Mirza Fatali Akhundov, also known as Mirza Fatali Akhundzade, or Mirza Fath-Ali Akhundzadeh, was a celebrated Iranian Azerbaijani author, playwright, atheist, philosopher, and founder of Azerbaijani modern literary criticism, "who acquired fame primarily as the writer of European-inspired plays in the Azeri Turkic language".
Mirza Shafi Vazeh was an Azerbaijani poet and teacher. Under the pseudonym "Vazeh", which means "expressive, clear", he wrote in both Azerbaijani and Persian, developing the traditions of poetry in both languages. He compiled the first anthology of Azerbaijani poetry and a Tatar-Russian dictionary for the Tiflis gymnasium with Russian teacher Ivan Grigoriev.
Mirza Yusuf Nersesov was an Armenian historian, translator, and scribe principally known for his Persian-language historical work regarding his native Karabakh, the Tarikh-i Safi.
Mirzo Tursunzoda was an important Tajikistani and Soviet poet and a prominent political figure, full member (academician) of the Tajik Academy of Sciences, a member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Tajikistan, a member of the Union of Soviet Writers. Today, Tursunzoda has been elevated to the level of Hero of Tajikistan.