{{Short description|Former county in Caucasus, Russian Empire}} {{italic title|string=okrug}} {{Infobox settlement | area_total_km2 = 3,985.77 | established_date = 1859 | established_title = Established | extinct_date = 1918 | extinct_title = Abolished | image_map = Zakataly Okrug of Caucasus Viceroyalty.png | image_shield = Coat of Arms of Zakataly (1843).gif | map_caption = Location in the Caucasus Viceroyalty | mapsize = 220px | name = Zakatal ''okrug'' | native_name = Закатальский округ | native_name_lang = ru | population_as_of = 1916 | population_density_km2 = auto | population_rural = 95.14% | population_total = 92,608 | population_urban = 4.86% | seat = Zakataly<br>(present-day [[Zaqatala (city)|Zaqatala]]) | seat_type = Capital | settlement_type = ''[[Okrug]]'' | subdivision_name = [[Russian Empire]] | subdivision_name1 = [[Caucasus Viceroyalty (1801–1917)|Caucasus]] | subdivision_type = Country | subdivision_type1 = [[List of viceroyalties of the Russian Empire|Viceroyalty]] | total_type = Total }} {{History of Azerbaijan}}
The '''Zakatal ''okrug'''''{{efn|{{bulletedlist|{{langx|ru|Закатальский округ}}, {{langx|ru|label=<small>[[pre-reform orthography]]</small>|Закатальскій округъ|translit=Zakatalskiy okrug}} {{IPA|ru|zəkɐˈtalʲskʲɪj ˈokrʊk|}}|{{Langx|az|زاقاتالا دائرهسی|Zaqatala dairəsi}}}}}} was a special administrative district (''[[okrug]]'') of the [[Caucasus Viceroyalty (1801–1917)|Caucasus Viceroyalty]] of the [[Russian Empire]], part of the [[Tiflis Governorate]] from 1893 to 1905. The administrative centre of the district was Zakataly (present-day [[Zaqatala (city)|Zaqatala]]), and it corresponded to most of the contemporary districts of [[Balakan District|Balakan]], [[Zaqatala District|Zaqatala]] and [[Qax Rayon|Qax]] of [[Azerbaijan]]. The Zakatal ''okrug'' was established from the territories of the erstwhile [[Djaro-Belokani|Free Jamaats of Jar-Balakan]], bordering the Tiflis Governorate to the west, the [[Elizavetpol Governorate]] to the south and the [[Dagestan Oblast]] to the north. The district was the smallest independent (not part of any province or region) administrative unit of the Russian Empire, similarly to the [[Sukhumi okrug]].
== History == The district was originally established under the name Belokan in 1842, within the [[Georgia-Imeretia Governorate]], two years after it was renamed to Jaro-Belokan. The autonomous status of the district was confirmed in 1846, leading to its renaming to Zakataly in 1860 and its placement into the temporary administration of [[Dagestan Oblast|Dagestan]] during which its administration was organised into a military council, of which the chief was the head of the district, concurrently with Dagestan.{{sfn|Janeliże|2018|pp=52–53}} In 1881, an independent administration was introduced. The Zakatal okrug was incorporated into the 'civilian' administration of the Tiflis Governorate from 1893 until 1905 when was removed and placed directly under the Viceroy of the Caucasus.{{sfn|Tsutsiev|2014|pp=172–174}}
The social structure of the Zakatal okrug was multi-layered in its patriarchal-clans which were involved in "mountain feudalism", which became muddled by growing [[Ethnic nationalism|ethno-nationalism]] and the social differences they bore. The Free Jamaats (Society) peoples were the collective owners of the lands in which the [[Ingiloy people|Ingiloys]] and Tatars (later [[Azerbaijanis]]) lived, for which the latter paid tax to them. In 1863, a rumor circulated that the administration of Zakataly was planning to emancipate the Georgians and Tatars from their financial obligations to the Free Jamaats peoples, leading to an anti-Russian uprising of its [[Peoples of Dagestan|Dagestani inhabitants]]. The uprising became elevated by the declaration of ''[[jihad]]'' (holy war) until its suppression by local troops assisted by Tatar volunteers.