The world-renowned Azerbaijani poet and thinker Afzaladdin Khagani Shirvani was born in 1126 in Malham in Shamakhi. His real name was Ibrahim. Khagani is his pen name, Afzaladdin his nickname, while Shirvani derives from his place of origin. Khagani lost his father at the age of 8 and was raised under the care and upbringing of his uncle Kafiaddin Omar Osman oghlu, a well-known scientist and physician of his time. Khagani showed great poetic talent from a young age and was invited to the court of the Shirvanshahs where he gained great fame.

Afzaladdin Khagani was Azerbaijan’s brightest and most powerful literature representative before Nizami Ganjavi. He brought a high level of mastery, and a strong political-social, and humanistic content to literature.

Khagani Shirvani demonstrated high proficiency in all genres of classical Oriental poetry. His works soon spread to the Near and Middle Eastern countries, drawing the attention of his contemporaries. He wrote the masnavi "Tohfat al-ʿErāqayn" ("A Gift from the Two Iraqs"), which is considered the first outstanding example of epic poetry in the history of Middle Eastern literature. "Tohfat al-ʿErāqayn" is the first poem in the history of Azerbaijani literature. Its main character is the poet himself, who thinks, rejoices, is proud, and is angry. In this poem, Khagani, using symbols and allusions, revealed and showcased the deep contradictions between himself and his environment.

In 1170, Khagani Shirvani was arrested and imprisoned in the Shabran fortress due to an attack by malicious court poets. He was released after 7 months in prison. Unable to bear all this suffering, the poet left Shirvan with his family in 1173, moved to Tabriz, and lived there until the end of his life.

The last years of the poet's life were very tough. His beloved family members, a 20-year-old young son, daughter, and wife, died one after another. The old poet was left completely alone. He died in 1199 and was buried in the Surkhab cemetery near Tabriz. The poet's grave is located in a place called the “Maqbarat-o-shoara” (“Mausoleum of Poets”).

Khagani's rich literary heritage consists of a 17,000-verse lyrical poetry Divān, the poem "Tohfat al-ʿErāqayn" ("A Gift from the Two Iraqs"), and 60 letters that are captivating examples of fictional prose. His  Divān comprises qasida, ghazal, madhiyya, marsiyya, rubai and other poems. His works with a socio-philosophical content include the qasidas "Shiniyya'" and "The Portals at Madāʾen", and the prison poetry "Habsiyāt".

Khagani is recognized as one of the greatest lyric poets in Azerbaijani literature. His ghazals and rubais laid the foundation for the best traditions of the Azerbaijani poetry school. One of the peculiarities of the Azerbaijani poetic school reflected in Khagani's work is a deep love for Turkicness. Later, this feature reached its peak in Nizami's work.

Among the poets who continued the Khagani’s heritage is Mirza Alakbar Sabir, a distinguished figure of revolutionary satire in Azerbaijani poetry. Sabir strived to keep alive the militant, rebellious spirit of Khagani, along with the traditions of Nizami, in his poetry, and expressed his close interest in his works and life.

Khagani Shirvani is one of the most prominent figures in the literary and social thought of not only Azerbaijan, but the entire Near East in the 12th century, and the first with some of the magnificent qualities of his art. Researchers rightly value him as the founder of the philosophical ode in our literature, the creator of the first and most powerful masnavis, subtle ghazals and wise rubais, and finally, the perfect poetic travelogue.

Recommended literature:

1. Xəqani Şirvani. Həyatı və yaradıcılığı: [kollektiv monoqrafiya] /AMEA, N. Gəncəvi ad. Ədəbiyyat İn-tu ; ön söz. müəl. İ. Həbibbəyli ; elmi red. İ. Həmidov. - Bakı: Elm və təhsil, 2020. - 394 s.
2. Xaqani Şirvani. (Əfzələddin İbrahim İbn Əli). Seçilmiş əsərləri/Ş. Xaqani ; [tərc. M. Soltan [və b.] ; red. S. Bektaşi ; burax. məsul S. İsmayılova ; dizayner Z. Abbasov] ; rəssam A. Rəsul. - Bakı: Şərq-Qərb, 2013. - 835 s.