Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences

On April 16, a presentation ceremony for the book “Nadir Shah Peak of World Military Art,” co-authored by ANAS advisor, Academician Yagub Mahmudov, and Professor Tofiq Mustafazade, was held at the Central Scientific Library (CSL).

Participants first got acquainted with an exhibition featuring the works of Academician Yagub Mahmudov. The “Collection of Books by Academician Yagub Mahmudov,” established at the Central Scientific Library on the same day, was also presented to readers.

Opening the event, President of ANAS, Academician Isa Habibbeyli, highlighted the scientific significance of the book, which sheds light on the obscure pages of the nation’s history. He noted that the work presented to the public conveys important facts about key moments in history based on archival materials and significant documents.

The ANAS president stated that during the first phase of National Leader Heydar Aliyev’s political leadership, a systematic return to the history of statehood took place, and the process of reassessing historical figures on a scientific basis was initiated. During this period, the commemoration of anniversaries of great personalities who made exceptional contributions to Azerbaijan’s development became an important tradition at the state level.

Academician Isa Habibbeyli emphasized that the 100th anniversary of prominent statesman Nariman Narimanov was celebrated in 1972 at the initiative of the National Leader, and that on July 28, 1981, Heydar Aliyev signed a decree “On the Celebration of the 840th Anniversary of the Great Azerbaijani Poet and Thinker Nizami Ganjavi.” These facts clearly demonstrate the consistent and purposeful nature of the policy of returning to historical personalities.

“In the years of independence, the state policy aimed at systematically studying and presenting the legacy of historical figures to society has been consistently and effectively continued by President Ilham Aliyev,” said the ANAS president, noting that the declaration of recent years as the “Year of Imadaddin Nasimi,” the “Year of Nizami Ganjavi,” and the “Year of Heydar Aliyev” clearly reflects the special attention and care given by the head of state to national and spiritual values and the legacy of great personalities in the modern stage of Azerbaijan’s development.

Academician Isa Habibbeyli emphasized that the scientific study of the rich lives and activities of outstanding historical figures should be further expanded, and their legacy should become a lasting source of pride and inspiration in shaping the national consciousness of younger generations.

He noted that until now, information about Nadir Shah Afshar, one of the great figures of world military art, has largely been obtained from translated sources. He stated that the book “Nadir Shah Peak of World Military Art,” co-authored by Academician Yagub Mahmudov and Professor Tofiq Mustafazade, provides an objective scientific assessment of the life and activities of the great Azerbaijani commander based on Eastern and Western sources, as well as Russian archival documents and factual materials from scholarly studies published in various languages.

Academician Isa Habibbeyli emphasized that the book is an important scientific source for studying Azerbaijani statehood and wished the authors further creative success.

Then Chief Researcher of the Institute of History and Ethnology of ANAS, Doctor of Historical Sciences Guntekin Najafli, spoke about the merits of the publication, describing it as a significant scientific and historical event. She noted that until now, Western and Russian historiography has often taken a biased approach to the figure of Nadir Shah, diminishing his achievements. She emphasized that the book provides a well-founded response to such distortions based on scientific facts and represents a refined scholarly work by its authors.

Guntekin Najafli emphasized that conducting objective research on Nadir Shah and producing such publications is of great importance, particularly for the younger generation of a country that has liberated its lands from nearly 30 years of occupation. Such works enable young people to evaluate historical figures based on scientific and objective criteria.

According to her, the book clarifies many previously obscure aspects based on historical sources and presents an objective portrayal of Nadir Shah Afshar, who lived 59 years and ruled for 11 years. The authors dedicated the work to the cherished memory of their teachers—prominent intellectuals Adham Shahmaliyev, Mehdi Erivanski, Saida Imanzade, Ali Sultani, Abdulkarim Alizade, Bakhtiyar Vahabzade, and Mehbali Gasimov.

At the event, Chair of the Science and Education Committee of the Milli Majlis, Professor Anar Isgandarov; Member of Parliament, Doctor of Political Sciences, Professor Hikmat Babayev; Deputy Director for Research of the Institute of Philosophy and Sociology, Professor Eynulla Madatli; Member of Parliament and Senior Researcher at the Institute of History and Ethnology, Doctor of Historical Sciences Vasif Gafarov; Member of Parliament, PhD in Philosophy Javanshir Feyziyev; Professor-consultant of the Department of Humanities of the Military Scientific Research Institute of the National Defense University, Doctor of Historical Sciences Mehman Suleymanov; Deputy Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Board, PhD in Philosophy Fuad Nurullayev; Head of Department at the Institute of Manuscripts, Doctor of Historical Sciences Tahira Hasan-zade, and others shared their views on the publication.

Speakers noted that the book presented to the public discusses the military and political activities of the great Azerbaijani commander Nadir Shah, his struggle to liberate the occupied Safavid territories and the country’s capital from foreign forces, and his efforts to expand the empire. The book also highlights Nadir Shah Afshar’s conquest of India, the establishment of the Afshar Empire with a territory larger than the Safavid state, and his policy aimed at eliminating sectarian divisions in the Turkic world.

It was подчеркнул that such fundamental scientific studies are of great importance for the in-depth study of the centuries-old history of the Azerbaijani people and its prominent figures based on reliable sources and archival documents from the perspective of Azerbaijanism. At the same time, the work makes a substantial contribution to forming an objective and scientifically grounded view of Nadir Shah in Azerbaijani historiography.

In conclusion, co-author of the publication, Academician Yagub Mahmudov, thanked the leadership of ANAS, the Central Scientific Library, and the participants for organizing the event. He called on the younger generation to love, study, and promote national history. Providing information about the preparation of the book, he noted that its main strength lies in its reliance on primary sources and archival documents. Academician Yagub Mahmudov donated the books displayed at the Central Scientific Library to the newly established “Collection of Books by Academician Yagub Mahmudov.”

It should be noted that the 472-page book “Nadir Shah Peak of World Military Art” was scientifically edited by Doctor of Historical Sciences Mehman Suleymanov, with scientific consultants Sheref Kocakaya, head of the World Afshar Association, and Fuad Nurullayev, Deputy Chairman of the Caucasus Muslims Board and PhD in Philosophy.

Translation by Gulhane Aghayeva, Department of Public Relations, Press, and Information, Presidium of ANAS.

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