Shusha was not
chosenby chance
as capital of the khanate.
Bayat and Shahbulaq castles
were built before Shusha, but after
an analysis of their potential it was
decided that a new, more suitable capital was
needed and the specifications were drawn up. Mirza
Jamal Javanshir, vizier of the Qarabagh Khanate,
comments on the event in his work ‘The History of
Qarabagh’: ‘The late Panah Khan, who never forgot
matters of government for a moment, summoned by decree
businesslike and capable men for consultations. They said:
“
We must build a permanent, indestructible fortress in such a
secure and impassable place in the mountains that a strong enemy
cannot lay siege to it. One side of the fortress in the mountains should
always be open to the land and our communications and connections with
the neighbourhoods should not be cut (for a moment)…” Several of the khan’s
knowledgeable, well-informed men inspected locations for the fortress… There
was no running water apart from two or three springs and this number of springs
would be insufficient for the people of the fortress. Therefore, wells were dug in prospective
spots and they determined that it was feasible to dig wells in several places. The news was
brought to the late Panah Khan. The khan was very pleased – he gathered several of his closest
men, went to see the place for himself and resolved that the foundations would be laid for the
fortress.’ The spring cleared up another important matter: ‘Until that time there had been no
dwelling houses here (i.e. in the place chosen for the fortress, K.S.). Here, on the east side, were
the cultivated fields and pastures of the village of Shusha six versts (over six kilometres) from the
fortress.’ It is clear from this that the location of Shusha was chosen on the basis of the Qarabagh
khan’s concretemilitary-political and humanitarian plans. Anotherexper oQarabagh’s history, Mirza
Adigozal Bay, links the founding of the city with the presence of water and writes: ‘There was no run-
ning water or spring in the place where the city was to be founded. Several wells were dug for a trial.
When water flowed from these wells, in 1170 (1756 in the Christian calendar – K.S.) the foundations
of the city of Shusha were laid. The residents of Shahbulaq moved here with the people of a few villages…’
The city was initially called Panahabad in honour of the khan, but it soon became known by the name of
the nearby village, Shusha. Panah Khan and his desce dants were clearly progressive, as they did not object
to the name Shusha replacing the ruler’s name. The city was also popularly known as Qala (Fortress). The
arrival of Shusha in the family of Azerbaijani cities (Tabriz, Baku, Ganja, Ardabil, Urmiya and others) was
a major event. The Qarabagh Khanate’s political influence and economic potential quickly boosted the role
of Shusha, while the city of Shusha considerably reinforced the military and strategic position of th Qarabagh
Khanate. With the development of Shusha a new era began in the life of ancient Qarabagh. In Shusha’s early
years as capital of the Qarabagh Khanate, a struggle was under way for power in the shattered Afshar state.
Fatali Khan of Urmia, Mahammadhasan Khan Qajar (1750-70) and Karim Khan Zand (1750-79) were the
most active. Sorting out relations with the Qarabagh Khanate took a prominent place in this struggle. Shusha
faced its first test in 1758. Mahammadhasan Khan advanced on Shusha. Panah Khan shored up his dfences,
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