Mammad Amin Rasulzade (1884-1955) is a founder of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic - the first Parliamentary Republic in the history of Azerbaijan. The ADR (1918-1920) was the first democratic, legal and secular state in the whole Near East and Islamic world. M. A. Rasulzade was arrested in 1920 after occupation of Azerbaijan by the Russians. His old friend Stalin helped him escape from death at that time. He lived in Turkey, Poland, Germany in different years, continued his struggle for independence of Azerbaijan in immigration-life, was always saying - "The flag once raised will never fall!". M. A. Rasulzade died in Ankara on March 6, 1955 and was buried in Asri graveyard.

Babek Khurrami (798-837) - prominent General and political figure of Azerbaijan. He was leader of National Movement for Freedom Khurramies against Arabian Caliphate after Javidan's death. 6 famous Arab Generals were defeated by Babek through 26 years. Later on he was crowned to King of Azerbaijan Empire, which stretched from current Azerbaijan Republic to Zanjan province in Iran. Arabs captured Babek by betrayal committed by Sahl Ibn Sumbat, an Armenian feodal from Shaki, West Azerbaijan (present-day Sisian District, Armenia). Caliph Muntasim tortured Babek to death on March 14, 838.

Kitabi Dede Gorgood (Book of My Grandfather Gorgood) - is an outstanding monument of Turkish written language, a heroic epic of the medieval Oguz tribes, related ethnically and linguistically to the three modern Turkish nations - Azerbaijanian, Turkmen and Turkish. The epic is dated 10th-11th centuries, but some parts of it were composed as early us the 9th century. There is a short preface and twelve songs written by Gorgood (Korkut), a legendary sage and seer. The epos extolls the courage and fortitude of the Oguz heroes and their great exploits. The main subject of the eposes are reflected in the following twelve boys: "The boy of Bugaj, the son of Dirsa khan", "The boy about spoliation of home of Salur Gazan", "The Boy of Bamsi Beyrek, the son of Baybura", "The boy of conviction of Uruz bek, the son of Gazan bek", "The boy of Deli Domrul, the son of Duxa Goja", "The boy of Ganturali, the son of Ganli Goja", "The boy of Yeynek, the son of Gazilig Goja", "The boy of killing Tapagoz by Basat","The boy of Emra, the son of Bakil", "The boy of Segrek, the son of Ushun Goja", "The boy when Salur Gazan was prisoned to release his son Uruz", "The boy when Ich Oguz and Dish Oguz joined and kill Beyrak". The main idea of Dede Gorgood boys embraces the defense of motherland and people, the struggle of old Oguses, representing the good power against the foreign occupants-the bad power, and many of moral-didactic views, actual up today.

Mirza Alakbar Sabir (1862-1911) The bitter truth was expressed very effective in the first poem written by Alakbar in 8 years old. When twelve yearl old, young Alakbar managed to enter school of Seyid Azim Shirvani, a brilliant poet and teacher. Personal contacts with this man greatly influenced formation of Sabir as a poet. Throughout all his life poverty was Sabir's curse. Alakbar Zeynalabdin oglu Tahirzade is the true symbol of Azerbaijani realistic poetry. Sabir's verses were merciless. He wrote about the arbitrariness of Tsarist officials, landowners and beys ignorant to their people, backwardness of the clergy, the down-trodden status of women and the social situation of the working people. Sabir (pen-name of the poet mean patience) was exposed to persecution, attacks and insults of the officials, mullahs and qochus (bouncers), who threatened him with reprisals. Poverty, overstrain, endless caress of his large family and persecution, which wore out the poet's nerves had not passed without leaving a trace in his health. He boiled soap for living and was often ill. In 1910 the Sabir's disease of livers took a serious turn that later on was found irreversible. Even when ill, Sabir continued to write. Not long before his death he said to his friends who stood at his bed-side: "I laid my flesh down for my people. But if God would give me more time, I would lay my bones down too"

Sheykh Mahammad Khiyabani (1879-1920) is a scientist, a thinker and politician. Within 1907-1911 he took an active part in the movement against totalitarian and shah regime and realized his struggle among the fighters. The party Ijtimaiyyun-Amiyyun, comprehending his high scientific and social level, elected Khiyabani to Azerbaijan Provincial Society. The first democratic party ADP and democratic regime in South and Iran history was created by Khiyabani. Within the period when Khiyabani was the head of the national government realized lots of reform within a few time. He established the first women schools, gave instruction to teach the lessons in Azerbaijani in schools. The foreign citizen came to Tabriz were spoken about security of high degree. All office affairs, publication offices, meetings and speeches were carried out only in Azerbaijani. Khiyabani was saying - "That's to live eternal - to die for the purpose". He loved his native country, died for the freedom of his native land.

