Aresh uezd

The Aresh uezd,^[a] later known as the Agdash uezd,^[b] was a county (uezd) of the Elizavetpol Governorate of the Russian Empire and later of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic with its center in Aresh (present-day Agdash) from 1874^[3] until its formal abolition in 1929 by Soviet authorities.^[4][5]

Aresh uezd Арешскій уѣздъ
Uezd
Coat of arms
Location in the Elizavetpol Governorate
Country	Russian Empire
Viceroyalty	Caucasus
Governorate	Elizavetpol
Established	1874
Abolished	1929
Capital	Aresh (present-day Agdash)
Area
• Total	2,638.21 km2 (1,018.62 sq mi)
Population  (1916)
• Total	99,400
• Density	38/km2 (98/sq mi)
• Rural	100.00%

Geography

The Aresh uezd was located in the northeastern section of Elizavetpol Governorate, on the eastern bank of the Kura River, bordering the Baku Governorate to the east, the Nukha uezd to the north, the Elizavetpol uezd to the northwest and Jebrail uezd to the southwest. The area of the uezd was 2822.9 square verst. The territory of the county was mainly made up of lowlands.^[6] The county capital was initially in Uchkovakh, later being moved to Agdash, which was considered the largest cotton-trading center in the lowlands of Transcaucasia.^[5]

History

The territory of Aresh uezd was located in the Turyanchay River basin. The area was called Aresh (Azerbaijani: Ərəş) in the Middle Ages and formed a part of Shirvan Baylarbaylik which was gradually made significantly weaker after repeated Ottoman-Safavid conflicts on its territory, eventually being subdued into the Shaki Khanate in the 1750s.

After the establishment of Russian rule, Aresh was a part of Nukha uezd of Baku Governorate, however, in 1874, the territory was detached and established as a separate Aresh uezd of the newly established Elizavetpol Governorate in 1868.

The Aresh uezd was formally abolished by Soviet authorities in 1929, and superseded by the Agdash Rayon, which was established in its place in 1930.^[7]

Administrative divisions

The subcounties (uchastoks) of the Aresh uezd in 1912 were as follows:^[8]

Name	1912 population	Area
1-y uchastok (1-й участокъ)	34,078	575.84 square versts (655.34 km2; 253.03 sq mi)
2-y uchastok (2-й участокъ)	28,410	890.66 square versts (1,013.63 km2; 391.36 sq mi)
3-y uchastok (3-й участокъ)	10,420	851.60 square versts (969.17 km2; 374.20 sq mi)

Economy

The population was engaged primarily in agricultural farming and gardening. During summers, they would take the cattle to the mountains and return only in September. Wool production played an important role in the economy of uezd.^[6]

Demographics

Russian Empire Census

According to the Russian Empire Census, the Aresh uezd had a population of 67,277 on 28 January [O.S. 15 January] 1897, including 36,623 men and 30,654 women. The plurality of the population indicated Tatar^[c] to be their mother tongue, with significant Armenian and Kyurin (Lezgian) speaking minorities.^[11][12]

Linguistic composition of the Aresh uezd in 1897^[11]

Language	Native speakers	%
Tatar[c]	47,133	70.06
Armenian	13,822	20.54
Kyurin	5,869	8.72
Russian	155	0.23
Kazi-Kumukh	128	0.19
Avar-Andean	71	0.11
Jewish	34	0.05
Greek	8	0.01
Persian	8	0.01
Georgian	8	0.01
Belarusian	7	0.01
Polish	6	0.01
Udi	4	0.01
German	1	0.00
Other	23	0.03
TOTAL	67,277	100.00

Kavkazskiy kalendar

According to the 1917 publication of Kavkazskiy kalendar, the Aresh uezd had a population of 99,400 on 14 January [O.S. 1 January] 1916, including 53,144 men and 46,256 women, 97,280 of whom were the permanent population, and 2,180 were temporary residents. The statistics indicated Sunni Muslims to be the overwhelming majority of the population of the county with significant Armenian and Shia Muslim minorities:^[13]

Nationality	Number	%
Sunni Muslims[d]	62,155	62.53
Armenians	19,161	19.28
Shia Muslims[e]	16,935	17.04
Russians	1,047	1.05
Roma	37	0.04
Asiatic Christians	30	0.03
Jews	15	0.02
Other Europeans	13	0.01
Georgians	7	0.01
TOTAL	99,400	100.00

Notes

1. • Russian: Аре́шскій уѣ́здъ, romanized: Aréshsky uyézd
   • Azerbaijani: آریش قضاسی, romanized: Āreş qaz̤āsı^[1]
2. • Russian: Агдашский уезд, romanized: Agdashskiy uyezd
   • Azerbaijani: آغداش قضاسی, romanized: Āğdāş qaz̤āsı^[2]
3. Before 1918, Azerbaijanis were generally known as "Tatars". This term, employed by the Russians, referred to Turkic-speaking Muslims of the South Caucasus. After 1918, with the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and "especially during the Soviet era", the Tatar group identified itself as "Azerbaijani".^[9][10]
4. Primarily Turco-Tatars.^[14]
5. Primarily Tatars.^[14]