Naki Bey Keykurun (1883-1967)

One of the important figures of Azerbaijani political life of the XXth century was Naki Bey Keykurun. Naki Bey, who used the surnames Sheikhzamanli or Sheikhzamanov when he lived in Azerbaijan, took the surname "Keykurun" during his political emigration in Turkey, especially with the "Surname Law" of 1934. Naki Bey Keykurun took part in all stages of the political life of Azerbaijan since the beginning of the XX century and especially made significant contributions to the establishment of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic in 1918. In addition, he was the head of the "Organization for Combating Counter-Revolution", the intelligence agency of the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic. Political and military developments in 1920 did not allow the Azerbaijan Democratic Republic to survive. As a result of the Bolshevik invasion, Naki Bey Keykurun, like the important political leaders of the period, managed to escape from this terrorist environment and had to leave his country. A significant majority of the politicians who had to leave Azerbaijan migrated to Turkey and some of them to various European countries. Naki Bey Keykurun, on the other hand, settled in Istanbul after his life of emigration, which began in Trabzon, Turkey, and lived here until the end of his life. Naki Bey, who was in cooperation with various political muhajirs in Turkey, did not give up the ideal of Azerbaijani independence and published a significant number of articles, books and organized conferences in this context. Naki Bey Keykurun, who dedicated his life to the cause of independent Azerbaijan, died in 1967 in Istanbul and was buried in Feriköy cemetery. Key Worlds : Naki Bey Keykurun, Azerbaijan Democratic Republic, Political Emigration, Republic of Turkey.