Abdurrahim bey Hagverdiyev

Abdurrahim bey Asad bey oglu Hagverdiyev (Azerbaijani: Əbdürrəhim bəy Haqverdiyev) (17 May 1870 – 11 December 1933) was an Azerbaijani writer, playwright, public and political figure, educator, literary scholar, and Honored Art Worker of the Azerbaijan SSR (1929), Abdurrahim bey Hagverdiyev is considered a classic of Azerbaijani literature. He was a deputy in the First Russian Duma, a member of the Georgian Parliament, the first conductor at the premiere of Leyli and Majnun, founder and first head of the Theatre Council, and a contributor to the Molla Nasreddin journal.

Active during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Hagverdiyev continued the literary traditions of Mirza Fatali Akhundov and Najaf bey Vazirov. He contributed to the development of national literature through his satirical and psychological dramas, addressing social and moral issues of his time. His notable plays include The Broken Union (Dağılan tifaq), Greedy Scholars (Ac həriflər), Unlucky Young Man (Bəxtsiz cavan), and The Fairy Magic (Pəri cadu), marked by satire and critical depictions of daily life. He was a member of both the First and Second State Dumas and advocated for Muslim rights in the Russian Empire and the South Caucasus. Hagverdiyev played a prominent role in organizing theatrical performances in Tbilisi and Baku, participated in the press and enlightenment efforts, and contributed to the early activities of the Azerbaijan SSR Academy of Sciences and various literary societies and publications.