Gilan Gostiny Dvor In Astrakhan As A Trading Post Of Persian-Azerbaijani Merchants

Abstract

The city of Astrakhan has become the center of Russian-Asian trade since its founding in 1558. Due to geographical conditions, the main counterparty to this trade is Persia, its provinces and territories, both on the western and eastern coasts of the Caspian Sea. Persian merchants in Astrakhan established their trading posts – caravanserais in the early 17th century. The trading post was established for the good trading conditions, with the encouragement of the Russian authorities co-financed by the Russian Treasury. This trading post was further named Gostiny Dvor. Living yards were based on the ethnic features. So, in the early 18th century the city had Russian, Armenian, Indian, Bukhara, and Persian courtyards. Due to the ethnic differences, immigrants from the Northern and Transcaucasian provinces of Persia (ethnic Azerbaijanis) established their own Gilan Gostiny Dvor in Astrakhan. Gilan guesthouse has become a significant trading factor in the implementation of trade relations between Russia and the eastern countries and territories adjacent to the Caspian Sea, primarily Iran. The colony during the Petrine time and in the middle of the 18th centuries flourished, its members engaged into the wholesale trade of goods between the two countries. The company was able to form its own parish and build a parish mosque, first a wooden, and in 1817–1819 – it was made of stone. The study analyses the processes of social, economic, ethnic evolution of the population of the Gilan guest house, as a trading post of the Azerbaijani-Persian merchants within 18–19th centuries.