Today marks the 172nd anniversary of the birth of Najaf bey Vezirov

Today marks the 172nd anniversary of the birth of the renowned Azerbaijani writer, playwright, publicist, theater figure, author of the first Azerbaijani tragedy "The Woe of Fakhreddin" and one of the founders of Azerbaijani theater - Najaf bey Vezirov.

As BAKU.WS reminds, he was born on April 2, 1854, in Shusha.

Najaf bey Vezirov received his primary education at a parish school ("mollakhana"). A year later, he enrolled in the Shusha city school. In 1868, he went to Baku with the intention of pursuing further studies. Najaf bey Vezirov managed to enroll in a gymnasium in Baku. There he met Hasan bey Zardabi, who was teaching at the same gymnasium. Seeing his student's interest in theater, H. Zardabi involved the young man in the staging of the comedy "Haji Gara" by Mirza Fatali Akhundzade. During his school years, Najaf bey Vezirov worked as a tutor. After graduating from the gymnasium with a silver medal, he continued his studies in Russia - first in Saint Petersburg, and then, after an illness, moved to Moscow and enrolled in the Petrovskaya Agricultural Academy.

The years of study left a significant mark on the creative development of Najaf bey Vezirov. Within the walls of the Petrovsko-Razumovskaya Academy, which was a hotbed of revolutionary ideas among students, he became imbued with liberating ideas and sentiments and grew close to progressive youth. From this time began his friendship with Vladimir Korolenko (1853-1921), who later became a famous Russian writer. During his years at the academy, Najaf bey Vezirov collaborated with Hasan bey Zardabi, sending various journalistic articles and essays to his newspaper "Ekinchi."

After completing his studies in Moscow, Vezirov worked for some time as a forester in Dilijan, but due to the closure of the Petrovsko-Razumovskaya Academy because of the unreliability and revolutionary tendencies of its students, he, as one of its graduates, was dismissed from his position as forester. Upon arriving in Baku, Vezirov passed the bar examination and began serving as a defender of the poor and disadvantaged in the city court, where he had the opportunity to observe up close the bureaucratism of officials, social and everyday conflicts of the urban environment, which enriched his experience as a playwright and publicist.

Najaf bey Vezirov wrote about 15 dramatic works that realistically depicted the customs and mores of Azerbaijani landowners, merchants, and bourgeois dealers of the late 19th - early 20th century. He wrote the first tragedy in Azerbaijani dramaturgy, "The Woe of Fakhreddin" (1896), in which he created the image of a young liberal nobleman protesting against feudal orders, striving to transform the patriarchal way of life and spread culture.

Vezirov's plays were first staged in amateur performances in Baku and Shusha. From the 20th century onward, they became part of the repertoire of all Azerbaijani theaters. From 1873 to 1912, Vezirov served as an organizer of performances and a director.

His work is distinguished by the authenticity of its everyday color, the vividness of its characterizations, and the richness of its folk language. Vezirov's realistic domestic dramas are notable for their satirical orientation. Najaf bey Vezirov raised issues relevant to his time but believed that mores could be changed through the spread of enlightenment.

He passed away on July 9, 1926, in Chukhur-Yurt from a heart disease. He was buried in Baku.