Zeynalabdin Taghiyev
Hajji Zeynalabdin Taghiyev Azerbaijani: Hacı Zaynalabdin Tağıyev | |
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Born | 25 January 1823[1] or 1821 or 1838[2] |
Died | 1 September 1924 |
Nationality | Azerbaijani |
Spouse(s) | Zeynab Taghiyeva (†?) Sona Taghiyeva |
Children | Ismayil Taghiyev, Sadig Taghiyev, Khanim Taghiyeva (by 1st marriage) Leyla Taghiyeva, Sara Taghiyeva, Mammad Taghiyev, Ilyas Taghiyev, Surayya Taghiyeva (by 2nd marriage) |
Parent | father - shoemaker Taghi |
Early life
Zeynalabdin Taghiyev was born into the poor family of a
Contributions to economy
Taghiyev invested his fortune not only in the oil business but also in many other projects such as a textile factory (one of the 28 textile factories functioning in Russia at the time) and industrial fisheries along the shore of the Caspian Sea. He arranged for the construction of a mosque and evening self-education courses for the employees of the textile factory, a school for their children, a pharmacy, a first-aid post, and a mill. Altogether his project cost Taghiyev more than 6 million golden roubles. He sold his oil business interest to Anglo-Russian Oil Company for 5 million rubles. In two and a half years, they had earned more than 7.5 million rubles in net profit. It should be mentioned that Taghiyev sold his oil companies in order to diversify into other industries of the Caucasus's economy. He amassed shares in the Oleum Company established on the basis of these enterprises to the amount of 16 million rubles. This allowed him to continue accumulating capital created in the oil sector. During this period, Taghiyev invested significant sums into the textile, food, construction, and shipbuilding industries, as well as in fishery. Later, in 1890, Taghiyev bought the Caspian Steamship Company, renovated it, and created a fleet of 10 steamboats.[1]
Taghiyev owned real estate in Baku, Moscow, Tehran, Isfahan, Anzali, and Rasht.[4]
Philanthropic work
Despite the decades of anti-bourgeois Soviet propaganda that followed his lifetime, Taghiyev is revered by Azerbaijanis for his charity work. He sponsored the construction of the first Azerbaijani national theatre in 1883 (known as Taghiyev's Theatre, and later the
Taghiyev provided 184,000 roubles to build the first
He helped to solve the water crisis in the city by helping to finance the Shollar water pipeline, which channeled water 100 miles away in the Caucasus Mountains, near Quba, via a ceramic pipeline. Taghiyev allocated 25,000 roubles to have the project completed. The construction of the water pipeline was finished by 1916.[1] In 1886 Taghiyev sponsored the establishment of a fire department in Baku.
He provided scholarships for many Azerbaijani youths who strived for higher education in prestigious Russian and European universities. Some of them, such as writer Mammed Said Ordubadi, politicians Nariman Narimanov and Aziz Aliyev, professor Khudadat bey Malik-Aslanov, and opera singer Shovkat Mammadova, later rose to prominence.[1] Though illiterate himself, Taghiyev was a proponent of academic enlightenment for the young generations of Azerbaijanis. While the clergy created obstacles for the publishing of secularism-oriented literature such as that by Seyid Azim Shirvani, Taghiyev would assist in getting it printed in his private publishing house in Tehran.[2]
As a devout Muslim, Taghiyev was in favour of translating the Quran into Azerbaijani. This was vehemently opposed by the local clergy who believed the content of Koran was holy and of divine origin and therefore, no one had the right to translate it.[2] Taghiyev then sent a mullah envoy to Baghdad who came back with an official permission from a board of Muslim scholars to translate the Koran from Arabic into Azerbaijani. Taghiyev ordered the necessary equipment from Leipzig and sponsored the translation and the publishing.[1]
Taghiyev also allocated 11,000 roubles for the construction of the head office for the Muslim Benevolent Society in Saint Petersburg; 3,000 roubles for the education of Armenian orphans; 5,000 for the St. Nina's School for Girls in Baku; 10,000 roubles for the construction of the Alexander Nevsky Cathedral in Baku; tens of thousands of roubles for the construction and repair of mosques and madrasas throughout Russia and Persia.,[2] etc.
In the 19th century, the territory of modern
For his outstanding contributions, Taghiyev was twice-awarded with the Order of Saint Stanislaus, as well as with a number of other orders and medals from both Russia and abroad.[1]
Family
Taghiyev was married twice. His first wife Zeynab, who was also his cousin, bore him three children. After her death, Taghiyev married Sona, the youngest daughter of General Balakishi Arablinski. The wedding took place in 1896. Arablinski's elder daughter Nurjahan had already been married to Taghiyev's older son Ismayil. His grandson Ilkin Taghiyev is a film director and photographer.
Taghiyev sent his daughters Leyla and Sara to study at the prestigious
Later life
After Azerbaijan's
The
Picture gallery
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Tagiyev in his office
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Tagiyev family at his mansion
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Bust of Taghiyev
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h (in Russian) Baku Oil and Oil Magnates by Pari Mirzayeva. Vyshka. 9 August 2002, #32. Retrieved 24 December 2007
- ^ a b c d e Stories of Taghiyev: Baku's Most Renowned Oil Baron Archived 2007-04-01 at the Wayback Machine by Manaf Suleymanov. Azerbaijan International. Summer 2002 (10.2). Retrieved 25 December 2007
- ISBN 978-1-61069-272-4.
- ^ (in Russian) A Golden Million for the People by Azer Aliyev. Azerbaijansky Kongress. 24 November 2007. Retrieved 25 December 2007
- ^ a b (in Russian) The Past Days Archived March 22, 2007, at the Wayback Machine by Manaf Suleymanov. 1990
- ^ "How one Azerbaijani man saved million Pakistanis". vestnikkavkaza.net. Retrieved 2020-08-18.
- Mirbabayev M.F. Concise history of Azerbaijani oil. - Baku, 2008, SOCAR Publishing House, 350p.