Bakhtiyar Vahabzade (1925-2009) Azerbaijani writer Bakhtiyar Vahabzade studied philology at Azerbaijan State University (1947), became an assistant at the same department and completed his doctorate with his thesis on the famous poet Samed Vurgun. He received the Commodore Medal of the Romania Ministry of Culture in 2002 with his poetry book titled “My Poor”. His articles and poems also appeared in the review to Turkish literature for years. Besides poetry, Vahabzade also wrote long verses or stories in verse (poems), plays and made translations. Among his long verses, there is the "Yollar-Ogullar" (Roads-Sons) which was dedicated to the Algerian Independence Movement, and the "Mugam", which was dedicated to the composer Uzeir Hajibeyli. He wrote numerous lyrics, most of which were set to music and wrote plays. His poems have been translated into many languages in the Soviet Union as well as into many dialects of Turkish and into German, French and Persian.

Ashiq Alasgar (1821-1926) was an Azerbaijani mystic troubadour (ashiq) and highly regarded poet. He was born in Akhkilse village of Goyche region, West Azerbaijan (present-day Sisian District, Armenia). He has taken lessons from notable ashigs, has addressed to all area of the ashig creative work and has allowed great track in Azerbaijan literature. Alaskar was person which loved toil, which continued to work till end of life. He was able to make waggon, to repair mill, to build house, tillage, carpentry. Since the 50th years of the XIX century Ashik was travelled in different regions with saz where he has sung in the glad day of the people and has caused to the culprit when he saw people in heavy situation. Population of the Goycha region has been compelled to move to another places in the result of slaughter crated by Armenians in 1918-1919. He has come back in 1921 and has lived the last years of life in native village.

Mirze Shefi Vazeh (1794-1852) - also known as the "sage from Ganja", was a classical poet, who continued traditions of Azerbaijani poetry. Young Shafi got his primary education at a madrassa, where he studied Arabic and Persian. He began to work as a book copier, using his exception hand-writing skills, and later as a secretary and house keeper in the estate of Pusta Khanum, the daughter of Javad Khan. In 1840 Vazeh moved to Tiflis (Tbilisi) where, with help of his past student Mirza Fatali Akhundzade, he secured the post of a teacher at a boy's school. He established a literary society "Divan-i Hikmet" (1844) which gathered many intellectuals living in Tiflis. Vazeh's verses, which were translated and published in all over Europe in XIX c. gained attention in Azerbaijan only in the beginning of XX c. In his poetry, Vazeh glorifies the joys of life, and the wisdom and goodness of a man.

Uzeir bey Hajibeyli (1885-1948) Great Azerbaijanian composer Uzeir bey Hajibeyli (also Hajibeyov) who is the the founder of the Azerbaijani classical music, national opera, national anthem and many famous operas, was born in a noble family in Agjabedi settlement not far from Shusha. He completed and put on stage "Leyli and Majnun" in 1908, opera written based on the motives of a famous poem by Fizuli, the great Azerbaijani-Ottoman poet of XVI c. Thus, U. Hajibeyli who was only 23 years old at the time, made Azerbaijan the first Muslim nation to have its own national opera. He was also the founder of the musical comedy genre in Azerbaijan, splendidly captured the way of life of the XIX c. Azerbaijan in his musical comedies "Husband and Wife", "Not this one, then that one" (or "Meshadi Ibad"), "Arshin mal alan" (the first musical in the history of world music) and etc., which became the immortal classics of the Azerbaijani music. Hajibeyli personally wrote all the librettos to his operas and musical comedies. He founded the first music school in Azerbaijan, which later served as a basis for creating the Azerbaijan State Conservatoire.

Javanshir (616-680) Javanshir (Azerbaijani: the young lion) was presiding prince of the Girdman region, whose deeds are the subject of legends and epic. As a result of diplomatic trials in the time of Javanshir's ruling (637-680) Albania in creased its power and image. Javanshir was the first Girdmanian prince who has succeeded to become the ruler of all-Albania. Facing the threat of the Arab invasion on the south and the Khazar offensive on the north, Javanshir had to recognize the Caliph's suzerainty, a move, which would prove to be a turning point in the country's history.

