FAMILY HISTORY

The Mammadov family can be traced back around 300 years and has extensive background in the Shemakha region. Many ancestral family members were successful businessmen, landowners, mill owners, and smiths. Since Azerbaijan went through several dark years throughout history, the family likewise was subject to up and downs. However throughout all of history the family has maintained the good name of its forefathers supporting its values of fairness and loyalty to the land and its friends. Family has relational ties with many known figures such as Midhat Abbasov, Shamil Azizbekov, Agalarovs, Pashayevs, Godunovs and others.

SHAMAKHI

1834

Haji Qafar Mammadov was born in Shemakha. Mr. Haji Qafar built a successful business in Shemakha, owned an estate, a large number of horses, carried out equestrian activities (horse breeding and races) and owned lands in the region. He also had a passion for collecting traditional weapons and in them the demonstration of the varied craftsmanship techniques. When he became of age, he married the daughter of the Shemakha Khan family, Ms. Qamar and they had several children.

Karbalayi Yusif

1871

Karbalayi Yusif was born, who was one of Haji Mammadov’s uncles. Mr. Yusif owned several flour mills in Shemakha and a blacksmith and jewellery crafting workshop.

Haji Mammadov

1920

Haji Mammadov was born in the family of 5 other children. As his early youth was experienced under a challenging period in Azerbaijan, the family lost their parents at an early stage, and young Haji was forced to earn money to feed his siblings by performing with the tar (Azerbaijan national musical instrument) in various locations across the country, where he was noticed by Uzeyir Hajibeyli. At the age of 5, he was invited to perform in the National Philarmony in Baku. In 1930 Huseyn Mammadov (an uncle of Haji) travelled to Moscow to meet Mikhail Kalinin, who was a prominent Bolshevik politician in the early years of the Soviet State and managed to obtain permission for the family to remain in the Caucasus rather than be exiled to Siberia.

Move from Shemakha to Baku

1936

The entire family moves from Shemakha to Baku and all property of the family was “nationalized” by the new Soviet authorities. In the early 1940s Haji started to date his future spouse Aliya khanum.

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Nadir Hajioglu

1945

Nadir Hajioglu Mammadov is born. Since his early years Nadir showed his persistent and hardworking character. As an elder son in the family, he experienced a strict approach by his parents, particularly by his famous father. In every period of his life, Nadir was well respected as a leader.

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Maya Mammadova

1950

Emin’s mother, Maya, was born, as the daughter of a prominent professor. She spent her early years in Ganja before moving to Baku in 1965, at 16 years of age. Upon graduating high school, she enrolled in AZI University and successfully graduated - becoming an engineer.

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Emin Mammadov

1979

He showed interest in traditional weapon craftsmanship since 1994. In 2010 he starts to put into practice his accumulated knowledge of edged weapon craftsmanship and spends significant periods of time learning techniques from the few remaining smiths under the main mentorship of A. Danelia and Sara Jahangirova.

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Loss of Emin's father

2020

On the 5th of May the Almighty takes away the Head of our family, Mr. Nadir Mammadov to a better world. This was a sudden major unexpected loss to the family. His wisdom and guidance during his life will always remain with the family. We belong to God and to Him we shall return…Allah rehmet elesin.