At the end of the XIX th and beginning of the XX th century, the Azerbaijani intelligentsia, seeing the growing need for the press, repeatedly petitioned the authorities to publish newspapers or magazines in their native language. However, the tsarist government hindered the development of the Azerbaijani press.

In 1891, by order of the governor of Tiflis, the publication of the newspaper "Keshkul", the only printed organ in the Azerbaijani language was closed, the intelligentsia tried to directed their efforts to publishing a new newspaper in the native language. But, unfortunately, on the appeals of Kemal Unsizade, Ahmet bey Agaoglu, Nariman Narimanov and Sultan Majid Ganizade to the Caucasian vicegerency were given a negative answer. Among the applicants was Mammad-aga Shahthkly.

Mammed-aga Shakhtakhly, returning in 1902 from abroad to Russia, is considering a project publish a new newspaper. He began to intensive work in this direction, corresponded with the administrative institutions of tsarist Russia, sold his family estate in his native village of Shahtakhtly and moved to Tiflis, where he eventually founded a printing house.

During his stay in Tbilisi, M. Shahtakhtly appealed to the government with a petition to open a new newspaper, in response to this request, the Caucasian governorship of tsarist Russia agreed to publish the newspaper "Shargi-rus" ("Russian East")  in early 1903. The first issue of the newspaper "Shargi-rus" was published on March 30, 1903 (April 12, according to the new style) in Tiflis, under the editorship of Mammad-aga Shahtakhtly. At firts the newspaper was published three times a week, but from June 8, 1904, the newspaper began to appear daily.

The period of work of M. Shakhtakhtly as an editor in the newspaper "Shargi-rus" is a very important and interesting period of his life and work. In this newspaper, he published articles under the signature "Gazetnevis" and in the Russian press he was published as "Mehmet Bey". In his more than 50 articles published in “Shargi-Rus”, cultural backwardness, stupidity, religious fanaticism, superstition, and discrimination of women in society were skillfully branded.

The first circulation of "Shargi-rus" was 1500 copies, later, due to the increase in the number of subscribers, the circulation increased. The letters from correspondents from Orenburg, Simbirsk, Yalta, Irkutsk and other cities were sent to the newspaper.

The first printed edition in Azerbaijani, the newspaper "Shargi-Rus", aroused great interest not only in the Caucasus, but also among Muslims in Russian, as well as in such countries as Switzerland, France, Bulgaria, Iran, Turkey and other countries. In the cities such as Paris, Geneva, Baghdad, Istanbul, Tehran, Varna, a network of the active correspondents for this newspaper began to form.

The newspaper "Shargi-rus" quickly gained admirers everywhere. Here readers got acquainted with Azerbaijani, Russian, French culture and with the achievements of science. Outstanding French enlighteners such as Voltaire, Diderot, Montesquieu and others were published in the newspaper, thus the advanced examples of European philosophical thought reached the people.

The newspaper raised issues of alphabetical reforms, of hijab (veil), enlightenment propoganda, improvement of teaching in schools, etc. On the pages of "Shargi-rus" special attention was paid to the issues of culture, literature and language.

The newspaper "Shargi-rus" managed to unite great enlighteners such as Jalil Mammadguluzadeh, Mirza Alekper Sabir, Abbas Sakhhat, Omar Faig Nemanzadeh, Husein Javid, Mammad Said Ordubadi, Aligulu Gamkusar, Ali Nazmi. One of the merits of this newspaper is in the formation of a direction in the press in which Jalil Mammadguluzadeh has formed as a professional journalist.

Until 1904 (issue 262), M. Shahtakhtly was the editor of the newspaper. On November 23, 1904, M. Shahtakhtly appointed J. Mammadguluzadeh to the post of temporary editor, whom he completely trusted. J. Mammadguluzade held this position until the closing of the newspaper, that is, until January 15, 1905 (issue No. 392).

The creative team formed around the newspaper "Shargi-rus" created the basis for the start of a new stage in the development of the press in Azerbaijan. On the initiative and under the editorship of Jalil Mammadguluzadeh, on April 7, 1906, the first illustrated weekly Azerbaijani satirical magazine, “Molla Nasreddin”, was published in Tiflis.

The newspaper "Shargi-rus" has created favorable conditions for the publication of the magazine "Molla Nasreddin". Thus, at the beginning of the 20th century, this newspaper, which was the first national press, became a center for the exchange of ideas, through it the directions of creativity of writers and public figures were set.

Recommended literature:

1. Zeynalzadə, Ağarəfi. Azərbaycan mətbuatı və çar senzurası : 1850-1905 / A. Zeynalzadə ; elmi red. Ə. M. Mirəhmədov ; AMEA Nizami adına Ədəbiyyat İnstitutu. - Bakı : Elm, 2006. - 328 s.
2. Aşırlı, Akif. Azərbaycan mətbuatı tarixi / A. Aşırlı ; red. A. Bayramoğlu. I hissə : 1875-1920. - Bakı : Elm və təhsil, 2009. - 296 s.
3. Aşırlı, Akif. Azərbaycan mətbuatı tarixi / A. Aşırlı. II hissə : 1920-1990 / elmi red. C. Məmmədli. - Bakı : Elm və təhsil, 2010. - 227 s.
4. Qasımova, Amalya Nəbi qızı. XX əsrin əvvəllərində Şimali Azərbaycan mətbuatında qadın problemləri : 1901-1917 / A. N. Qasımova ; elmi red.: D. B. Seyidzadə, H. N. Həsənov ; AMEA A.A. Bakıxanov adına Tarix İnstitutu. - Bakı : Adiloğlu, 2010. - 168 s.
5. Mətbuat tarixi və publisistika məsələləri / İ. Ə. Həbibbəyli [et al.] ; tərt. A. H. Rüstəmli ; elmi red. İ. Ə. Həbibbəyli. - Bakı : Ozan, 2016. - 184 s.
6. Azərbaycan çap mətbuatı tarixinin inciləri: 1875-1920 = Historical Gems of Azerbaijani Press : 1875-1920. - Bakı : Şərq-Qərb, 2020. - 160 s.