Alternative History
Alternative History
Principality of Azerbaijan
Княжество Азербайджан
Knyazhestvo Azerbaydzhan
(Russian)
Азәрбајҹан Кнјазлығы
Azərbaycan Knyazlığı
(Azeri)
Azerbaijan Emblem of Azerbaijan
Motto
"Земля Обещания"
"Zemlya Obeshchaniya" (Russian)

"Торпаг вәд"
"Torpaq vəd" (Azeri)

(Land of Promise)
CapitalBaku
Official languages Russian, Azeri
Ethnic groups  Azeris, Russians, other Caucasians
Government
 -  Crown Prince Nasib I Faridovich
 -  Governor-General Murad Shakirov
 -  Head Minister Gavril Pavlov

The Principality of Azerbaijan (Russian: Княжество Азербайджан, Knyazhestvo Azerbaydzhan; Azeri: Азәрбајҹан Кнјазлығы, Azərbaycan Knyazlığı) is one of Russia's governorates in the Grand Duchy of the Caucusus.

Despite its turbulent history of ethnic separatism (and consequently - cultural repression of the local Azeris) and martial law, Azerbaijan is one of Russia's most developed regions, and one of its most wealthiest principalities, with a high standard of living. It is one of Russia's oil-rich regions, as well as one of its agricultural regions.

Ethnic Azeris constitute 75% of the total population, Russians at 23% and other Caucasians form the rest. Shiite Islam forms the majority, at 74%, while Russian Orthodox form the next largest, with Sunnis and irreligious forming the rest.

History[]

In the aftermath of the Russian Civil War, Azerbaijan was still a hotbed for uprisings, which Cyril I, the Autocrat of all Russia, stated needed to be put down. A fringe Bolshevik group from the defeated Russian SFSR then staged an uprising in Azerbaijan, siezing oil-rich fields and threatening Rashid Khan Kaplanov.

Despite being surrounded by White and Tsarist forces, the White Russians did not intervene, and intentionally waited for the Bolsheviks to overthrow the democratic republic, and force it to capitulate. Therefore, Rashid Khan Kaplanov was forced to flee, and met Pyotr Krasnov.

Ibrahim Kaplanov, his brother, had been serving with the Whites, who were at first, reluctant to lend a single hand to Rashid, and it was quite clear, that Rashid would have to conceded Azerbaijan to the Russians.

In 1921, after Kiril I Vladimirovich, the cousin of the late and fallen Nicholas II, was recognized as the Tsar, the Azerbaijan Agreement was signed. Per this agreement, the Tsar would help the Azeris defeat the Bolsheviks, if and only if Azerbaijan is to be recognized as part of Russia. In return, the Kaplanovs will be recognized as the ruing princes of Azerbaijan.

Therefore, from 1921-1922, the Battle of Azerbaijan ended in a Russian victory, re-establishing the Principality. While Rashid was the Crown Prince, under Russian pressure, he vested pretty much all military powers to his younger brother, Ibrahim Gaplanov who too, became the Royal Governor General of the Principality for his role serving as part of the White forces.

Another noble, of Azerbaijani origin, entered the scene. Alexander Kazembek, who had supported the ascent of Cyril I, re-joined the nobility of Azerbaijan, as part of the Pomenschik class since the Kazembeks were of noble, but not necessarily princely origin. He would become Azerbaijan's first Noble Head Minister. Kazembek however, was looked at with much suspicion due to his non-Islamic faith.

As a result, Alexander Kazembek too, was crowned a Prince of Azerbaijan, which did not sit well with many Caucasian nationalists, who felt that Kazembek's Orthodox faith would be use as a bully-puplit tool by the Russian authorities.

Economy[]

Crude oil & natural gas[]

Two-thirds of Azerbaijan is rich in oil and natural gas. Alexandrov-Neft and Gaplanov-Neft are the two largest oil companies in Azerbaijan, non-coincidentally, they are owned by the two ruling nobilities. The South Caucasus Pipeline is bringing natural gas through Turkey to Europe.

The history of the oil industry of Azerbaijan dates back to the ancient period. Arabian historian and traveler Ahmed Al-Belaruri discussed the economy of the Absheron peninsula in antiquity, mentioning its oil in particular. There are many pipelines in Azerbaijan.

The region of the Lesser Caucasus accounts for most of the Principality's gold, silver, iron, copper, titanium, chromium, manganese, cobalt, molybdenum, complex ore and antimony. In September 1994, a 30-year contract was signed between the Royal Alexandrov Oil Company of the Principality of Azerbaijan (SOCAR) and 13 oil companies, among them Amoco, BP, ExxonMobil, Lukoil and Equinor. As Persian and other foreign oil companies are able to tap deepwater oilfields untouched by the Russian exploitation, Azerbaijan is considered one of the most important spots in the world for oil exploration and development. Meanwhile, the Royal State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan was established as an extra-budgetary fund to ensure macroeconomic stability, transparency in the management of oil revenue, and safeguarding of resources for future generations.

