Zangezur Uyezd

Elisabethpol Governorate consisted of Yelizavetpolsky, Nukhisky, Shushinsky, Zangezursky, Kazakhsky, Areshsky, Dzhebrailsky, and Dzhevanshirsky Uyezds.[3] Zangezursky Uyezd was located in the southwest of Elisabethpol Governorate bordering its Dzhevanshirsky Uyezd on the north, Dzhebrailsky and Shushinsky Uyezds on the east, Persian Empire on the south, and Erivan Governorate on the west. The area covered 6,829.7 square verst.

Almost all of the area is mountainous with many gorges and valleys of Lesser Caucasus mountain range. The altitude ranges from 10,000 feet to 12,855 feet at Mount Kapudzhukh, a range dividing Elisabethpol from Erivan Governorate. The rivers in Zangezursky Uyezd are located within the Aras River basin. Bergushad (Bazarchay), Chaundur-chay, Basut-chay, Megri-chay played an important role in irrigation system of the uyezd.[4] Gorysy (Goris) served as the uyezd center.

During the Armenian rule, it was part of the Armenian province of Syunik, province of Vayots Dzor and Armenian melikates until the middle of the 18th century while at times being seen as part of the Persian Empire as well. Between the 1770s and the territory's transfer to the Russian Empire in 1813, the uyezd was part of Karabakh Khanate.

In the 1850s, Zangezursky Uyezd was part of Shemakha (later known as Baku Governorate). With the establishment of Elisabethpol Governorate on February 25, 1868, Zangezursky Uyezd was established from parts of Shushinsky Uyezd, Baku Governorate, and Ordubadsky Uyezd of Erivan Governorate.[4] After the fall of Russian Empire, Karabakh, Nakhchivan and Zangezur became a subject to Armenian-Azerbaijani territorial disputes.[5] Once the British forces took over Baku in 1918, General William Thomson, who represented the Allied Powers, recognized Nagorno Karabakh along with Zangezursky Uyezd as Azerbaijani territory. He confirmed the appointment by the Government of Azerbaijan of Khosrov bey Sultanov as the Governor of the Karabakh General-Governorship, which included these two regions. In 1919, the Armenian Assembly of Nagorno Karabakh recognized the authority of Azerbaijan.[6] After establishment of Soviet rule in the region, Zangezur was transferred to Armenia from Azerbaijan SSR as a "symbol of socialist friendship" by the Kremlin.[7]

According to census held in 1897, the population of uyezd was 137,871, of which 71,206 were Azerbaijanis, 63,622 were Armenians, 1,807 Kurds, 1,236 Russians and other minorities.[8] There were 326 villages. The population was engaged primarily in agricultural farming, gardening, sericulture, cotton-growing, cattle-breeding and development of copper fields. The lowland area was used for growing cotton, which produced 20,000 pounds of cotton per year. Vineyards covered as much as 4,494 desyatinas of land, producing 106,860 lbs of grape. Nearly 3,728 lbs of silk pods were being collected in 1890. According to statistical data from 1891, there were 9,784 horses, 83,000 of cattle, 780 buffalos, 133,648 sheep, 4,600 goats, 7,008 donkeys, 1,505 mules.[4]