Economic life, taxation and administrative policy of tsar russia in the Borchali region

Размещено на http://www.allbest.ru/

Azerbaijan State Pedagogical University

Economic life, taxation and administrative policy of tsar russia in the Borchali region

Aliyev Murvat Javid oglu Guba branch

The article deals with the economic life of the Borchali, Gazakh and Shamshadil sultanates and the subsequent fall of these sultanates under the rule of Georgia and Russia, the occupations of the population, the taxation system, the economic situation of the population during the period of Russian rule in this region. The inhabitants of these ancient Azerbaijani lands, located on trade routes, were employed in almost all sectors of the economy. Although the main occupation here was cattle breeding, agriculture, trade and crafts were also widespread.

Thus, during this period, livestock breeding was significantly developed in some regions of Borchaly, Gazakh and Shamshadil, and agriculture in others. For example, the abundance of pastures in other areas of the Borchala region, excluding agricultural areas, attracted even foreign businessmen here. At the same time, in contrast to the Gazakh and Shamshadil regions, it is important to note the emergence and development of industry, especially mining. Here it is also important to emphasize the development of fisheries, one of the leading branches of the food industry. The Gazakh and Shamshaddil regions were mainly characterized by the simultaneous development of agriculture and animal husbandry. Since the grain tax was collected from the population of these regions for the maintenance of Russian troops, the grain trade played a very important role in the economic life of the population as the main agricultural sector.

After the annexation of Eastern Georgia to Russia in 1801, the rights of the beks and agalars, who had wide privileges during the period of the sultanate, were significantly limited, and they were only responsible for managing state peasants. Georgian princes were considered the real owners of the land and peasants. The tsarist government, which supported the Russian troops at the expense of the grain of the Gazakh and Shamshadil regions, was so tough that the grain harvest collected from the population in excess of the required amount turned into rot in food stores, not thinking about the fate of the population suffering from hunger and poverty. The severity of the tax burden forced the population to leave their places, and this alarmed the Russian officials themselves. They tried by all means to return the fled population to their former places of residence in order to avoid a reduction in taxes received by the state treasury. The new colonial authorities pursued a tough reactionary policy, directing the socio-economic, socio-political and cultural life of these regions in line with the interests of Russia, under the complete control of the colonialists.

Key words: animal husbandry, agriculture, taxes, Borchaly, management, Shamshaddil, empire.

Алієв М.Дж. ГОСПОДАРСЬКЕ ЖИТТЯ, ОПОДАТКУВАННЯ ТА АДМІНІСТРАТИВНА ПОЛІТИКА ЦАРСЬКОЇ РОСІЇ В БОРЧАЛИНСЬКОМУ РЕГІОНІ

У статті йдеться про господарське життя Борчалинського, Газахського і Шамшаддильського султанств і подальше потрапляння цих султанств під владу Грузії та Росії, заняття населення, систему оподаткування, економічне становище населення в період російської влади в цьому регіоні. Жителі цих древніх азербайджанських земель, розташованих на торгових шляхах, були зайняті практично у всіх галузях економіки. Хоча основним заняттям тут було скотарство, широкого поширення набули також землеробство, торгівля та ремесла.

Таким чином, у зазначений період в одних регіонах Борчали, Газаха та Шамшаддиля було значно розвинене тваринництво, а в інших - землеробство. Наприклад, велика кількість пасовищних угідь в інших районах Борчалинського регіону, крім землеробських районів, приваблювала сюди навіть іноземних бізнесменів. При цьому, на відміну від Газахського та Шамшаддильського регіонів, тут важливо відзначити появу та розвиток промисловості, особливо гірничодобувної. Тут також важливо відзначити розвиток рибальства - однієї з провідних галузей харчової промисловості. Газахський і Шамшаддільський регіони в основному характеризувалися одночасним розвитком землеробства та тваринництва. Так як зерновий податок збирався з населення цих областей для утримання російських військ, зерновий промисел грав дуже важливу роль у господарському житті населення як основна аграрна галузь.

