Ibrahimkhalil Khan
After Kerim khan overrode the whole Iran, he called Panahali khan to Shiraz and made him his counselor and his son charged Mehrali bey with ruling Karabakh. In 1759, Panahali khan died in Shiraz. Mehrali bey finished strengthening of Shusha and built new fortresses called Asgaran and Agh-oghlan. Soon he was treacherously murdered by Aghasi khan of Shirvan, after which Ibrahimkhalil khan-elder son of Panahali khan – asserted himself in Karabakh. His reign began from overriding of fallen meliks, which was lasted till 1787. In that very year, Ibrahimkhalil khan attempted to conquer Shamakhi, but was defeated by Fatali khan of Quba.
In 1795, Ibrahimkhalil khan, who didn’t want to obey Agha Muhammad shah Qajar who conquered whole Iran until then, sent his ambassadors to Russian empress Catherine II to ask for the Russian citizenship. Knowing about these discussions, Agha Mahammad Shah Qajar gathered a great army with overall strength of 85 thousand people, went over the Aras River and approached Shusha, in 1795. Ibrahimkhalil khan, who had only 15 thousand soldiers under his guidance, defended desperately. Siege of the fortress lasted for 33 days, but due to selfless actions of defenders of the fortress, who were ruled by Ibrahimkhalil khan and his vizier, eminent poet Molla Panah Vagif - Agha Muhammad Shah couldn’t conquer the fortress and he was forced to call a siege off. He ordered to devastate outskirts of the country. After their departure Karabakh burst into starvation.
In 1797, Agha Muhammad shah invaded Karabakh again. Until then, situation of Karabakh khanate was extremely difficult: starvation and plague were rife and rampant in the country and many of the citizens of Karabakh were forced to move to other khanates looking for bread. Withstanding of the second siege was impossible and Ibrahimkhalil khan left the city and escaped to Dagestan with his family. But after conquering Shusha, Agha Muhammad Shah Qajar was murdered by his servants and losing its leader the Persian army left Karabakh. Ibrahimkhalil khan came back to Shusha and ruled there for several years as a fully independent ruler. He tried to support good relations with Fathali Shah - a new ruler of Iran, nephew of Agha Muhammad Shah Qajar. But this peace was not durable.
Read more about this topic: Javanshir Clan