HİSTORİCAL ANALYSİS BASED ON THE ENDOWMENT OF THE GOVHAR AGA MOSQUE İN SHUSHA, AZERBAİJAN

Abstract

The city of Shusha, a prominent cultural and architectural center of the Karabakh region, is distinguished by its rich historical heritage and numerous monuments spanning several centuries. Among these, the Juma Mosque and the Govhar Agha (Govhariyya) Mosque occupy a central position as key religious and architectural landmarks, reflecting both the spiritual and cultural life of the city. Constructed in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, these mosques were closely intertwined with the waqf (endowment) system, which played a vital role in providing sustained financial, social, and religious support for the local community. The Govhar Agha Mosque waqf deed, formally drafted in 1282 AH (1866 CE), represents a classical example of Islamic legal documentation and embodies the integration of Sharia principles, social welfare, and cultural patronage. The document meticulously details the extensive properties endowed by Govhar Agha – including shops, orchards, cultivated lands, pastures, and other estates – their precise boundaries, methods of administration, and specific rules for the allocation and utilization of revenues. According to the deed, the waqf income was systematically designated to maintain the mosques and madrasas, cover the salaries of imams, teachers, and service personnel, support students and needy members of the community, fund religious ceremonies and rituals, and provide charitable services such as infirmaries and medical care for travelers. Furthermore, inscriptions carved onto the mosque’s walls confirm the intentions of the donor, reinforce the ethical and religious motivations behind the endowment, and reflect the enduring influence of Safavid-inspired devotional and legal traditions in the Karabakh region. This study demonstrates that the Govhar Agha waqf deed not only ensured the operational continuity and sustainability of the city’s religious, educational, and social institutions but also offers critical insight into the broader legal, religious, and cultural dynamics of the Karabakh Khanate. Through this historical document, scholars can trace the intricate interplay of faith, legal authority, philanthropy, social responsibility, and communal welfare, illustrating how the waqf system functioned as a cornerstone of civic and spiritual life in nineteenth-century Shusha. Moreover, the deed highlights the strategic role of elite women, such as Govhar Agha, in shaping the urban, religious, and cultural landscape of the city through dedicated endowments that ensured both material and spiritual continuity for future generations.