|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
 Ahmed bey Agaoglu /Agayev/ (1869-1939) - prominent educator, journalist, public figure.
Born in Shusha Agaoglu was one of the most prominent ideologists of the Azerbaijan national liberation movement in the beginning of the 20th century. He was a well-educated person of his time, who had graduated from the Universities in St.-Petersburg and the Sorbonne University in Paris. He was also a famous journalist, who spoke fluently in five languages and therefore, wrote articles on current affairs for many popular newspapers in the country and abroad.
Ahmed bey Agaoglu considered the cultural and educational progress to be the major provision for the national liberation. He viewed the emancipation of women as part of this struggle. Thus, Agaoglu.was the first member of the national intelligentsia to raise his voice for the equal rights for women. In his book "Woman in the Islamic World" published in 1901, he proved that "without women liberated, there can be no national progress".
Agaoglu played an important role in prevention of ethnic clashes between Armenians and Azeris in 1905. In order to prevent the terrorist actions of the Armenian dashnaks (members of the chauvinistic "Dashnaksutiun" party), Agaoglu established the "Difahi" (Defender) organization and consolidated many members of the national intelligentsia for this purpose. In one of his articles he wrote: "Armenian dashnaks, be sure, that we will not allow you to build your happiness on the ruins of our people". The "Difahi" organization did a lot to prevent the Armenian dashnak actions against peaceful Azeri population of Karabakh and of other places of Azerbaijan.
During the years of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic (1918-1920) Agaoglu was elected to the Parliament (Milli Mejlis), later became the deputy of the speaker.
After the Soviet invasion Ahmed bey Agaoglu had to live the country. He moved to Ankara, Turkey and continued his journalistic and political activities there, working as the director of the press bureau, the editor-in-chief of the official newspaper "Hakimiyyeti-Milliyye" ('People's Power'), and as a close advisor of Ataturk,- the founder of the modern Turkish Republic.
Agaoglu died in 1939 in Turkey.
|
|
|
|
