The Baku Khanate was a historical state that existed in the region of present-day Azerbaijan during the 18th and early 19th centuries. It emerged after the decline of the Safavid Empire and was centered around the city of Baku, which was an important trade and cultural hub due to its strategic location along the Caspian Sea. The khanate was ruled by local leaders known as khans, who maintained a degree of autonomy while often navigating the influence of larger powers like the Russian Empire and the Persian Empire. The Baku Khanate was eventually incorporated into the Russian Empire following the Russo-Persian Wars in the early 19th century.