page_title: Military history of Azerbaijan
section_title: Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
hierarchical_section_title: Military history of Azerbaijan / Azerbaijan Democratic Republic
caption_attribution_description: English: Army of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in 1918
context_page_description: The military history of Azerbaijan comprises thousands of years of armed actions in the territory encompassing modern Azerbaijan, as well as interventions by the Azerbaijani Armed Forces in conflicts abroad. The Azerbaijanis are believed to be inheritors of various ancient civilizations and peoples including the indigenous Caucasian Albanians, Iranian tribes such as Scythians and Alans, and Oghuz Turks among others.
  The country location in the crossroads of Europe and Asia made it possible for Azeris to have military contact both with European and Oriental forces.
context_section_description: Among the important accomplishments of the Parliament of the newly formed democratic republic was the extension of suffrage to women, making Azerbaijan the first Muslim state in the world to give women equal political rights with men. In this accomplishment, Azerbaijan preceded even such developed countries as the United Kingdom and the United States. Another important accomplishment of ADR was the establishment of Baku State University, which was the first modern-type university founded in Azerbaijan.
  The history of the modern Azerbaijan army dates back to Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in 1918, when the Armed Forces of Azerbaijan Republic were created on June 26, 1918. First de facto Minister of Defense of ADR was Dr. Khosrov bey Sultanov. When the Ministry was formally established, Gen. Samedbey Mehmandarov became the minister, and Lt-Gen. Ali-Agha Shikhlinski his deputy. Chiefs of Staff of ADR Army were Maj-Gen. Habib Bey Salimov (August 1, 1918 - March 26, 1919), Lt-Gen. Mammad Bey Shulkevich (March 26, 1919 - December 10, 1919) and Maj-Gen. Abdulhamid Bey Gaytabashi (December 10, 1919 – April 28, 1920).
  Some of Azerbaijan Democratic Republic's most prestigious generals were:
  Lieutenant-General Samad bey Mehmandarov (1855–1931)
  Lieutenant-General, Ali-Agha Shikhlinski (1865–1943)
  General-Adjutant, Huseyn Khan Nakhchivanski (1863–1919)
  Major-General, Abdulhamid Bey Gaytabashi (1884–1920)
  Major-General, Habib Bey Salimov (1881–1920)
  Major-General, Ibrahim bey Usubov (1875–1920)
  Major-General, Murad Girey Tlekhas (1874–1920)
  Major-General, Emir-Kazim Mirza Qajar (1853–1920)
  Major-General, Mammad Mirza Qajar (1872–1920)
  Major-General, Aliyar-Bek Gashimbekow (1856–1920)
  Major-General, David-Bek Edigarow (1881–1920)
  Major-General, Firidun-Bey Wezirow (1850–1925)
  Major-General, Khalil-Bey Talishkhanov (1859–1920)
  The Red Army invaded Azerbaijan on April 28, 1920. Although the bulk of the newly formed Azerbaijani army was engaged in putting down an Armenian revolt that had just broken out in Karabakh, the Azeris did not surrender their brief independence of 1918-20 quickly or easily. As many as 20,000 of the total 30,000 soldiers died resisting what was effectively a Russian reconquest. The national Army of Azerbaijan was abolished by the Bolshevik government, 15 of the 21 army generals were executed by the Bolsheviks.
caption: Soldiers from the newly formed Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in 1918.
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