Treaty of Kurakchay

Kurekchay Treaty between Russian Empire and Karabakh Khanate.

The Treaty of Kurakchay, (Azerbaijani: Kürəkçay müqaviləsi) also known as the Russo-Karabakhi treaty of May 14, 1805, was a treaty signed between the Russian military commander in the Caucasus Pavel Tsitsianov on behalf of Tsar Alexander I of Russia and Ibrahim Khalil Khan of the Karabakh khanate, which made the khanate a protectorate of the Russian empire. It was one in a series of treaties made between Russia and local khans in the southern Caucasus from 1801 to 1805.

Under the terms of the treaty, Ibrahim Khalil Khan declared his submission to the Russian emperor and abjured his loyalty to the Persian shah, and was to pay tribute annually. Russian authorities were to have full control over the khanate's external affairs and would station troops in Shusha. In return, Russia recognized Ibrahim Khalil and his descendants through the eldest son as rulers of Karabakh in perpetuity with full authority over all domestic affairs of the khanate. In fact the Khan was killed by the Russians months later.

The treaty however, had de facto little use at the time of signing, as Russia and Qajar Iran were still at war until 1813. By 1805, the Russian army had not even reached close to the territory of the administrational khanate. It was thus not until the 1813 Treaty of Gulistan that the treaty would be "ratified" by all sides.

(Article Sheki, Azerbaijan mentions a second Treaty of Kurakchay involving the Shaki Khanate (?).)

External links

• (Russian) Просительные пункты и клятвенное обещание Ибраим-хана. (Russian text of the treaty)
• An English translation of the treaty, with scans of the original document

See also

• Treaty of Gulistan
• Treaty of Turkmenchay
• Russo-Persian Wars