Access to biocapacity in Azerbaijan is less than world average. In 2016, Azerbaijan had 0.8 global hectares of biocapacity per person within its territory, half the world average of 1.6 global hectares per person. In 2016 Azerbaijan used 2.1 global hectares of biocapacity per person – their ecological footprint of consumption. This means they use more biocapacity than Azerbaijan contains. As a result, Azerbaijan is running a biocapacity deficit.

Azeriqaz, a sub-company of SOCAR, intends to ensure full gasification of the principality by 2021. Azerbaijan is one of the sponsors of the east-west and north-south energy transport corridors. Baku–Tbilisi–Kars railway line will connect the Caspian region with Turkey, which is expected to be completed in July 2017. The Trans-Anatolian gas pipeline (TANAP) and Trans-Adriatic Pipeline (TAP) will deliver natural gas from Azerbaijan's Shah Deniz gas to Turkey and Europe.

Azerbaijan extended the agreement on development of ACG until 2050 according to the amended PSA signed on 14 September 2017 by SOCAR and co-ventures (BP, Chevron, Inpex, Equinor, ExxonMobil, TP, ITOCHU and ONGC Videsh).

Agriculture[]

Azerbaijan has the largest agricultural basin in the region, and is considered one of Russia's agricultural belts. About 54.9 percent of Azerbaijan is agricultural land. At the beginning of 2007 there were 4,755,100 hectares of utilized agricultural area. In the same year the total wood resources counted 136 million m3. Azerbaijan's agricultural scientific research institutes are focused on meadows and pastures, horticulture and subtropical crops, green vegetables, viticulture and wine-making, cotton growing and medicinal plants.

In some areas it is profitable to grow grain, potatoes, sugar beets, cotton and tobacco. Livestock, dairy products, and wine and spirits are also important farm products. The Caspian fishing industry concentrates on the dwindling stocks of sturgeon and beluga. In 2002 the local Azerbaijani merchant marine had 54 ships.

Some products previously imported from abroad have begun to be produced locally. Among them are Tsar-Kola by Imperiya-Kola Bottlers LTD., beer by Baki-Kastel, parquet by Nehir and oil pipes by EUPEC Pipe Coating Azerbaijan.

Tourism[]

Shahdag Mountain Resort is the country's largest winter resort.

Tourism in Azerbaijan is an important part of the Russian economy. The country was a well-known tourist spot in the 1980s. The fall of the Second Russian Empire, and the First Nagorno-Karabakh War and Insurgency during the 1990s, damaged the tourist industry and the image of Azerbaijan as a tourist destination.

It was not until the 2000s that the tourism industry began to recover, and the country has since experienced a high rate of growth in the number of tourist visits and overnight stays. In the recent years, Azerbaijan has also become a popular destination for religious, spa, and health care tourism. During winter, the Shahdag Mountain Resort offers skiing with state of the art facilities.

The local government of Azerbaijan has set the development of Azerbaijan as an elite Russian tourist destination as a top priority. It is a national strategy to make tourism a major, if not the single largest, contributor to the local Azerbaijani economy. These activities are regulated by the Royal Ministry of Culture and Tourism of Azerbaijan. There are 63 countries which have a visa-free score. E-visa – for a visit of foreigners of visa-required countries to Russia.

According to the Royal Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report 2015 of the World Economic Forum, Azerbaijan holds 6th place.

According to a report by the Royal Travel and Tourism Council, Azerbaijan was among the top ten regions of Russia showing the strongest growth in visitor exports between 2010 and 2016, In addition, Azerbaijan placed first (46.1%) among Russia's regions with the fastest-developing travel and tourism economies, with strong indicators for inbound international visitor spending last year.

Ruling nobility[]

Azerbaijan is currently ruled by the members of the House of Gaplanov, who is actually of Kumyk knyaz (princely) and Jewish origin. Despite Azerbaijan being a predominantly-Shiite territory, the Gaplanovs are Sunnis, and most of their members have relied on morganatic marriages with Chechen women to keep the dynasty alive.

The other prominent royal house is the House of Alexandrov. They are descended from a line of emirs and muftis in what is today Azerbaijan, who continued to rule even after the Russo-Persian war. Despite being of Shiite Islamic origin, the Alexandrovs today are Russian Orthodox, with one Muslim line. Unlike the Gaplanovs, the Alexandrovs were of beylik (baronial) instead of knyazhestvo (princely) origin.

While most of the Alexandrovs are Russian Orthodox, a revived Shiite Muslim line began in 2013 with the marriage of Prince Mohammad (formerly Vladislav) and Princess Noor Pahlavi of Persia. The Alexandrovs themselves, were originally a Muslim dynasty, however became Russian Orthodox after one of its noted members, the famous orientalist Muhammad Ali Kazim-bey, became Russian Orthodox and was baptized as Alexander Kasimovich Kazembek. His grandson, also named Alexander Kazembek, established a Russian youth political support group for Cyril I Vladimirovich's ascent to the throne.

Azerbaijan's two largest oil companies, Kazembek-Neft and Gaplanov-Neft are owned by each respective family, and are currently competitors. Of the two, Kazembek-Neft is the more successful, and dominates the oil industry of southern Azerbaijan, since it is Kazembek-Neft that is responsible for the oil trade with Turkey and Europe.