Після приєднання Східної Грузії до Росії у 1801 році права беків і агаларів, які мали широкі привілеї в період султанату, були значно обмежені, і на них покладався лише обов'язок управління державними селянами. Справжніми власниками землі та селян вважалися грузинські князі. Царський уряд, який підтримував російські війська за рахунок хліба Газахського і Шамшаддильського регіонів, був настільки жорстким, що врожай зерна, зібраний з населення понад необхідну кількість, перетворював на гниль у продовольчих магазинах, не думаючи про долю населення, що страждає від голоду і злиднів. Тяжкість податкового тягаря змусила населення залишити свої місця, і це стривожило самих російських чиновників. Вони намагалися всіма засобами повернути населення, що втекло, на колишні місця проживання, щоб уникнути зниження податків, що надходять до державної скарбниці. Нова колоніальна влада проводила жорстку реакційну політику, спрямовуючи соціально-економічне, суспільно-політичне та культурне життя цих регіонів у русло, що відповідає інтересам Росії, під повним контролем колонізаторів.

Ключові слова: тваринництво, землеробство, податки, Борчали, управління, Шамшадділь, імперія.

Introduction

This article, based on numerous reliable sources, tells about the economic life of the Borchali, Gazakh and Shamshadil sultanates and the subsequent fall of these sultanates under the rule of Georgia and Russia, the occupations of the population, the taxation system, the economic situation of the population during the period of Russian rule in this region. The inhabitants of these ancient Azerbaijani lands, located on trade routes, were engaged in almost all sectors of the economy. Although the main economy here was cattle breeding, agriculture, trade and crafts were also widespread. The article also reflects the hardships and burden of taxes faced by the population of this region, which fell under Georgian and Russian rule.

Presentation of the main research material

At the beginning of the 18th century, the development of commodity-money relations in the Borchali region was felt, although weakly. The presence of significant minerals, as well as a large base of leather, wool and other raw materials, influenced the development of market relations. Since ancient times, trade routes from Tabriz, Ganja, Kars and Bash Kechid to Tiflis passed through the Borchali region, so this region played an important role in the foreign trade of Azerbaijan and Eastern Georgia. Despite frequent hostilities in the South Caucasus, caravan routes have never lost their significance here.

The economic life of the Borchali district has always been accompanied by a parallel development of agriculture and cattle breeding. Agriculture in the mountainous part of the Borchali region was characterized by a lack of land and unproductive arable land. Therefore, the main occupation of the population here was cattle breeding. The low-lying region of the Borchali mahal, as well as the southern, southwestern and northeastern parts of the Lori region were considered agricultural regions [3, p. 460]. High-quality wheat was grown here. Insufficient cultivation of fodder plants in the agricultural areas of the Borchali region hindered the rapid development of cattle breeding [3, p. 197].

The abundance of pastures in the Borchala region created favorable ground for the development of cattle breeding, especially sheep breeding. However, the development of cattle breeding in the region was uneven. Thus, only % of the territory of Borchala was suitable for the development of cattle breeding. Every year, about 25-30 thousand pounds of wool were brought to the markets. In connection with the breeding of cattle and small cattle in the Borchala region, leather production was also well developed [3, p. 460]. Ever since the 18th century, the total number of cattle and small cattle has always increased due to the farms of a large number of rich people, beks and agalars living in the Borchala region. Unlike the landowning peasants, the number of livestock per capita among the state peasants was lower. Among Azerbaijanis, each family had 3-4 sheep and 1-2 calves. In addition, the number of horses they owned was greater than that of other residents of the region. The cattle of the Borchala region were distinguished by high productivity and were known under the name of the breed “Terekeme” [7].

Already in the late 18th - early 19th centuries. German, Swiss and Austrian entrepreneurs set foot here, taking into account the presence of rich natural conditions for the development of animal husbandry in the Borchala region. These businessmen settled in the Chatakh district of the Bashkechid region, which belongs to the society of the village of Arykhly. Here, together with the local population, they founded several factories for the production of cheese, which, due to its quality, was very popular even outside of Azerbaijan [7].

Despite the fact that the main branches of agriculture in the Borchali region, along with grain, were melon growing and sericulture, rice, flax, tobacco, grapes, cotton and potatoes were also grown here. Rice was grown mainly in the Tavadey and Borchalichay areas. In general, among the grain crops grown in Northern Azerbaijan during this period, rice as a commercial crop occupied the main place. However, unlike wheat and barley, rice was not grown in all regions of Northern Azerbaijan. However, in the economic life of some regions, such as the Gazakh and Shamshadil distances, the Nakhchivan Khanate, the share of this product was low.

The main place in the horticulture of the region in question was occupied by viticulture. The best grape varieties grown in the Borchali zone were Borchali, Sarisachag, Chaggalboghan and Lek [4. With. 224].