<ref name=":1">{{Cite web|title=ЗАКАТАЛЬСКИЙ ОКРУГ • Большая российская энциклопедия - электронная версия|url=https://bigenc.ru/domestic_history/text/1986087|access-date=2021-12-16|website=bigenc.ru|archive-date=2021-06-13|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210613140754/https://bigenc.ru/domestic_history/text/1986087|url-status=dead}}</ref>
Following the [[Russian Revolution]], most of the district was incorporated into the [[Azerbaijan Democratic Republic]]{{sfn|Janeliże|2018|pp=52–53}}{{sfn|Kacharava|Daushvili|2012|p=41}}{{sfn|Yilmaz|2009}}{{sfn|Javakhishvili|2011|p=235}} and transformed into the [[Zaqatala Governorate]], despite also being claimed by the neighboring [[Democratic Republic of Georgia]]. On account of the dispute, the authorities of both states agreed to resolve the territorial dispute over Zakatal strictly by peaceful means.{{sfn|Yilmaz|2009}} A few hundred Armenians remained in the district by 1919 and were harassed by outlaws.{{sfn|Hovannisian|1982|pp=186–187}}
Despite the [[Russian SFSR]] initially recognising the Zakatal ''okrug'' as part of Georgia in the [[Treaty of Moscow (1920)|Treaty of Moscow]],{{sfn|Wright|Goldenberg|Schofield|1996|p=136}}{{sfn|Hovannisian|1996a|p=205}} a mixed commission consisting of Georgians and Azerbaijanis was formed to arbitrate the dispute following the region's [[sovietisation]].{{sfn|Kazemzadeh|1951|p=299}} During the administrative-territorial reforms of the 1920s, the Zakataly district was separated into the ''[[raion]]s'' of [[Balakan Rayon|Balakan]], [[Zaqatala Rayon|Zagatala]], and [[Qax Rayon|Gakh]].
== Economy == The main occupations of the predominantly [[Sunni Islam|Sunni]] population included cattle breeding, agriculture, viticulture, picking fruits (mainly walnuts), handicrafts and silkworm breeding.<ref name=":1"/>
== Administrative divisions == The prefectures ({{Langx|ru|участки|translit=[[Uchastok|uchastki]]|label=none}}) of the Zakatal ''okrug'' were:{{sfn|Кавказский календарь на 1917 год|pp=134–136}}{{sfn|Кавказский календарь на 1913 год|pp=156–159}} {| class="wikitable sortable" !Name !Administrative centre !1912 population !Area |- |''Aliabadskiy'' prefecture ({{lang|ru|Алиабадский участок}}) |[[Aliabad, Zaqatala|Aliabad]] | align="right" |14,254 |{{Convert|430.45|verst2|km2 mi2|lk=on}} |- |''Dzharo-Mukhakhskiy'' prefecture ({{lang|ru|Джаро-Мухахский участок}}) |Zakataly ([[Zaqatala (city)|Zaqatala]]) | align="right" |38,879 |{{Convert|1737.01|verst2|km2 mi2|lk=on}} |- |''Kakhskiy'' prefecture ({{lang|ru|Кахский участок}}) |Kakh ([[Qax]]) | align="right" |17,595 |{{Convert|1334.78|verst2|km2 mi2|lk=on}} |- |''Almalinskiy [[raion|rayon]]'' ({{lang|ru|Алмалинский район}}) |Almalo ([[Almalı, Qakh|Almalı]]) | align="center" |– | align="center" |– |- |''Belokanskiy rayon'' ({{lang|ru|Белоканский район}}) |Belokany ([[Balakən]]) | align="center" |– | align="center" |– |- |''Mukhakhskiy rayon'' ({{lang|ru|Мухахский район}}) |Mukhakh ([[Muxax]]) | align="center" |– | align="center" |– |} There once existed a ''Gornye magaly'' ({{lit|mountain quarters}}) district "along the headwaters of the [[Samur (river)|Samur]]", however, it was dissolved in 1860.{{sfn|Tsutsiev|2014}} There was also a ''Belokanskiy'' prefecture ({{lang|ru|Белоканский участок}}) prior to 1912.{{sfn|Кавказский календарь на 1910 год|p=202}}
