When Baku was still in nappies, Shamakha was already an incontinent grandparent. Possibly the Kmakhia described in Ptolemy's Geography, it spent most of its history as the capital and major commercial centre of Shirvan/western Azerbaijan.

The Shirvanshahs ruled from the 7th to the 16th century over varying-sized portions of the Shamakha-Derbent-Baku region and are said to have controlled a network of 360 fortresses. Their long survival was down to a relative lack of expansionist ambition and a preparedness, when necessary, to accept reduced status as mere governors in the empires of others. The Shirvanshahs were finally toppled during the Safavid Azerb Persian era, and their main strongholds (Gulustan and Qalabugurt) were destroyed. Shamakha town was wiped off the map in 1734 by Persia's Nadir Shah. It was only just re-emerging when the Russians arrived first in 1795, then again in 1806.

The independent last ruler, Khan Mustafa fled to his mountain retreats at Fit Dag/Niyal. The Russians initially used Shamakha as their regional administration centre but after the massive 1859 earthquake, Baku seemed a safer option.

Shamakha was famed for its Quba-style carpets throughout much of the millennium though today there s little being made. Shamakha was also famed for wine there are dramatic claims that France received its first vines from Shamakha cuttings. In the 1980s the region's annual harvest averaged 160,000 tons of grapes. This has dwindled to barely a tenth and the curious balloon-shaped 'cloud-zapper' buildings now sit idle on local hill-tops. They were designed to protect the vines from hail by pre-emptive cloud attacks.

If you're planning a trip to Azerbaijan you may be interested ▶ Azerbaijan highlights - For those who prefer to go unbeaten path, to explore less visited places and check national charisma of this small country in Southern Caucasus on the edge of Europe.