So Taliyah Hates Azir

It isn't as simple as good and bad guys.

Azir freeing the slaves likely never made it into the history books because everything exploded shortly after this announcement(and it was just an announcement,he never got to the part where he actually freed them).

And thousands of years passed after azirs death,so what most people likely remember is that shuriman emporers all had slaves and waged war.

One day a giant bird man with god powers popped out of the ground and started hootin' and hollerin' about how he's the EMPEROR and you're all his subjects and he's going to rebuild his ancient kingdom that got blown up when another guy did some shenanigans with the god power machine.

Your average Shuriman is, understandably, a little confused about his intentions.

"History is written by the winners" and Azir didn't really come out on top

As far as they know, Azir never planned to free the slaves. His good nature was never known to the people before Shurima was destroyed. To them, he's just a power-hungry despot returning to enslave them again.

“Good and evil are not truths. They are born from men and each sees the shades differently.”

It all depends on point of view. When read from Azir's perspective, of course he's the good guy. I love stories when even the "bad guys" aren't really bad. They just have an opposing view and justifications for their actions. Stories where the bad guy thinks he's doing good.

The same almost happened with Xerath. He just wanted freedom and harbored hatred for so long in his heart. The moment where Xerath loses compassion from the reader is when he shoves Azir anyways, murdering his lifelong friend and stealing his Ascension.

Shurima, though? Shurima's dead. The masses outside likely never relieved news that Azir freed the slaves. Also, Azir couldn't free slaves right away. Their society depended a lot upon slave labor. Azir had to make reforms before finally freeing them all. And Azir also felt he couldn't free Xerath without freeing all slaves within Shurima as well.

He had his reasons for every step he took. His only downfall was not telling Xerath his plans. All of this could've been avoided.

"A dictator but a kind one."

personally I think he wasn't bad, he wanted to rule yes, but also do good for his people. everything went shit because of Xerath and his treachery.