27 Jul , 09:45
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Agha Mohammad Shah Qajar — a scion of a powerful clan and the founder of the Turkic Qajar dynasty — dedicated his life to an ambitious mission: to reassemble the realm that had disintegrated after the death of Nader Shah and to unite the Azerbaijani khanates under one banner.
Historians still debate the reasons for his castration. Some point to a cruel order by Adel Shah, others to a severe battle wound, and still others attribute it to a secret romance with the daughter of Zaki Khan Zand.
This captivating story became the basis of a new documentary film by Baku TV.
His enemies were certain: being made a eunuch would forever bar his path to the throne. But they miscalculated. During his long years of captivity, Agha Mohammad eagerly absorbed knowledge — studying history, mathematics, and the art of war. Upon gaining his freedom, he swiftly assembled a formidable army. The southern khanates submitted to him without a single shot, and most of Northern Azerbaijan recognized his authority. He captured Tiflis, transformed Tehran into his capital, and, girding himself with the legendary sword of Shah Ismail Khatai, declared himself the heir to the great Safavid statehood.
In 1797, the shah's life came to an end in Shusha — he was killed by his own servants right in his bed. His severed head was sent first to Ibrahimkhalil Khan and then to the ruler of Georgia. His body was transported to Tehran and, by order of Fath-Ali Shah, buried in Najaf. Thus tragically ended the journey of a ruler who entered history as a stern and merciless sovereign, yet at the same time — as a mighty commander who strove to unite the fragmented Azerbaijani lands into a single state.
