THE ATTITUDE OF AZERBAIJANIS TO THE MILITARY OBLIGATION IN THE EARLY 20TH CENTURY (BASED ON MATERIALS OF ELIZAVETPOL (GANJA) TATAR CAVALRY REGIMENT)

Abstract

The article proves the view that despite the mistrust of tsarism in Azerbaijanis and the fact of tsarist government being clearly against the spread of the compulsory universal military service among them, Azerbaijanis were morally ready to share responsibility for their motherland on a par with the Christian peoples of the Empire. This trend is clearly observed in the patriotic behavior of the Muslim population of all the uyezds of the Elizavetpolgovernorate in the summer of 1914, when the enrolment of volunteers to the re-formed Elizavetpol Tatar Cavalry Regiment was widespread.