It should be noted that the cultivation of tobacco in the Borchali region began at the beginning of the 19th century, and later this product became so famous for its quality that it was exported both to Russia and to other foreign countries. economic sultanate georgia

P.D. Tsitsianov, in a letter dated February 12, 1805, instructed Stephen, a specialist in sericulture, to go to the Borchali villages of Kolagir and Ladzhebadani, to study the lands where mulberry groves were located, and to determine the state of the “enterprises” where silkworms were previously grown, and by the spring months to carry out activities to renew them. At the beginning of the 19th century, the best varieties of silk, along with Shamakhi, Sheki, Ganja and others, were also produced in Gazakh and Shamshadil [8, p. 280].

During this period, ditches from the rivers Kura, Khramchay, Injesu, Aghstafachay, Hasansu, Tovuzchay, Esrikchay, Zayamchay, Shamkhorchay, Ganjachay, Kurekchay and other small rivers were used to irrigate the arable lands of the Borchali, Gazakh and Shamshaddil sultanates. In one of his works, the late professor M.M.Gulmaliyev, referring to the press materials of the first half of the 19th century, talks about several ditches that existed on the territory of Gazakh, Aghstafa and Shamkir during the period of the Khanate, but fell into disrepair during the Russian-Kajar wars. One of these ditches originated from Khramchay near the Red Bridge. Another ditches, which irrigated the lands of the current Agstafa region, was supplied with water from the Hasansu River. In addition, several ditches were built from Shamkirchay and Terterchay [2, p. 240].

In general, the hostilities that took place in Azerbaijan during the Russo-Kajar wars caused serious damage to its economy, including agriculture and the irrigation system. The kagriz (watersheds for ditches) and reservoirs collapsed and became unusable. The underdevelopment of agriculture was also associated with the decline of irrigation.

Although fishing was not the main occupation of the inhabitants of the Borchali region, a certain part of the population living in the river basins was engaged in this fishery. The fish product partially satisfied both the food and material needs of the inhabitants of the coastal villages. The population of the villages located along the banks of Debedchay (Borchalychay) and Khramchay was mainly engaged in fishing. In this regard, the inhabitants of the villages of Kolagir and Arykhly were famous for their fishing. Despite the low catch in the Khramchay, the fish caught in the lower reaches of this river, thanks to its qualities, became famous throughout the Caucasus under the name “khramuli”. This type of fish was so valuable that it was forbidden to catch it at the beginning of the 19th century. But the population of the region was engaged in fishing for “khramuli” fish, albeit illegally. In the upper reaches of the Khramchay, another valuable species of fish was caught - “golden (red) fish”. Like “temples”, the type of “golden fish” was also highly valued among the local population [3, p. 58].

During the period under review, part of the feudal lords had small private farms, which in many cases were cultivated by involving the landowning peasants in various duties.

In general, the population of the Borchali region was subject to land and monetary taxes (kharaj, bagbashi, chobanbeyi, etc.), crop tax (maljahat), gift tax (peshkesh, etc.), tax, head tax (bashpulu, jizya), carried and paid taxes and duties collected in favor of the feudal lords and the state. In addition, chobanbeyi (pasture tax), bagbashi (tax on harvested fruits), dargana, mehmanlyk (guest tax), novruzlug and other taxes were collected from the population [1, p. 28].

Already at the beginning of the 19th century, a new state tax called “sursati” was levied from the population in these parts, which was intended for the maintenance of troops. In addition to this tax, the government introduced other one-time fees, part of which was directed to the needs of the state treasury in cash. During this period, a number of laws were also adopted to exempt part of the peasants from taxes. Among the Azerbaijani population in Borchali, the number of non-taxable households was approximately 776.

The population of the Gazakh and Borchali mahals ethnically consisted of representatives of the Garapapag- Terekemin tribes of the Azerbaijani Turks, whose living conditions during the reign of the Georgian kings were very difficult. A large number of villagers who could not pay heavy taxes tried to leave their native lands, but severe measures were taken against them. For example, in the instructions given by Irakli II to Panakh-aga, the plenipotentiary representative of the Gazakh district, and all the aghalars and aksakals of the district, the task of repatriating all the rayats who moved from the Gazakh district to other regions and resettling them to their former places of residence was entrusted [9, p. 24].

