Chivalry in Islamic Period of Azerbaijan

Abstract

Chivalry in Azerbaijan has been mentioned in Sufism related references since fifth Hegira century. Although chivalry in Azerbaijan had interactions with Zarathustra religion and Manichaeism before Islam, but after the entrance of Islam to this region, Sufism and chivalry became close to each other. Sufi knights were moderate in both ideas and behaviors and contributed in social affairs and helped poor people and often appeared by titles like Akhy or Baba. They wore a uniform color to find their counterparts easily and never assumed their manner different from Sharia. After Mogul invasion of Azerbaijan, social chaos increased and chivalry Sufism spread more. Despotism and injustice of Mogul rulers and disability of local governors to encounter them made life harder for people and left them with their difficulties. Thus, the social base for chivalry was prepared in second half of 7^th Hegira century and chivalry shaped the main part of Sufism in Azerbaijan through which Sohravidieh and Kebravieh were promoted as evolving movements of it. This article investigates the trend of chivalry in Azerbaijan since 5^th century to early Ilkhani era and introduces influential chivalry figures and their manners by an analytic descriptive research method.