Mir Movsum Navvab (1833-1918) is known as a poet, artist, music historian, astronomer, carpenter, chemist and mathematician. He was born in 1833 in Shusha, where spent all his life. Navvab created first typography in Shusha, which was also the first typography in Azerbaijan. He published the poems of Karabakh poets. Navvab established a second literary society in Azerbaijan called Majlisi Faramushan (Society of the Forgotten) and also established the first music society. Navvab wrote more than 20 books dedicated to various fields of science and arts. He is the author of Vuzuh-ul-Argam (Explanation of the numbers), a significant work which offers 82 mugams and songs, performed in Karabakh at that time. His book Tezkireyi Navvab gives information about one hundred poets and writers of Karabakh. Navvab was also a talented artist. He illustrated his manuscripts with colorful pictures and portraits, and also decorated the interiors of the buildings with various ornaments.

Shah Ismail Hatai (1487-1524) Founder of the Safavid Dynasty (1502-1786), Ismail I converted Azerbaijan and Iran from Sunni to the Shia sect of Islam. At the age of 14 in 1501, Ismail took over as head of the Kizilbash (Azerbaijani:Gold Heads), proclaimed himself Shah, choosing Tabriz, in South Azerbaijan (modern Iran), as his capital. In that year he also defeated the Aq Qoyunlu (Azerbaijani: White Sheep). In 1508 he captured Baghdad and in 1510 overwhelmed the Sunni Uzbeks at a battle near Marv. He brought all of the geographical area of modern Iran and some of Iraq under his control. Shah Ismail was also a prolific poet who, under the pen-name Hatai (also Khatai), contributed greatly to the literary development of the Azerbaijani language: he produced a large volume of lyric poetry, and also a number of didactic and philosophical works, among them the poems Ten Letters and The Book of Morals.

Nizami Ganjavi (1141-1209) Azerbaijani poet and thinker Ilyas Yusif oglu Nizami Ganjavi was born in the artisan family, studied at the schools in Ganja, perfectly learned medieval century sciences by reading, especially, became close familiar with spoken and written literary of Middle East people. He knew turkish, arabic, persian, greece languages as well as ancient greek history and phylosophy, astronomy, medicine and geometry sciences. All his life he lived in Ganja, refused to be a palace poet, lived an earnest life. The lyrics of Nizami Ganjavi is notable for humanist ideas of high mastership, secular attitude to love, human fade. But Nizami Ganjavi had gone to history of world literature as an author of Khamsa consisted of 5 poems written in the form of couplets. His first poem titlled Makhlanulasrar (Treasure of secrets) written in 1177, brought him great popularity. In 1180 he has completed his poem Khosrov and Shirin written by the order of III Togrul and has sent it to Mahammad Jahan Pahlavan. After Jahan Pahlavan's death, Gizil Arslan coming to crown has met the poet at his camp near Ganja and listened to his advises, has gifted him a village called Hamdunyan. In 1188, I Ahsitan, ruler of Shirvan asked him to write a poem on the subject Leyli and Mejnun. Nizami Ganjavi wanted to refuse, but he accepted it at his son's request and he created Leyli and Mejnun at short time for the first time in East. In 1196 he has written Yeddi gozal (Seven beautiful girls) for Aladdin Korpa Arslan and at last he wrote Iskendername (1203) by the end of his life, where he rounded up his all literary-aesthetic, social-phylosophic views.

Mahammad Fizuli (1494-1556) Moulana Mahammad Suleyman oglu Fizuli Baghdadi was an Azerbaijan poet, thinker, writer in Turkish, Arabic and Persian languages. He studied sciences of middle century (logics, medicine, mathematics and humanitarian sciences), he studied in detail the religious-philosophical trends, greek philosophy through Arabic tranlations, learned classic Arabic, Turkish, Persian and Indian literature. Though, he has written works titled "Bangu Bade" (Tiryek and Sherab) dedicated to Shah Ismail Hatai, complimentary poems for I Shah Tahmasib and his generals, various khans, yet never had any interest in the life of palaces. Fizuli wrote the best masterpieces of lyrical poetry in Azerbaijani. The poem "Leyli and Mejnun" (1537) which was the peak of his creativity is a unique work for Azerbaijan as wll as the East and the world poetry. He has created the best examples of the artistic prose in native language in the literature of Azerbaijan.

