Azerbaijani millionaire awarded the Order of Noble Bukhara

Did you know that the Azerbaijani oil magnate and patron of science and art, Gaji Zeynalabdin Tagiyev (1838–1924), was awarded the Order of Noble Bukhara of the first degree by the Emir of Bukhara, Said Abdulahad Khan (1885–1910)?

Order of Noble Bukhara of the II degree, which was awarded to many prominent figures of Azerbaijan in the late 19th – early 20th centuries, occupy a special place in the Visual Materials Collection the Auxiliary Historical Disciplines Department. In the book of the Azerbaijani writer and scholar Manaf Suleymanov Days Gone By …, 

where he collected eyewitness memories of the events of the second half of the 19th – first quarter of the 20th centuries, it is noted that “… when coming to Baku, the emir got into the habit of presenting high-ranking officials, millionaires and even commoners with gold, silver orders and other awards of the Emirate of Bukhara. Gaji Zeynalabdin Tagiyev, for example, and his father-in-law Major General Arablinsky received the golden Order of the Rising Star of the first degree. Gaji received as a gift from the Emir a gold watch of great value with a warm dedication engraved on the inner lid. The Emir liked Tagiyev’s silent carriage on rubber wheels. Tagiyev presented it to the ruler along with a pair of expensive trotters and a coachman in addition.”
 

The fact that G. Z. Tagiyev was awarded the Order of the Bukhara Gold Star of the II degree, is confirmed by materials from the National Museum of History of Azerbaijan collections. The Visual Materials Collection keeps a photograph and a portrait ¬painted by the famous Russian artist I. I. Brodsky, which clearly shows that G. Z. Tagiyev was awarded the Order of the Emirate twice: on the left side of his chest, between the star of the Iranian Order Shir-i-Khurshid and the Russian Red Cross insignia, two Bukharan orders are clearly visible below the order pad, probably the Bukhara Gold Star of the II degree and the Bukhara Gold Star of the VI degree. Unfortunately, they were not preserved and did not get into the museum’s collection. 

The silver Order of the Noble Bukhara of the II degree was acquired by the Purchasing Commission of the museum in 1922 and is now on display in the exposition of the House Museum of G. Z. Tagiyev.