==Demographics== === Russian Empire Census === According to the [[Russian Empire Census]], the Zakatal ''okrug''—then part of the Tiflis Governorate—had a population of 84,224 on {{OldStyleDate|28 January|1897|15 January}}, including 45,418 men and 38,806 women. The plurality of the population indicated [[Avar language|Avar-Andean]] to be their mother tongue, with significant Tatar,{{Caucasian Tatars}} [[Georgian language|Georgian]], and [[Dargin languages|Dargin]] speaking minorities.<ref name=":3">{{cite web|url=http://demoscope.ru/weekly/ssp/emp_lan_97_uezd.php?reg=551 |title=Демоскоп Weekly - Приложение. Справочник статистических показателей |publisher=Demoscope.ru |access-date=2013-10-05}}</ref> {| class="wikitable sortable" |+Linguistic composition of the Zakatal ''okrug'' in 1897<ref name=":3" /> !Language !Native speakers !% |- |[[Avar language|Avar-Andean]]|| align="right" |31,670|| align="right" |37.60 |- |Tatar{{efn|name=Caucasian Tatars}}|| align="right" |28,950|| align="right" |34.37 |- |[[Georgian language|Georgian]]|| align="right" |12,389|| align="right" |14.71 |- |[[Dargin languages|Dargin]]|| align="right" |7,441|| align="right" |8.83 |- |[[Armenian language|Armenian]]|| align="right" |2,100|| align="right" |2.49 |- |[[Lezgian language|Kyurin]]|| align="right" |975|| align="right" |1.16 |- |[[Russian language|Russian]]|| align="right" |315|| align="right" |0.37 |- |[[Ukrainian language|Ukrainian]]|| align="right" |118|| align="right" |0.14 |- |[[Polish language|Polish]]|| align="right" |115|| align="right" |0.14 |- |[[Lak language|Kazi-Kumukh]]|| align="right" |61|| align="right" |0.07 |- |[[German language|German]]|| align="right" |11|| align="right" |0.01 |- |[[Jewish languages|Jewish]]|| align="right" |11|| align="right" |0.01 |- |[[Persian language|Persian]]|| align="right" |7|| align="right" |0.01 |- |[[Ossetian language|Ossetian]]|| align="right" |6|| align="right" |0.01 |- |[[Mingrelian language|Mingrelian]]|| align="right" |3|| align="right" |0.00 |- |[[Turkish language|Turkish]]|| align="right" |3|| align="right" |0.00 |- |[[Greek language|Greek]]|| align="right" |2|| align="right" |0.00 |- |[[Imeretian language|Imeretian]]|| align="right" |2|| align="right" |0.00 |- |[[Belarusian language|Belarusian]]|| align="right" |1|| align="right" |0.00 |- |[[Kist people|Kist]]|| align="right" |1|| align="right" |0.00 |- |Other|| align="right" |43|| align="right" |0.05 |- !TOTAL !84,224 !100.00 |}
=== ''Kavkazskiy kalendar'' === According to the 1917 publication of ''[[Kavkazskiy kalendar]]'', the Zakatal ''okrug'' had a population of 92,608 on {{OldStyleDate|14 January|1916|1 January}}, including 48,323 men and 44,285 women, 86,128 of whom were the permanent population, and 6,480 were temporary residents:{{sfn|Кавказский календарь на 1917 год|pp=357–358}} {| class="wikitable sortable" ! rowspan="2" |Nationality ! colspan="2" |[[Urban area|Urban]] ! colspan="2" |[[Rural area|Rural]] ! colspan="2" |TOTAL |- !Number !% !Number !% !Number !% |- |[[Sunni muslims|Sunni Muslims]]{{Efn|Primarily Turco-Tatars.{{sfn|Hovannisian|1971|p=67}}}}|| align="right" |288|| align="right" |6.39|| align="right" |42,491|| align="right" |48.23|| align="right" |42,779|| align="right" |46.19 |- |[[Peoples of the Caucasus#Northeast_Caucasian|North Caucasians]]|| align="right" |1,068|| align="right" |23.71|| align="right" |40,712|| align="right" |46.21|| align="right" |41,780|| align="right" |45.11 |- |[[Georgians]]|| align="right" |204|| align="right" |4.53|| align="right" |4,370|| align="right" |4.96|| align="right" |4,574|| align="right" |4.94 |- |[[Armenians]]|| align="right" |2,165|| align="right" |48.06|| align="right" |365|| align="right" |0.41|| align="right" |2,530|| align="right" |2.73 |- |[[Shia Muslims]]{{Efn|Primarily Tatars.