162 years have passed since the birth of Aliaga Shikhlinsky

Today marks the 162nd anniversary of the birth of the "god of artillery" Aliaga Shikhlinskiy.

Aliaga Shikhlinskiy was born on March 15, 1863, in a small village of Gazakhly (now the village of Ashagy Salakhly in the Gazakh district of Azerbaijan). In 1876, he graduated from Ter-Akopov's private gymnasium in Tiflis (Tbilisi - ed.), and in 1883, from the Tiflis Military Gymnasium.

He began his military service in September of the same year as a cadet at the Mikhailovsky Artillery School in St. Petersburg. Afterward, he was assigned to the 39th Artillery Brigade, stationed in the Caucasus in the city of Alexandropol (now Gyumri). He served in this brigade until 1900, rising to the rank of captain.

In early 1900, a supreme order was issued transferring Captain Shikhlinskiy to the Separate Transbaikal Artillery Division. From August 1902 to October 1903, he commanded the 2nd battery, replacing Colonel Samed-bek Mekhmandarov, who had left for a six-month leave and studies in St. Petersburg.

Shikhlinskiy met the Russo-Japanese War as a senior battery officer. He participated in battles on the Jinzhou Isthmus and Wolf Mountains. On November 13, 1904, during the fourth Japanese assault, Aliaga was severely wounded by shrapnel in the leg. For the Russo-Japanese War, Aliaga Shikhlinskiy was awarded the following honors: the Order of St. George the Victorious 4th degree, a gold weapon with the inscription "For Bravery," swords to his existing Order of St. Anna 2nd degree, the Order of St. Vladimir 4th degree with swords and bow, and the Order of St. Anna 4th degree with the inscription "For Bravery."

In June 1905, Shikhlinskiy was transferred to the 2nd division of the 15th Artillery Brigade, stationed in Odessa, and a year later to the Officers' Artillery School in St. Petersburg. At the end of January 1906, Lieutenant Colonel Shikhlinskiy was enrolled in the school, completing the full course with an "excellent" grade in August of the same year. In January 1907, he was attached to the Officers' Artillery School as an instructor (teacher).

In 1908, Aliaga Shikhlinskiy was promoted to colonel for distinguished service. In October 1909, he married Nigyar Khanum, the eldest daughter of the Transcaucasian Mufti Hussein Efendi Gaibov. In 1912, Shikhlinskiy was promoted to major general, and in 1914, he was appointed acting head of the Officers' Artillery School.

With the outbreak of World War I (1914), Shikhlinskiy was appointed head of the artillery defense of Petrograd. In 1915, the major general was placed at the disposal of the commander-in-chief of the armies of the Northwestern Front, an infantry general. He was entrusted with the command of heavy artillery, and later Major General Shikhlinskiy was appointed to the newly established position of general for artillery assignments under the commander-in-chief.

From April 1917, Shikhlinskiy served as the inspector of artillery for the armies of the Western Front. In this position, his military talent was particularly evident. Aliaga directly supervised the development, preparation, and execution of operations of the Western Front armies in terms of artillery. For distinguished service, he was promoted to lieutenant general, and on September 9 of the same year, by order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief