Mehdigulu Khan Vafa

Mehdigulu Khan Khasay Khan oglu Utsmiyev (Azerbaijani: Mehdiqulu xan Xasay xan oğlu Usmiyev; 1855, Shusha – 1900, Tiflis) is a lyrical poet of Azerbaijan, Lieutenant Colonel in the Russian Army, son of a famous Karabakh poetess Khurshidbanu Natavan.

Life

Mehdigulu was born in 1855 in Shusha in family of a Major-General Khasay Khan Utsmiyev (1808—1866)^[1] During his childhood becoming in their house in 1859 Alexandre Dumas wrote about him: "a five-six-years boy probably instinctivity holding a dagger... This was a really sharp dagger, which French mother never gives for her childe."

He served in Russian Army and became a Lieutenant Colonel. He was married with Saltanatbeyim Karim qizi Jevanshir and had four children: son Khasay, and three daughters: Agabike, Bilgeysbike and Azizabike. He wrote with the name "Vafa", what means loyal.

He died in 1900 in Tiflis.

Lyrics

Some of his lyrics he wrote also in Persian^[2]:
…کی باشد آنکه بخت سیه باز من شود
تا توتیای دیده کنم خاک کربلا
یارب مباد آنکه کنم خاک کربلا
دست وفا ز دامن اولاد مرتضی …

Khurshidbanu Natavan about him

Mehdigulu Khan (left) with his mother Khurshidbanu Natavan and sister Khanbike

Mehdigulu last time of his life was far away from home, from Shusha. His mother Khurshidbanu Natavan missed him, and wrote a poem about it, where she says that she is ready to give her life for see him.^[3]:

Varımdı sinədə dərdü qəmi-nəhan, ölürəm,
Fəda olum sənə, gəl eylə imtəhan, ölürəm.

Fəraqdan gecələr yatmaram səbahə kimi,
Xəyali — zülfünə bağlı gedibdir can, ölürəm.

Çəkirdim həsrətini, görmədim, xudahafiz!
Olubdur indi işim naləvü fəğan, ölürəm.

References

1. ^ Azerbaijani generals

   Maj-Gen. Khasay Khan Usmiyev (1808—1866), husband of famous Karabakh poetess, Natavan. Their son, Mehdiqulu, born in 1855 in Shusha, became a Lt-Colonel in the Russian Army.

2. ^ Рагим Никбет. Персоязычные поэты Карабаха (azeri)

   Mehdiqulu xan Dağıstanı(Vəfa)- öz dövrünün məşhur farsca yazan şairlərdən idi

3. ^ Zaman ASkerliAgain about Natavan (azeri)

External links

• Grandson of Khasay and Natavan (Russian)

Persondata
Name	Vafa, Mehdigulu Khan
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1855
Place of birth
Date of death	1900
Place of death