“GEGHARD”
SCIENTIFIC ANALYTICAL
FOUNDATION
2024
2024
Soviet Azerbaijani historiography resorted to every means to "construct" the history of the newly created Azerbaijani state in order to "substantiate" its antiquity. The history and culture of the indigenous peoples on whose territories this state was formed in the 20th century were attributed to the "history of Azerbaijan". In this way, Caucasian Albanian, Armenian, Iranian, and Georgian civilizational values were "Azerbaijanized".
One of the appropriations of Azerbaijani historiography concerns the creation of the image of the "national hero". Soviet historiography, presenting Iranian Azerbaijan (Atropatene) as the "historical homeland of Azerbaijanis", tried to present famous military figures in the history of the indigenous peoples of the region as "Azerbaijanis". One such military and political figure was Babak, the leader of the Khurramite movement[1], who operated mainly in Atropatene in the first half of the 9th century.
Babak's name is mentioned in Arabic, Persian, and Armenian sources in various forms, including Hasan, Bab[2], Babaq/Babak, Baban, Papak[3], and others. The name Babak is the Arabized form of the Persian name Papak. Babak was of Iranian origin.
The uprisings against Arab rule that began in the 8th century in Caucasian Albania, Azerbaijan, and neighboring regions laid the foundation for a new anti-Islamic movement, which became known in history as the Khurramit, and later also the Babaki movement. The Khurramites did not accept the existence of one God, fundamentally rejected religious rituals and prayers[4].
The Khurramites considered everything that Islam forbade to be permissible. They showed hatred towards the Caliphate and considered the overthrow of the Arab Caliphate their main task. From 816, the Khurramian movement was led by Babak[5]. Babak was called "the embodiment of God on earth." It was only in 837 that the Arab commander Afshin managed to defeat Babak[6], capture the Khurramites' stronghold of the Baz fortress, and massacre the Khurramites. After these events, Babak managed to escape to Albania, and from there to Armenia.
"When he crossed the Araks River, Sahl (Sahl Smbatean), the governor of the province and son of Smbat, came to him," wrote the 9th-century Arab historian al-Dinawari[7].
Soon after, Sahl Smbatean arrested Babak[8] and handed him over to the Arab commander Afshin. The latter sent him in chains to Samarra, the caliph's residence[9]. By order of Caliph Mu'tasim, Babak was executed.
It is important to note that Armenian historians mention Babak as a Persian who settled in Syunik with a large army, defeating the Arab commander Marwan. He then massacred the Armenian population of the Baghastan (Baghats) province, not sparing even women and children, and later slaughtered about 15,000 Armenians in the Gegharkuni province, destroying the renowned Makenyats monastery[10].
A more accurate assessment of Babak's activities was given by the Armenian historian Movses Daskhurantsi, who was chronologically closer to his period, considering him a "man-devouring, land-devastating, bloodthirsty beast"[11].
Starting from the 1940s, these events have been presented by Soviet Azerbaijani historians as the national liberation struggle of the Azerbaijani people against Arab rule, and the image of Babak was introduced as a "national hero." The leader of the Khurramites of Iranian origin was considered in Azerbaijani historiography as a "symbol of the freedom of the Azerbaijani people," a "great Azerbaijani commander," and a "people's hero." This false scientific thesis was put into circulation by Z.Yampolsky, and then by Z.Buniyatov[12] and others. Based on this falsification, the films "Babak" were shot in Azerbaijan in 1979 and "Babak Khorramdin" in 2008, and the ballet "Babak" was staged in 1986.
Presently, Azerbaijanis continue to glorify Babak, naming streets after him and erecting monuments in his honor.
[1] Vahan Bayburdyan, History of Iran, Yerevan 2006, pp. 191-192
[2] Vardan Areveltsi, Universal History, Yerevan 2001, p. 118
[3] Areveltsi, p. 119
[4] M. Tomara, Babak, Moscow, 1936, p. 23
[5] Stepan Melik-Bakhshyan, Armenia in the 7th-9th Centuries, Yerevan 1968, p. 345
[6] Arabic Sources on Armenia and Neighboring Countries, Abu al-Fida, Yerevan 1965, p. 213
[7] Aram Ter-Ghevondyan, Arab Historians of the 9th-10th Centuries, Al-Dinawari, Yerevan, 2005, p. 218
[8] Areveltsi, p. 119
[9] Bayburdyan, p. 193
[10] Stepanos Orbelian, History of Syunik, Yerevan 1986, pp. 165-166
[11] Movses Kaghankatvatsi, History of the Country of Aghvank, Yerevan, 1969, p. 259
[12] Z. Bunyadov, Azerbaijan in the 7th-9th centuries, Baku, "East-West", 2007, p. 37..