Time zone GMT +4 (UTC+4) | ||
Country De jure Azerbaijan
De facto Nagorno-Karabakh Rayon
Province Khojavend
Hadrut Province | ||
Tuğ (Armenian: Տող Togh and Tog) is a village in the Khojavend Rayon of Azerbaijan and Hadrut Province of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic.
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History
Togh and the neighbouring fortress of Ktishberd, are first mentioned in the 9th century, as the capital of the Principality of Dizak. Here in 854, Esayi Abu-Muse, the Prince of Dizak, defeated an 200,000 strong Arabian army under the command of Bugha al-Kabir.
In 1737, Prince Melik Yehan built a palace here. The principality would go on to survive until the last prince, Esayi Melik-Avanian, was killed by Ibrahim Khalil Khan in 1781, after a long-lasting resistance in the fortress of Ktishberd. Togh was a part of the Karabakh Khanate until 1822 when it was annexed by Russia and became part of the Elisabethpol Governorate.
In 1903 a hospital was built and three years later a village school was opened which today functions as a middle school. A new school was built in 1978, which was renovated for the first time in 2008 by the Armenia Fund There is also a house of culture, a movie theater and a library.
In addition to nearby Gtichavank Monastery there are nearby ruins of some churches including Stepanos Nakhavkayi Church of the 13th century. The village church is named Saint Hovhannes and was built in 1736. A few of the Yezanyan Meliks are buried in the yard of Saint Hovhannes Church.
In March 1988, Armenian armed militia detachments were formed to defend the village from Soviet and Azeri attacks during the Nagorno-Karabakh War, and lives were lost. Togh was captured by Azeri forces but was recaptured by the Armenian Army on October 30, 1991. As a result of the war Azeri villages were forced to flee and many settled in Beylagan Rayon
The region is now known for its wine production.
Population
In 1921, there was 1589 Armenians living here. In 1974, there were 1,228 Armenian inhabitants in the village, and in 1987 there were 1421 Armenian inhabitants. Two years later, 920 Azeris and 700 Armenians were recorded. In 2005, the population was 679 Armenians.