Almas Ildirim (1907-1952) Born Ildirim Almaszade was an Azerbaijani poet. Because the Bolsheviks established power in Azerbaijan in 1920, the fact that Ildirim had been born into a wealthy merchant family plagued him for the rest of his life. For example, though he was accepted to the faculty of Eastern Literature at Azerbaijan State University, it wasn't long before they dismissed him because of his family origins. In 1926, co-authored a book of poems, "Yesterday is Today" (Dun Bu Gun) with Suleyman Rustam. Ildirim was exiled to Dagestan for the nationalistic ideas in his poems. While in exile, he wrote "Memories from the Mountains" (Daghlardan Xatiralar), "Lezgi Lands" (Lazgi Elleri), "Nights in Crimea" (Krimda Akhshamlar), "Salimkhan" and "Whose Sin is This?" (Gunah Kimdadir?). Two years later, he returned to Baku and published a collection of poems entitled, "When Mountains Make a Sound" (Daghlar Saslanarkan, 1930). However, the distribution of this book was prohibited and the author was banned from the Writers' Union. Again, he was exiled, this time to Turkmenistan where he worked as a school director. But because he was constantly repressed, he decided to escape to Iran with his family. However, while crossing the border into Iran, he was caught and made to stay in water up to his chest for 25 days. Upon being released, he decided to leave for Eastern Anatolia in Turkey. Many of his works describe the longing he had for his native land. He published his poems about his love and longing for his country. Almas Ildirim died in Alazig, Turkey on January 14, 1952.

Mikayil Mushfig (1908-1939) born Mikayil Ismayilzade was an Azerbaijani poet of the 1930s. Mikayil started his professional career as a school teacher. While being involved in teaching he started writing poems. He adopted the pen name Mushfig (Arabic: tender-hearted), became one of the founders of new Azerbaijani Soviet poetic style in 1930s along with Samad Vurgun and Rasul Rza. He translated a number of poems from Russian as well. In his poetry, Mushfig glorified the work of industrial workers and peasants and lauded the construction of industrial enterprises in Baku and other cities. During the Stalinist purges of 1930s in the USSR, resisting the state attempts to ban the tar, Azerbaijani national instrument, Mushfig wrote a poem titled "Sing Tar, Sing". Mikayil Mushfig was arrested and executed by the Soviet authorities at the age of 31 in 1939.

Hasan bey Zardabi (1837-1907) Hasan bey Salim bey oglu Malikov was an Azerbaijani publicist, founder of the first independent newspaper to appear in Azerbaijani language Akinchi (The Ploughman) in 1875. Zardabi was born in Zardab, then a small village on the Kura River to the west of Baku. Throughout his life, Zarbadi fought for the enlightment of Muslims in the Caucasus. In 1873 Zardabi with another intelligentsia activist Najaf bey Vazirov staged the first Azerbaijani theatrical production based on the play by Mirza Fatali Akhunzade, The Adventure of a Mise. Akinchi was shut down several times by the Russian authorities as "harmful and politically unreliable". After the closure of this newspaper in 1877 Zardabi was exiled to his native village. Zardabi died in 1907 in his home town. Today he is regarded as one of the founders of modern Azerbaijani journalism and theatre.

Mammad Said Ordubadi (1872-1950) - Azerbaijani writer, poet, playwright and journalist. He was initially educated at religious school, medrese, and later studied at Mahammad Sidgi's secular school Axtar (Star). Mammed Said lost his father at early age and had to work in a textile factory. He started writing in the 1890s. In his early publications Ordubadi criticised ignorance, backwardness and religious fanaticism. In 1906 in Tbilisi he published his poetry book "Qaflat" (Ignorance) and in 1907 "Vatan ve hurriyyet" (Fatherland and Freedom). He was actively working for several Azerbaijani publications - Molla Nasraddin, Irshad, Sada and others. In 1911 Ordubadi published a book "Ganli seneler" (Bloody years) - collection of first hand accounts of the Armenian-Tatar massacres in 1905-1906. In the 1910s Ordubadi published several plays, stories and novels. In 1915 Russian authorities arrested him and exiled to Tsaritsin (Volgograd). In 1918 he joined the Communist Party and returned to Baku in May 1920, after the Bolshevik conquest of Azerbaijan. During the Soviet time Ordubadi wrote extensively novels, satiric stories, plays, librettos. His famous works include "Dumanli Tebriz" (Misty Tebriz, 1933-1948) and "Gilinj ve galam" (Sword and Quill, 1946-1948). He wrote novels about Nizami Ganjavi, Fizuli, Molla Panah Vagif, Mirza Alakbar Sabir and other literary figures of Azerbaijan.

