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Azerbaijani National Council Azərbaycan Xalq Cümhuriyyəti Milli Şurası | |
|---|---|
| Type | |
| Type | |
| History | |
| Established | 27 May 1918 |
| Disbanded | 3 December 1918 |
| Preceded by | Established |
| Succeeded by | Parliament of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic |
| Leadership | |
President of Azerbaijani National Council | |
| Seats | 44 |
Azerbaijani National Council (Azerbaijani:Azərbaycan Xalq Cümhuriyyəti Milli Şurası) was the first delegated legislative body of theAzerbaijan Democratic Republic (ADR) from 27 May 1918 to 17 June 1918 and again from 16 November 1918 to 3 December 1918. It was succeeded by theParliament (Azerbaijani:Parlament), a legislative body formed through nationwide general elections.
After theFebruary Revolution like many ethnic minorities of the shrinkingRussian Empire,Azeris also began to form movements aimed at political autonomy from Russia. In the provinces and districts where Azeris constituted considerable population local Muslim National Councils (MNC) were formed. On March 27, 1917, delegates of MNCs gathered to establish the Temporary Executive Committee for the MNCs.Mammad Hasan Hajinski became head of this committee, which also includedMahammad Amin Rasulzade,Alimardan bey Topchubashev,Fatali Khan Khoyski, and other founders of the futureAzerbaijan Democratic Republic. After theOctober Revolution theSouth Caucasus was separated from mainlandRussia, hence theTranscaucasian Sejm formed inTbilisi proclaimed independence of theTranscaucasian Democratic Federative Republic. Azerbaijanis formed the largest faction of the same numbering 44 members, and headed by Mammed Amin Rasulzade. These 44 members represented four different political parties and blocks:Musavat and neutral Democrats; theMuslim Socialist Bloc;Ittihad-i Muslimin (or simply Ittihad; Union of Muslims of Russia); and theMuslim Social Democratic Party.
When the31 March–2 April massacres took place in Baku, the Temporary Executive Committee was crushed, its factual leaderAlimardan bey Topchubashev was arrested[citation needed], and the Azeriintelligentsia was driven out of Baku, Tbilisi became the headquarters of the Azerbaijani National Movement. After the Transcaucasian Democratic Federative Republic fell on 26 May 1918 and its bodies were dissolved, the Azerbaijani faction of the Sejm was renamed to Azerbaijani National Council (NC). It immediately undertook parliamentary functions and proclaimed the foundation of Azerbaijani Democratic Republic on 28 May 1918. On 16 June the Azerbaijani National Council moved toGanja and declared it Azerbaijan's temporary capital awaiting the fall of theBaku Commune. The Council met with resistance of ultra-nationalists who accused it of being too left-wing; and intolerance ofOttoman CommanderNuru Pasha. It had to be abolished the next day, leaving all power to the Council of Ministers led byFatali Khan Khoyski.
After the defeat of the Ottoman Empire inWorld War I and the withdrawal of Ottoman forces from Azerbaijan, the power of the ultra-nationalists once backed by Nuru Pasha weakened. This allowed for the Azerbaijani National Council to be re-established and start negotiations with theBritish occupation forces. The Council was completely abolished after the opening of theParlaman on 7 December 1918. The Parliament of ADR included the representatives of majority Azerbaijani parties as well as MPs fromArmenian,Russian,Jewish,German andPolish minorities ofAzerbaijan and representatives of trade unions.
