Musavat leader who headed the Azerbaijani National Council that declared the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in 1918
Born near Baku in 1884, he founded Hummet, a Muslim social-democratic organization, in 1904. He took part in the Iranian Constitutional Revolution in 1909, and after returning to Baku in 1913 he became the chief of Musavat. As head of the Azerbaijani National Council he declared the independence of the Azerbaijan Republic on 28 May 1918. After the republic fell in 1920 he directed resistance until his arrest, but because he had once hidden Joseph Stalin from the police he was released and taken to Moscow. He escaped to Finland in 1922, lived in exile in Turkey, Poland and Romania, and died in Ankara in 1955.
Also known as: Mahammad Amin Rasulzade · Mammad Amin Rasulzadeh · Mehmet Emin Resulzade
Activities and affiliations
Career Timeline
- 1904Founded Hummet
- 1909–1911Iranian Constitutional Revolution; co-founded the Democrat Party of Persia
- 1913Joined Musavat and became its chief
- 1918Head of the Azerbaijani National Council; declaration of independence
- 1920Arrested, released and sent to the Commissariat on Nations in Moscow
- 1922–1955Exile
Related historical events
- 1917.05–1921.10Volga-Ural Muslims and Crimean Tatars in revolutionAzerbaijani Musavat leaderPut forward the national-territorial federal plan adopted by 446 votes to 271 at the May 1917 Muslim congress.
- 1917.11–1921.10Revolution and war in the CaucasusChairman of the Azerbaijani National CouncilLed the National Council that proclaimed the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic on 28 May 1918, and signed the Treaty of Batum. In April 1920 he disagreed with the terms of surrender but bowed to the majority, and was spared execution through Stalin’s intervention.