As a result of the wars in the South Caucasus, along with the capture and resettlement of a significant number of the population from the Borchali region to Ottoman Turkey and Qajar Iran, there was also a voluntary migration of the Turkic population from the area of military operations. In a report dated December 14, 1811, sent by the Marquis Paulucci to Alexander I, it was said that due to the location of the rich Borchalm region in the neighborhood of the Akhalkalaki province, the path here was open to foreign invaders, and that is why in recent years a significant part of the population fled from here and went over to the side of the Ottomans.

After the abolition of the Kingdom of Kartli-Kakheti, the administrative borders of the Borchali region were simultaneously changed, which, together with Eastern Georgia, was included in Russia. At the same time, changes were made to the form of tax collection levied on the population. During this period, the provinces were divided into counties. The districts were headed by the naibs, which consisted of local beks and agalars, who also controlled the collection of taxes. In addition to the naibs, there were onbashi and yasavuls. Although the naibs and kendhuda (village headmen) did not receive any salary from the state, they appropriated part of the taxes they collected [3, p. 269].

After the annexation of Eastern Georgia to Russia, some villages of Borchali, which provided special services to the tsarist army, were exempted from taxes. Other villages also paid war tax (toiju) in addition to maintaining the summer guard units of the tsarist army. The military tax was paid not only by Muslim peasants, but also by representatives of the nobility. Despite the fact that more taxes in kind were applied in the Borchali region, starting from the late 20s of the 19th century, this type of tax was gradually replaced by a cash tax.

After the accession of Eastern Georgia to the Russian Empire, the management of state property and property in the Muslim regions was entrusted to the Treasury Expedition of the Supreme Georgian Government. Since the daily increase in the number of peasant families who fled from individual provinces, districts and khanates posed a threat of loss of income to the state treasury, and the army was threatened by a shortage of food, from the very beginning, strict measures were taken by the government authorities to prevent escapes.

The commander-in-chief of the Russian troops in the Caucasus made unsuccessful attempts to restrict the movement of peasants belonging to the treasury and entrepreneurs from one region to another, and in fact, applying the rules of serfdom in force in Russia to the villages of Northern Azerbaijan, he unsuccessfully tried to prohibit the right of peasants to resettle.

In his letter dated June 7, 1811, General Tor- masov, still in connection with the arrival of the time of migration to pastures, instructed to send 4 people from each - from the Borchali, Gazakh and Sham- shadil mahals of the population to Tiflis as a “deposit” (actually a hostage). As in previous years, the elderly were to be sent as collateral, not children. Those sent as collateral were kept inactive in Tiflis and were sometimes used in military campaigns, during the period of population resettlement to yaylags (summer pastures). Taking the population from the indicated distances as a pledge was primarily associated with the desire to prevent the danger of the population leaving their places [1, p. 28].

In his official letter dated January 15, 1818, General Yermolov stated that the Qajars and Ottomans made great efforts to resettle the migrating population on their territories, using the time of resettlement to pastures with various promises. Yermolov also noted that in the summer of 1817, as a result of the vigilance of the Russian troops occupying positions at important points, the flight of Borchali and Gazakh Azerbaijanis was prevented.

After the end of the First Russian-Kajar War (1804-1813), the lands of Borchali came under the control of the Caucasian Russian authorities, whose residence was in Tiflis. Prior to the introduction of a new form of government, each Muslim province was divided into mahals or districts, which were ruled by mahal-beks, naibs or minbashes. The Beks and Aghalars played the role of intermediaries, uniting mediating powers between the common people and the government. Through them, all administrative orders and directives were communicated to the public.

During this period, the population of Borchali was mainly divided into 5 estates. The first estate included Muslim lords and their relatives, the second estate included Greeks, Armenians and Muslim clergy (including the sayyids and dervishes), the third estate included the population resettled to the lands of Borchali, the fourth estate included mining entrepreneurs, the fifth estate - free workers, German colonists and part of the Greeks. Already by 1803, 11,000 Armenians were settled on the territory of Borchali and Tiflis, and in 1811, another 2,000 Armenians [9, p. 25].

The Georgian princes living in the Borchali region - landowners and peasants enjoyed the same rights as other Georgian princes throughout Georgia. The peasants were divided into state, church and landlord peasants. All Muslim treasury peasants were under the rule of the Agalars. Georgian, Greek and Armenian peasants were freed from subjugation to the Agalars and paid taxes only to the state treasury.