Haji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev (1838-1924) Azerbaijani national industrial magnate and philanthropist Haji Zeynalabdin Taghi oglu Taghiyev was born in a cobbler's family in the old part of Baku. When he reached 10 age his father sent him to carry mud near the bricklayer and learnt masonry at 12 age. At 15 he had become a successful builder and at 18, he was already a contractor. By mid 1873 along with two companions, he purchased a piece of land in Baku. The intention was to discover oil, however all their attempts were in vain. After a while, Taghiyev's companions sold their share to him and he struck oil in 1877, instantly becoming a millionaire. Taghiyev invested not only in oil but also in many important projects such as the first textile factory and fisheries. He sponsored the first Azerbaijani National theatre in 1883, the first musim School for girls in 1896 and the First Technical School in 1911. He helped to solve the water crisis in the city by helping to finance the Shollar water pipeline, which completed by 1916. After the Soviet invasion (1920) Taghiyev's palace was confiscated and he was exiled to his summer house, where he died on September 1, 1924.

Yusif Vazir Chamanzeminli (1887-1943) - prominent Azerbaijani writer and public figure was born in the city of Shusha. His father - Meshedi Mirbaba Vazir was one of the beys of Shusha and his great grandfather - Mirze Alimamedagha was vizier (Azerbaijani: vazir) of the Karabakh ruler Ibrahimkhalil Khan on 18th c. (surname of Vazir has passed through family later on). Chamanzaminli's (has accepted pseudonym from name of the Chamanzeminli village in the South Azerbaijan) masterpiece novel "In the Blood" is also dedicated to Karabakh and describes the history of the Karabakh Khanate of Ibrahim Khan, as well as the heroic defense of Shusha from the invasion of Shah Qajar in 1795. Chamanzaminli is also claimed to be the author of famous novel "Ali and Nino", written by an anonimous writer under the pen-name Gurban Said. Yusif Vazir Chamanzeminli was the first ambassador in Turkey of the ADR in 1919. After the Soviet invasion he had to live for several years in exile. His yearning for his country made him to return after a while but the Soviet government always persecuted him for his past. In 1940 in the height of the Stalin repressions, he was arrested and exiled to the village of Sukhobezvodnoye in Gorki (N.Novgorod) region of Russia and where died in 1943 after a long period of illness.

Bahmanyar Azerbaijani (993-1066) Abul Hassan Bahmanyar Marzban oglu Azerbaijani was an Azerbaijani phylosopher, representative of East Peripateism, student and follower of Ibn Sina. According to him, wealth in general is the bases of everything on the earth. The wealth is divided by him into absolute which is neccessary and unreaasonable and possible wealth which is result, its presence or absence has one reason - result. The Mutakallims (muslim orthodox scholasts) were against the denial of time difference between the reason and the result, they thought it was against religion. Bahmanyar's works on some phylosophycal categories have its scientific importance even today. He gave exact explanation about the connection of the sense and rational moments in conception. Bahmanyar's role in the development of phylosophycal opinion of medieaval muslim East is great. Abul Abbas Lavkari, Afzaladdin Khunaji, Nasraddin Tusi are his follewers.

