Movie on Azerbaijan's Javad Khan screened in New York
By Nazrin Gadimova
A movie about Azerbaijan's khan of Ganja khanate Javad Khan has been screened at the Eyup Sultan Cultural Center in New York.
Chairman of the New York-Azerbaijan Association Ercan Yerdalanli provided an insight into the film. Moreover, the film's director Rovshan Almuradli and its screenplay writer Sabir Rustamkhanli, head of the Cultural Development Center, as well as organizer of the event Garay Alibeyov, spoke about Javad Khan's role in the independence of Azerbaijan.
The film, which narrates the fight against the Tsarist Russia troops and the heroic death of Javad Khan and his sons in the early 19th century, was watched by representatives of the diplomatic corps, employees of Azerbaijan's permanent mission to the UN, representatives of embassies of Turkish states, as well as Azerbaijanis living in New York.
Ercan Yerdelenli and Head of the New York Cultural Center Telman Jalil presented diplomas to the film makers.
Javan Khan, a representative of the Ziyadoghlu family and the last khan of Ganja, ascended to the throne in 1786. Under his governing, Ganja became stronger because the khan pursued an independent foreign policy during the complex historical events, which differed from the policy of other Azerbaijani khans.
In the face of an imminent danger, he managed to some extent to forge an anti-Russian alliance of Azerbaijani, Dagestani and Georgian rulers. But he was left on his own as no one helped him at the decisive moment. Ganja Fortress was totally surrounded by Russian in 1803.
After a fierce fighting, the Russians broke the resistance of the city. The khan and his son Huseyngulu, who remained under the siege for more than a month, fought and died as heroes and were acknowledged even by their enemies.
Thus, in response to a letter full of threats from General Tsitsianov, he said "you can take Ganja over my dead body" and remained loyal to his words. Admiring Javad Khan's courage and bravery, Pavel Tsitsianov, Russian military commander and infantry general, ordered that the khan be buried as a ruler and that the flag of Ganja be wrapped around his coffin.
Javan Khan and his son were buried at the khan's graveyard on Shah Abbas Square. The khan's graveyard was abolished in 1925. Javad Khan's bones were buried at the Gorani sepulcher at the graveyard of the Sabzkar district. Finally, the khan's remains were returned to the previous place in 2004, and a sepulcher was built for them. The famous flag that was wrapped around his coffin is kept at the local history museum.