History crossroads on caspian.

Being one of the major crossroads, where western and eastern, northern and southern ways cross, Azerbaijan has been occupied many times by a great number of of ancient civilisations, which began to settle in these territories. As we can see from the ancient manuscript, people populating present day Azerbaijan, lived in the northern pat of Midia. Unfortunately, there isn't enough information to get a complete idea about the real people of that territory. As we see from momern historiography, most of the population was represented by ethnic Albanians, a people group who do not have any similarities to modern Albanians.

Media itself was primarilly occupied by Persian Kier, at that time by Alexander from Macedonia, who brougth Greek cultural elements to the Caspian shore. In the etimology of the word "Azerbaijan", which means "the place of fire", there is one more theoury that "Azerbaijan" comes from the name "Atropat" - the name of the Greek governor in charge of that area. Greater Azerbaijan had been occupied by many other conquerors. Romans, mosiem Arabs and Mongols, which left indelible traces on the culture and genetics of the people. Another important event in Azerbaijan's history occured, when Shah Ismayil - the governir of Sefevi Iran introduced the nes official religion - Islamic Shiism in the fifteenth century. After this Russia exerted its influence in the world - a fact that changed the whole political structure of the area. The Moscow Princes and emperors moved ther borders to the south, absorbing the moslem governments, one after another. The present frontier between the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic and the Islamic Republic of Iran dates back to 1828.

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