derbent, but Tuti-Bike, who remained in the city each time, managed to repel her brother's attacks.
Another legend about Tuti-Bike says that many notable people fled the city during a long siege, which undermined the fighting spirit of the defenders. Then Tuti-Bike, dressed in a man's dress, climbed onto the fortress wall and began to guide the garrison and fortress guns. When one of Amir Hamza's detachments broke into the city, Tuti-Bike, coming out to meet the enemies, began to use a dagger. Amazed by the woman's courage her enemies fled...
Today, that's hard to know for sure whether it is true, or not, Much has not been fixed in the documents, much has been forgotten. "Women make history, although history remembers only men's names," it's hard to say better than Heinrich Heine did.