Ahmed bey Agaoglu (1869-1939) Born in Shusha Agaoglu (Agayev) was one of the most prominent ideologists of the Azerbaijan national liberation movement in the beginning of the 20th century. He was a well-educated person of his time, who had graduated from the Universities in St.-Petersburg and the Sorbonne University in Paris. He was also a famous journalist, who spoke fluently in five languages and therefore, wrote articles on current affairs for many popular newspapers in the country and abroad. Agaoglu played an important role in prevention of ethnic clashes between Armenians and Azerbaijanis in 1905. In order to prevent the terrorist actions of the Armenian dashnaks (members of the chauvinistic "Dashnaksutiun" party), Agaoglu established the "Difahi" (Defender) organization and consolidated many members of the national intelligentsia for this purpose. In one of his articles he wrote: "Armenian dashnaks, be sure, that we will not allow you to build your happiness on the ruins of our people". The "Difahi" organization did a lot to prevent the Armenian dashnak actions against peaceful Azerbaijani population of Karabakh and of other places of Azerbaijan. During the years of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918-1920) Agaoglu was elected to the Parliament (Milli Mejlis), later became the deputy of the speaker. After the Soviet invasion Ahmed bey Agaoglu moved to Ankara, Turkey and continued his journalistic and political activities there, working as the editor-in-chief of the official newspaper "Hakimiyyeti-Milliyye" (People's Power) and as a close adviser of Mustafa Kemal Ataturk.

Gasim bey Zakir (1784-1857) - one of the most prominent Azerbaijani poets of the XIX c. and one of the founders of the critical realism and satirical trend in the Azerbaijani literature. Zakir was born in 1784 in a noble family of bey in Shusha, then the capital of the Karabakh Khanate. Zakir belonged to the clan of Javanshir, who was a prince of the Caucasian Albania. His grand grandfather Kazim-agha was the brother of Panah Ali Khan - the founder of the Karabakh Khanate and its capital Shusha. For his straightforward and generous nature he was highly esteemed among the people. However, Zakir had many enemies too, whom he earned mainly because of his satirical verses. In his satirical poetry and fables Zakir lashed out at the vices then rampant in society, at the hypocrisy and bigotry of the clergy, at the venality of the Tsarist officials, the greed of merchants and the cruelty of the landowners.

Abbasgulu Agha Bakikhanov (1794-1847) Abbasgulu Agha Bakikhanov (or Bakikhanli) also known as Gudsi, was an Azerbaijani writer, historian, journalist, linguist, poet and philosopher. He was from descendant of the ruling dynasty of the Baku Khanate, son of the 9th Khan of Baku, Mirza Muhammed II. He was an officer in the Imperial Russian Army since 1820 and participated in the Russo-Persian War of 1826-1828. He later retired and lived in Quba, but traveled extensively within Russia, meeting such important literary figures as Pushkin. His most famous work is Gulistan-i-Iram (1841), which is in fact the first modern historiography of Azerbaijan. In this book the history of the whole Eastern Caucasus and Azerbaijan is described from the beginning of time until the Treaty of Gulistan.

Mirza Fatali Akhundzade (1812-1878) - Azerbaijani writer, materialist philosopher, public figure, founder of Azerbaijan dramatic art. In 1814, he, his father Mirza Mahammedtagi and his mother Nana Khanam shifted to Khamna village near Tabriz, he lived in different parts of South Azerbaijan till he was 13. In 1825 he returned to Shaki with his mother. In 1832, Akhund Haji Alesgar had taken Fatali to Ganja as he wanted him to become a spritual person. Fatali here learned Logic sciences as well as theological sciences from Mirza Shafi Vazeh, famous poet. In 1834, he went to Tiflis, and appointed as an Interpreter on eastern languages at the civil affairs section in the head office of Caucasus, where he worked till his death. In 1873, he was awarded rank of Colonel. Akhundzade published articles in newspaper called "Akinchi" (Peasant) under the name of "Vakili Milleti Namalum", started his literary activity with writing poems (with nickname "Sabuhi")

Firudin bey Kocharli (1863-1920) Prominent writer, literary critic, literature historian, teacher and public figure Kocharli was born in 1863 in Shusha. He was one of the first members of the national intelligentsia to begin struggle for the clarity of the Azerbaijani literary language. Having collected valuable materials, he wrote a capital three-volume work "The Literature of the Azerbaijani Turks" (1908). This work gave information about 130 Azerbaijani writers and was an invaluable work of its kind about the Azerbaijanian literature at that time. In spring 1920, during the Soviet invasion of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918-1920), Armenian dashnaks (members of the chauvinist Armenian party "Dashnaksutiun") pretending to be Bolsheviks, arrested Kocharli, who had no guilt, and took him to Ganja. After two days when special envoys were sent from Baku to Ganja to release Kocharli, it was late. Dashnaks killed him without trial.

