The prominent Azerbaijani writer, publicist, playwright, poet, and public figure, Mammad Said Ordubadi, was born on March 24, 1872, in Ordubad, Nakhchivan. His father was the poet Hajiaga Fagir Bey, and his mother was Nanagiz Khanum. After the death of his father, 7-year-old Mammad and his sister were raised by their uncles for a while. Mammad Said Ordubadi received his primary education at a local mollakhana (Muslim ecclesiastical school) under Akhund Sharabani and later continued his studies at Mirza Bakhshi's school. In 1890, Mammad Said began attending a new style of the school opened in Ordubad by the great educator Mahammad Taghi Sidgi. Due to financial difficulties, Ordubadi, who had a keen interest in science, could not continue his education after the fourth grade and had to support his family by working in factories and plants. Nevertheless, he extended his knowledge through personal reading.

Ordubadi began his literary career at the age of 14 or 15. He wrote his first poems, consisting of romantic pieces, in Azerbaijani and Persian. In 1903, Ordubadi's first poem in the press, "To the "Shargi-Rus" newspaper”, was published in the same newspaper. Inspired by the revolution of 1905, a new era began in the poet's creativity. In 1906, his poetry book "Qəflət" ("Ignorance") was published, followed by "Vətən və hürriyyət" ("Fatherland and Freedom") in 1907. The author's enlightened views were reflected in both books. In these collections, the poet described the beautiful nature of his native homeland and expressed the idea that the homeland’s salvation can only be achieved through striving for freedom and unity among the people. In "Vətən və hürriyyət," issues related to Javad Khan draw particular attention. The personality of Javad Khan, the ruler of Ganja, his deep love for his people, and his sacrifice for the land of Azerbaijan were described with great enthusiasm.

An important aspect of Mammad Said Ordubadi's creativity is feuilletons and satires. In his columns published in the magazine "Molla Nasraddin," he addresses several significant social issues of the time, critiquing backwardness, ignorance, oppression, and injustice.

Mammad Said's first drama, published in 1914 at the Orujov brothers' printing house in Baku, was titled "Baghi-Shah, or the Tragedy of Tehran." The author, known for the play "Tamerlane and Yildirim Bayezid," expressed his protest against the aggressive wars during the First World War. He was arrested in Julfa in January 1915 and exiled to Tsaritsyn (now Volgograd), returning to Baku in early May 1920. There, he became the deputy editor of the "Akhbar" newspaper and later its editor. From 1925 to 1928, he served as the editor of the "Yeni Yol" newspaper and briefly as the director of the "Molla Nasraddin" magazine. Since 1920, the writer worked more productively, writing poetry, feuilletons, and journalistic articles, engaging in translation, and publishing poetry books.

Writing numerous articles in the spirit of patriotism, he intended to create works that would portray the history of Azerbaijan from ancient times to the modern era, based on historical facts and in various genres. The main reason was the lack of comprehensive scientific works on Azerbaijani history during those years. Ordubadi, by authoring his works in the genre of the first historical novel, established the foundation for the "historical novel" genre in Azerbaijani literature. The writer left a valuable legacy to Azerbaijani literature and history by accurately reflecting significant socio-political events of the time based on rich facts and documents. His first historical novel, the four-volume epic "Dumanlı Tabriz" (“Foggy Tabriz”) (1933-1948), along with "Döyüşən şəhər" (“Fighting City”) (1938), "Gizli Bakı" (“Mysterious Baku”) (1940), and "Qılınc və qələm" (“Sword and Quill”) (1946-1948), which tells the story of the Nizami Ganjavi era, presented the historical events of that period as they occurred. The novel "Təzə adam" ("The Fresh Man") which he wrote after the war, and the play "Böyuk quruluşda" ("In the Great Structure") focusing on the construction of Sumgayit, were dedicated to the Soviet people.

In addition to making significant contributions to our literature, Mammad Said Ordubadi also provided important services to musical theater. His literary work includes the librettos he wrote for several renowned operas and operettas. He authored the librettos for the operas "Koroghlu" by Uzeyir Hajibeyli, "Nargiz" by Muslim Magomayev, "Nizami" by Afrasiyab Badalbeyli, "Urakchalanlar" by Fikrat Amirov, and "Besh Manatlig Galin" by Said Rustamov.

The works of the prominent writer have been translated into various languages and staged. Several streets and cultural and educational institutions in Azerbaijan, have been named after the writer. The writer's house museum was established in Ordubad and Baku, and a bust was erected in Nakhchivan.

By Resolution No. 211 dated May 7, 2019, the Cabinet of Ministers of the Republic of Azerbaijan included Mammad Said Ordubadi in the list of authors whose works were declared state property.

The renowned writer, who left a great mark on the lives of the Azerbaijani people, died in Baku on May 1, 1950, and was buried in the Alley of Honor.

Recommended literature:

1. Ordubadi, Məmməd Səid. Məqalələr toplusu / M. S. Ordubadi ; ərəb dilindən trans., tərt., ön sözün müəl. N. Ə. Səmədova, elmi red. Ş. Fazil ; AMEA M. Füzuli adına Əlyazmalar İnstitutu. I kitab : Azərbaycan tarixi. - Bakı : Elm, 2020. - 288 s.
2. Qasımov, Ramiz Asəf oğlu. Azərbaycan ədəbiyyatında milli düşüncə konsepsiyası və azərbaycançılıq ideologiyası : monoqrafiya / R. A. Qasımov, Z. H. İsmayıl ; elmi red. İ. Ə. Həbibbəyli ; AMEA Naxçıvan bölməsi. - Bakı : Elm və təhsil, 2017. - 192 s.
3. Azərbaycan ədəbiyyatı antologiyası / Azərbaycan Respublikasının Nazirlər Kabineti yanında Tərcümə Mərkəzi; baş red. A. Məsud ; ön sözün müəl. N. Q. Cəfərov. II cild : Nəsr / İ. Qutqaşınlı [et al.]. - Bakı : Azərbaycan Tərcümə Mərkəzi, 2016. - 672 s.
4. Səmədova, Nailə Əbdül qızı. Məmməd Səid Ordubadi memuarı: həyatım və mühitim : monoqrafiya / N. Ə. Səmədova ; elmi red. P. Ə. Kərimov ; AMEA M. Füzuli adına Əlyazmalar İnstitutu. - Bakı : Elm və təhsil, 2022. - 144 s.