{{sfn|Hovannisian|1971|p=67}}}}|| align="right" |486|| align="right" |10.79|| align="right" |91|| align="right" |0.10|| align="right" |577|| align="right" |0.62 |- |[[Russians]]|| align="right" |270|| align="right" |5.99|| align="right" |56|| align="right" |0.06|| align="right" |326|| align="right" |0.35 |- |[[Europeans|Other Europeans]]|| align="right" |21|| align="right" |0.47|| align="right" |2|| align="right" |0.00|| align="right" |23|| align="right" |0.02 |- |[[Christianity in Asia|Asiatic Christians]]|| align="right" |0|| align="right" |0.00|| align="right" |16|| align="right" |0.02|| align="right" |16|| align="right" |0.02 |- |[[Jews]]|| align="right" |3|| align="right" |0.07|| align="right" |0|| align="right" |0.00|| align="right" |3|| align="right" |0.00 |- !TOTAL !4,505 !100.00 !88,103 !100.00 !'''92,608''' !100.00 |}
==Notes== {{notelist}}
== References == {{sfn whitelist|CITEREFKazemzadeh1951|CITEREFHovannisian1982|CITEREFHovannisian1996a|CITEREFКавказский_календарь_на_1910_год}} {{reflist}}
== Bibliography == {{sfn whitelist|CITEREFКавказский_календарь_на_1910_год|CITEREFКавказский_календарь_на_1913_год|CITEREFКавказский_календарь_на_1917_год}} {{Refbegin}} *{{Cite Armenia and Imperial Decline}} *{{Hovannisian: The Republic of Armenia|volume=1}} *{{Hovannisian: The Republic of Armenia|volume=2}} *{{Hovannisian: The Republic of Armenia|volume=3}} *{{Cite book |last=Janeliże |first=Otʻar |title=The Democratic Republic of Georgia, 1918-1921 |year=2018 |isbn=978-9941-8-0096-2 |location=Tbilisi |oclc=1110424382}} *{{Cite book |last=Javakhishvili |first=Ivane |url=http://caucasiology.tsu.ge/docs/geo/el-biblioteka/jurnalebi%20da%20sxva/Caucasiologic%20papers%203%202011.pdf |title=Caucasiologic Papers |publisher=[[Tbilisi State University]] |year=2011 |location=Tbilisi |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220416074530/http://caucasiology.tsu.ge/docs/geo/el-biblioteka/jurnalebi%20da%20sxva/Caucasiologic%20papers%203%202011.pdf |archive-date=16 April 2022 |url-status=live}} *{{Cite book |last1=Kacharava |first1=Andro |last2=Daushvili |first2=Aleko |date=1 January 2012 |title=The Democratic Republic of Georgia: Struggle for Independence 1918-1921 |url=https://www.academia.edu/39848669}} *{{Cite Kavkazskiy Kalendar 1910}} *{{Cite Kavkazskiy Kalendar 1913}} *{{Cite Kavkazskiy Kalendar 1917}} *{{Cite The Struggle for Transcaucasia}} *{{Cite Atlas of the Ethno-Political History of the Caucasus}} *{{Cite book |first1=John F. R. |last1=Wright |first2=Suzanne |last2=Goldenberg |first3=Richard N. |last3=Schofield |title=Transcaucasian boundaries |year=1996 |publisher=UCL Press |isbn=0-203-21447-1 |location=London |oclc=252906502}} *{{Cite journal |last=Yilmaz |first=Harun |date=1 June 2009 |title=An Unexpected Peace: Azerbaijani–Georgian Relations, 1918–20 |url=https://doi.org/10.1080/09546540902900288 |journal=Revolutionary Russia |volume=22 |issue=1 |pages=37–67 |doi=10.1080/09546540902900288 |s2cid=143471218 |issn=0954-6545|url-access=subscription }} {{Refend}}
{{Subdivisions of the Russian Empire}}
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[[Category:Caucasus Viceroyalty (1801–1917)]] [[Category:Oblasts of the Russian Empire]] [[Category:Tiflis Governorate]] [[Category:Modern history of Azerbaijan]] [[Category:19th century in Azerbaijan]]