The Socioeconomic Base of a South Caucasian Local Government: Shirvan Khanate Prior to the Russian Domination (1770-1820)

This article touches at a somewhat neglected aspect of traditional local governments in Iran. Financial resources seem to play a pivotal role in the formation of any local power. The article focuses on a case of local government in precolonial southern Caucasia, i.e. the Khanate of Shirvan, one of those several local Iranian rules in southern Caucasia which was annihilated after Tsarist Russia’s conquest of the region. Central to this study is the nature and quality of the economic resources available to the local governor as well as the mechanism through which he managed these resources to maintain and exert his power. The main reason behind this selection is the publication of “The 1820 Russian Survey of Shirvan Khanate.” This invaluable source gives us a wealth of statistical data on the financial resources of Shirvan Khanate before its annexation to Tsarist Russia. These data are analyzed within a socioeconomic framework to determine the amount of financial resources available to the Khan. This study demonstrates that the Khans of Shirvan enjoyed an advantageous position as they held control of considerable economic resources and these resources were of crucial importance for their local rule.