Abdulla Shaig (1881-1959) was the author of many language and literature textbooks, published in 1909-1920. His father Mustafa Talibzade was an akhoond, who taught Islamic law, Persian and Arabic at a secondary school in Tbilisi. In 1901, at the age of 20, Abdulla permanently settled in Baku and passed an examination at the First Alexandrian Gymnasium becoming a certified teacher. Shaig was a romanticist and a children's author. During the brief independence of the ADR (1918-1920) he showed strong idealogical support. His short stories was also particularly popular in the Soviet Union and celebration of internationalism and pacifism earned him great success as a writer. Despite his academic work aimed at promoting Azerbaijani culture and somewhat open anti-Stalinist views, he is not believed to have been persecuted by the state. He also translated numerous works by Shakespeare, Defoe, Pushkin, Lermontov, Krylov, Gorky, Nekrasov, Nizami and Firdowsi into Azerbaijani.

Khagani Shirvani (1121-1190) Khagani (real name Afzaladdin Badil (Ibrahim) ibn Ali Nadjar), a great Azerbaijani poet and a master of panegyric qasida was born into the family of a carpenter in Shamakhy, under the Shirvanshah. Khagani lost his father at an early age and was brought up by his uncle, Kafi-eddin Umar Shirvani, a doctor and astronomer at the Shirvanshah's court, who for 7 years (until his death) acted "both as nurse and tutor" to him. The poet himself had a remarkable knowledge of Christianity and his poetry is profused with Christian imagery and symbols. He was also taught by his cousin in philosophy. His master in poetry was the famous Abul-Ala Ganjavi who introduced him to the court of Khagan Manuchehr Shirvanshah and Khagani (regal) got his title from this king. He also married daughter of Abul-Ala. Khagani was left all alone after his son, daughter and wife die, and he soon too died in Tabriz.

Mahammad Huseyn Shahryar (1904-1988) Most probably source about Seyeed Mehemmed Hosseyn Shahryar Behjet Tabrizi's borth is that, he was born in Baghmeshe district of Tabriz in 1904. He was firstly educated by his father Hadji Mir Agha and he has began to interest in poetry since childhood. He started to learn Koran and Saadi's Golestan. Shahryar was in depression for a long time after his father's death. He wrote "Heydarbabaya Salam" (Hello To Heyder Baba) and published in 1953. From marriage with primary school teacher who is 35 years old younger than him and one of his relatives, he had four children. Shahryar went to Khoshkenab, wrote "Heydarbaba 2nd" and published there. Apart from his parent language Turkish, the poet knew Persian, Arabic and French. Shahryar spent his last days in a very bad condition. He got sick because of his old age and finally he died in 18 September 1988.

Nasreddin Tusi (1201-1274) Abu Jafar Muhammad Ibn Muhammad Ibn al-Hasan Nasir al-Din al-Tusi was an Azerbaijanian scientist, of Shia islamic belief, born in Tus, Khorasan (present time Iran). He is known to be a philosopher, mathematicians, astronomer, theologian, physician, and a prolific writer. Tusi made very accurate tables of planetary movements as depicted in his book "Zij-i ilkhani" (the Ilkhanic Tables). This books contains tables for calculating the positions of the planets and the names of the stars. He is also known by Tusi-couple, which resolves linear motion into the sum of two circular motions. He also calculated the value of 51' for the precession of the equinoxes and contributed to construction and usage of some astronomical instruments including astrolabe. He gave the first extant exposition of the whole system of plane and spherical trigonometry.

Aliagha Vahid (1895-1965) Aliagha Mammadgulu oglu Isgandarov was an Azerbaijani poet. He was known for reintroducing medieval ghazel style in Soviet Azerbaijani poetry. Vahid also translated a number of works by Nizami Ganjavi, Mahammad Fizuli, Afzaladdin Khagani and others into Azerbaijani language. The poetry of Aliagha Vahid is widely used in modern Azerbaijan with meykhana music genre, which in 1990s laid the foundation of Azerbaijanian rap music.

