Ahmad Javad

Javad married Shukruyya, the daughter of the Ajarian Duke, in 1916. Shukryaa’s parents were vehemently against her marrying Javad, so the young couple ran away together.

They had five children: Yilmaz Akhundzade (1936), Niyazi (1918), Aydin (1921), Tukay (1923), and Almas (unknown).

His first arrest came in 1925 after the publication of his poem “Goygol.” Critics said that Javad was a Nationalist and a Pan-Turkist, and was sending messages to the Musavat Party in Turkey using this poem.

Ahmad Javad was born on May 5, 1892 in the village of Seyfali in Shamkir Rayon, Azerbaijan, and homeschooled for most of his primary education.

He graduated from Seminary in 1912 in Ganja and became a teacher and active participant in the literary and socio-political life inside the city.

He joined the “Caucasian detachment of volunteers” to fight on the side of Turkey during the Balkan War.

In 1916, “Goshma”, a collection of Javad’s poetic works, was published.

In 1919, another collection of his poems “Dalga” was published.

Javad joined the political party “Musavat”, the oldest political party in Azerbaijan. He joined on the advice of Mammed Amin Rasulzade, the only president of the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan.

In 1920, he became a teacher and headmaster in the village of Gusar Rayon. He taught the Russian as well as the Azeri language.

From 1920-1922, he was the public education’s branch manager at Quba Rayon.

Javad is most well-known as the writer of the National Anthem of Azerbaijan, which was used during the Democratic Republic of Azerbaijan. This time period lasted only from 1918-1920.

The Azerbaijan Democratic Republic was re-established in 1991 and Javad’s writing was re-established as the National Anthem.

He was also the writer of the Turkish National March, “Chirpinirdi Gara Daniz.” Translated to “The Black Sea Struggles,” this song is most well-known in Turkey and is also one of his famous works.