Shahgaldi Gishlaghi

Shahgaldi Gishlaghi was a village in the territory of the Sharur-Daralayaz uezd of the former Iravan governorate, later in the former Keshishkend (Yeghegnadzor) district, and present-day Vayots Dzor province. It was located near the village of Hors, on the bank of the Salim River and near the right affluent of the Arpachay.

The village was inhabited by 36 Azerbaijanis in 1831, 80 in 1873, 112 in 1886, 133 in 1897, 133 in 1904, 146 in 1914, 179 in 1916 and 115 Azerbaijanis in 1919. The village was attacked and the Azerbaijanis were massacred or expelled by Armenian armed units in 1919. Only after the establishment of Soviet power in present-day Armenia, the village inhabitants who survived managed to return to their native lands. The village was solely inhabited by Azerbaijanis: 42 in 1922, 37 in 1926 and 45 Azerbaijanis in 1931. The Azerbaijanis were removed and the village was abolished in the 1940s. At present, it lies in ruins.

The toponym was coined by combining the words “shahgaldi” and “gishlag” meaning “the Shah’s wintering place”.