Even after the inclusion of the Borchali region into the Russian Empire, the separate estates that existed here continued to retain their former duties and rights. Agalars played a certain role in the system of the feudal hierarchy. As representatives of the feudal class, they mainly operated in the Borchali and Gazakh regions. Also, only the feudal lords of the Borchali, Gazakh and Shamshadil regions were called agalars, and their duties also included the management of villages. More precisely, the agalars of the Borchali, Gazakh and Shamshadil distances were not considered by the Russian tsarist authorities to be the owners and owners of land until the mid-40s of the 19th century, but only “managers” of state (state) villages. The privileges and rights of the agalars of the Borchali, Gazakh and Shamshadil regions corresponded to the duties and position of the beks, as well as the khans.

Attorneys and sultans acting in the Borchali, Gazakh and Shamshadil regions were chosen from among the above-mentioned agalars and beks. But they had more power than the beks. At the choice of the Georgian king, an attorney was appointed to manage the entire distance. Therefore, in each of the distances - Borchali, Gazakh and Shamshadil, there was 1 attorney. The attorney who acted in the Shamshaddil distance was called “sultan” (in Arabic “ruler”). In addition, in addition to the attorney in the Borchali distance, in each of the villages of Baydar and Demirchi Hasanly there was also 1 sultan, who used the powers of attorney Borchali in the parts of the district allotted to them [3, p. 116].

Conclusions

Thus, during this period, livestock breeding was significantly developed in some regions of Borchaly, Gazakh and Shamshadil, and agriculture in others. For example, the abundance of pastures in other areas of the Borchala region, excluding agricultural areas, attracted even foreign businessmen here. At the same time, in contrast to the Gazakh and Shamshadil regions, it is important to note the emergence and development of industry, especially mining. Here it is also important to emphasize the development of fisheries, one of the leading branches of the food industry. The Gazakh and Shamshaddil regions were mainly characterized by the simultaneous development of agriculture and animal husbandry. Since the grain tax was collected from the population of these regions for the maintenance of Russian troops, the grain trade played a very important role in the economic life of the population as the main agricultural sector.

After the annexation of Eastern Georgia to Russia in 1801, the rights of the beks and agalars, who had wide privileges during the period of the sultanate, were significantly limited, and they were only responsible for managing state peasants. Georgian princes were considered the real owners of the land and peasants. The tsarist government, which supported the Russian troops at the expense of the grain of the Gazakh and Shamshadil regions, was so tough that the grain harvest collected from the population in excess of the required amount turned into rot in food stores, not thinking about the fate of the population suffering from hunger and poverty. The severity of the tax burden forced the population to leave their places, and this alarmed the Russian officials themselves. They tried by all means to return the fled population to their former places of residence in order to avoid a reduction in taxes received by the state treasury. The new colonial authorities pursued a tough reactionary policy, directing the socioeconomic, socio-political and cultural life of these regions in line with the interests of Russia, under the complete control of the colonialists.

Bibliography

1. Abdullayev M. Q. Qazax, Somsoddil vo Borcali sultanliqlari rus isgalinadok olan dovrdo (XVIII osrin ortalari - XIX osrin 40-ci illori. Tbilisi: Qarapapaqlar, 2014, may. № 5. S. 23-29.

2. Gulmaliyev M. M. XVIII osrin son rubu - XIX osrin birinci yarisinda Azorbaycan kondinin sosial-iqtisadi strukturu. Baki: Elm, 1989. 280 s.

3. Аббасова М. А. История Борчалинского махала (XIX - начало XX вв.). Баку: Сабах, 2006. 460 с.

4. Алиева И. Х. Политическое и социально-экономическое положение азербайджанцев Тифлисской губернии (1846-1017). Баку: Тахсил, 2009. 224 с.

5. Байрамова Н. Ш. Наша независимость и наша история: о Борчалинском султанстве. Баку: Труды Института Истории НАН Азербайджана, 2010. Том 34-35, С. 21-26.

6. Вахушти Багратиони. История царства Грузинского. Тбилиси: Издательство «Мецниереба», 1976. 197 с.

7. Экономический быт государственных крестьян Тифлисской губернии. Тифлис: 1898.

8. Мустафаев Дж. М. Северные ханства Азербайджана и Россия (конец XVIII - начало XIX в. Баку: Элм, 1989. 128 с.

9. Меликишвили Г. А. К истории древней Грузии. Тбилиси: Издательство Академии Наук Грузинской ССР, 1959. 507 с.

Размещено на Allbest.ru