Abbas Sahhat (1874-1918) Abbasgulu Aliabbas oglu Mehdizade was an Azerbaijani poet and dramatist. As a poet, he adhered generally to romanticism. Sahhat also translated works of Pushkin, Lermontov, Nadson, Krylov, Hugo, Musset, Prudhomme, Amir Khusro as well as a number of German and Armenian poets into Azerbaijani. In 1912 he published his first collection of poems entitled Sinig saz (Broken Saz), his narrative poem Ahmadin shujaati and his translations of Western European literature under the name Garb gunashi (The Sun of the West). In his literary style, influence of classical poets such as Nizami, Hafiz and Sadi, and modern poets such as Tofik Fikret, is seen. Among his dramatic pieces, Neft fontani (1912) and Yoxsullug ayib deyil (1913) are noteworthy. There are accounts of a novel written by Sahhat and entitled Ali and Aisha. It was never published and its manuscript is believed to have perished during the dashnak occupation of Shamakhi in April 1918, when Sahhat's house was ravaged and burned. The poet himself managed to escape the town with his family, fleeing first to Kurdamir and later to Ganja, where he died some months later of stroke.

Imadaddin Nesimi (1369-1417) Seyyid Ali Mahammed oglu Imameddin was a 14th century Azerbaijani Hurufi poet, great thinker. He has received his early education in Shamakhi, learned sciences of that time, history of religions,logics, mathematics and astronomy. Having become familiar with the views of Fazlullah Naimi, founder of hurufism, he started to write poems where he was propaganding the ideas of this sect and since that time he had taken Nasimi as nick name similiar to Naimi. Known mostly by his pen-name of Nesimi, he composed poems, or divan, number about 300, and include gazels, kasides, and rubais, mostly in Azerbaijani, as well as some Arabian and Persian poetry. He is considered one of the greatest Turkish mystical poets of the late 14th and early 15th centuries and one of the most prominent early Divan masters in Turkish literary history.

Samed bey Mehmandarov (1856-1931) Prominent military commander Samed bey Mehmandarov was born in 1856 in Lenkoran in a noble Shushavian family. On March 22, 1915 he was promoted to the rank of Artillery General, first Azerbaijani to achieve this rank in the Imperial Russian Army. He was decorated with British, French and Romanian orders. With the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918) Samed bey Mehmandarov became the first minister of defense of Azerbaijan. He helped build a new national army from virtually a scratch. After the Soviet invasion (1920) Mehmandarov did not leave the country despite serous risk to his life. He was arrested but due to Nariman Narimanov, the Azerbaijani communist leader of the time, he was released two months later. Mehmandarov spent his last years teaching in the Soviet Azerbaijan military school, did a lot for preparation of many military specialists in Azerbaijan.

Khurshud Banu Natavan (1830-1897) Daughter of Mehdi Kulu Khan, the last ruler of the Karabakh Khanate (1748-1822), Natavan is most notable for her lyrical ghazals (verses) which express the feelings and sufferings of a woman who was not happy in her family life and who lost her son. Many of these poems are used in folk songs nowadays. Her real name was Khurshud Banu, but she chose the pen name Natavan, which means "oppressed". Poetess was carrying name of own grandmother who was sister of Javad Khan from Ganja. Being the only child in the family she was the only heir of the Karabakh Khan, known to general public as Khan gizi (Daughter of the Khan). After her father's death she was closely engaged in philanthropy, the social and cultural development of Karabakh. Among Natavan's most famous deeds was a water-pipe that she first laid down to Shusha in 1883, thus solving the water problem of the townsfolk. Natavan also did a lot for the development and popularization of the famous breed of Karabakh horses. Natavan also founded and sponsored first literary societies in Shusha and in whole of Azerbaijan. One of them called "Majlisi Uns" became especially popular and concentrated major poetic-intellectual forces of Karabakh of that time. She fell ill by herself and in 1897 died in Shusha. She was buried in Agdam in the family cemetery named "Imarat". As a sign of respect, people carried her corpse from Shusha to Agdam on foot.

Mahsati Ganjavi (1098-1188) Azerbaijani poetess, first chess-player woman, the first notable prominent woman musician Manisa Khatun Mahsati Ganjavi was originated from Ganja and was highly esteemed at the court of Sultan Sanjar of the Seljuk dynasty. Mahsati Ganjavi commonly wrote rubai on Percian language. The love plot holds the main place in her creations. The rubais are marked out by their wordliness, humanism, epicurism and optimism. Mahsati Ganjavi describes love as a fragile natural feeling which makes a man's fame higher. The poetess protested against religious prejudices, hypocricy, conservatism and protected a man's moral freedom. Her poems reflected the people's, especially women's, romantic dreams of a free and happy life.