– Who is Mohammedagha Shahtakhtli (1846-1931)?
He is a person holding the same views with M.F. Akhundov in the field of alphabet reform. He published the first book in the history of the alphabet reform in the East – the “Advanced Muslim Alfabet” in Tiflis in 1879.

Shahtakhtli (Shakhtinsky) Mohammadagha Mohammad Tagi Sultan oglu was born in Shakhtakhti village of Nakhchivan. After graduating from Nakhchivan city school and Tbilisi classical male gymnasium (1863), he studied the German language independently in Petersburg. He graduated from Leipzig University’s Philosophy, History and Law faculty (1869). In 1873-1875, he lectured at the Oriental Languages School in Paris and studied French. He has written literary, scientific works in Azerbaijani, Russian, German, French, English, Arabic, Turkish and Persian languages.

In 1907 he was elected deputy from the Iravan governorship at the II Duma, and after the duma was closed he worked in the editorial office of the newspaper “Russia” (St. Petersburg). In 1908-1918, he lived mainly abroad (especially in Turkey, Iran and Iraq). Returned to his homeland in 1919 and actively participated in the establishment of Baku University. Mohammedagha Shahtakhti was one of the outstanding personalities of his era with a wide world view and high intelligence. He began his scientific career with studies in Eastern History in Germany, the International Phonetics Society (1899), and the real member of the Russian Empire Geographical Society Caucasus Department (1903), and Professor of the University of Baku (1920). He has also exceptional services in the development of the Azerbaijani press. He worked for a while as a Moscow correspondent and worked as a special correspondent in Istanbul. In 1891-1893, he was the temporary editor of the Kaspi newspaper. In 1898 he tried to produce a newspaper in the Azerbaijani language, but the censorship did not allow it. He went back to Europe and lived in Paris in 1902. He taught at the French College and the High Practice School of Oriental Languages. He studied in the field of phonetics with Professor P.Passi at Sorbonna University and received the Honorary Diploma of the French Ministry of Education (1901). In 1902, he opened a typography in Tbilisi. It was the “Geirat” typography, which was left in the history of the Azerbaijan press. Since 1903, he has started publishing the “East-Rus” newspaper. He has lectured at Oriental Languages and Literature at Baku University, after he has returned to his homeland during the People’s Republic of Azerbaijan.

Source: Misir Mardanov. History of Azerbaijan’s education. “Education” publishing house, 2011. Baku, vol. I, 295 p.

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