Shahtakhtli, Shahtakhtlinsky Mohammad agha Mohammadtaghi Sultan (1846, Shshtakhti village of Sharur region, - 12.12.1931, Baku) – a publicist, orientalist, linguist, pedagogist and social worker. He was an active member of International Phonetics Society (1899), International “Asian Society” (1900) and the Caucasian Branch of the Russian Emperor Geographic Society (1903). The professor of Baku University (1920). After the graduation from a school in Nakhchivan city and Tbilisi classic men gymnasium (1863) he independently began to learn German language in Petersburg. He graduated from the faculty of Philosophy, History and Law of Leipzig University (1869). During 1873-1875 he listened to the lectures at Eastern Languages School in Paris and learnt French language. He wrote literary and scientific works in Russian, German, French, English, Arabian, Turkish and Farsi languages.  

         He began his scientific activity with the researches on the history of East in Germany. The influence of liberal nationalism is seen in his first articles published in 70^th years. Shahtakhtinsky is one of the followers of Mirza Fatali Akhundov in alphabetic reforms. In 1879 he published his book “Improved muslim alphabet” in Tbilisi, which was the first published book in the history of the alphabetic reforms of the East. For a while he worked as an associate of “The Moskovkiye Vedomosti” newspaper and a special correspondent in Istanbul. During 1891-1893 Shahtakhtinski was a temporary editor of “The Kaspi” newspaper. In 1898 he tried to publish “The Tbilisi” newspaper in Azerbaijani language but as the tsar censorship did not allow him to publish Shahtakhtinsky went to Europe again, lived in Paris till 1902 and taught oriental languages in French College and High Practical Education School. His works, published in French language these years, caused discussions and debates in the Western European and American literature. Shahtakhtinsky made research on phonetics in Sorbonne University under professor P.Passin’s training and was awarded with the honorary diploma of the Ministry of Enlightening of France.

        In 1902 Shahtakhtinsky opened a special printing-house in Tbilisi (later it was called “Qeyret”) and began to print the socio-political, economic, scientific and literary newspaper “The Shargi-Rus”. The newspaper did many things in the development in the history of the public opinion in Azerbaijan. The progressive views related to the issues like secular sciences, mother language and women freedom were indicated on the pages of the newspaper. “The Shargi-Rus” newspaper gathered around itself open-minded writes and press-men, such as Jalil Mammedguluzadeh, Mirza Alakber Sabir, Abbas Sahhat, Omar Faig Nemanzadeh, Huseyn Javid, Mammed Said Ordubadi, Aligulu Qamkuzar and A.Nazmi. This creative staff facilitated to the beginning of the development of a new stage (“The Molla Nasreddin”) in Azerbaijani press. In 1907 Shahtakhtinsky was elected a deputy of the II State Duma in Iravan province and after the closure of the Duma he worked at the editorial office of “The Russia” newspaper (Petersburg) and lived abroad (especially Turkey, Iran and Iraq) during 1908-1918 and returned to his motherland in 1919. He actively took part in the establishment of Baku University and gave lectures on the Oriental languages and literature here. In 1920 he published his articles in the newspapers “Communist”, “Bakinsky rabochiy” and “Gizil Sharg” and was an active member of the All-Union New Turkish Alphabet Committee. In 1922 Shahtakhtinsky was granted with the merit pension.  

In his scientific, critical and publicist works Shahtakhtinsky indicated the advanced ideas about colonization, racism, women servitude, state system, democracy, national power, religion, shariat problems and other issues. His present advanced personalities very highly evaluated Shahtakhtinsky’s literary, scientific and press activity.