ROLE OF AZERBAIJAN IN THE IRANIAN CONSTITUTIONAL REVOLUTION

Historical role of Azerbaijan in developing of intellectual thought and revolutionary ideas before the Constitutional Revolution of Iran (1905-1906) is certain. Resistance of the people of Tabriz, in the Blockade of Tabriz accompanied with the concrete of Tehran by constitutionalists, which were From Turk and Shomali ethnics lead by Bakhtiari Lurs. Thinking the Constitutional Revolution, this question comes through that what was the role of the major ethnics (Turks and ethnicities with Farsi dialects in northern Iran (Gilaks and Mazandaranis) and Lurs (Laks and Bakhtiaris) in western Iran) in the process of victory of the revolution? The main question of this paper asks “what is the role of Turkish ethnicity in the North West region of Azerbaijan in the Constitutional Revolution?”The paper hypothesizes, “Azerbaijan internally and externally (internationally) had a fundamental role in the development of the Constitutional Revolution. Internally, region of Azerbaijan -where the Prince of Qajar was growing there, until take the Crown- was one of the country's economic hubs and then it was developed. Iran-Russia War in the 18th century and the consequences of the war in Azerbaijan –which directly involved in war- increased the protests against the monarchy of Qajar. This factor, along with external factors –revolutionary ideas came from Europe and Russia, foreign trade and the British and Russian colonialism- caused protest of Azerbaijanis. Citing the results obtained from various sources, I can argue that the constitutional revolution has a multi-ethnic nature and some of Iranian ethnic groups, especially Azeris had crucial role in it.