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The Seljuks were a nomadic tribe that came from the Oghuz people. In 985, Seljuk and his tribe crossed the Oxus River and settled in a place called Jand, northwest of Modern Kazakhstan. At Jand, they converted to Islam. -
This period covers the time of the establishment of the Seljuk Empire. This goes from Seljuk to his grandson Sultan Tugrul Beg who established the Seljuk Empire.
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After Seljuk’s death in 1009, his son Arsalan Yabghu became the head of the family. -
- In 1032, Arsalan Yabgu was taken into the captivity of the Ghazvanid Empire and died there.
- Seljuk's son, Mikail had also died in a battle. His only son Musa Yabgu became the head of the family. However, true power was held by Mikail's sons i.e. Musa's Nephews, Tugrul and Chagri Bey.
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Under Tugrul and Chagri Bey, the Seljuks fought against the Ghazvanid and in 1037 Tugrul enthroned himself as Sultan. -
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- Sultan Tugrul and his brother Chagri Bey fought against the Ghaznavid Empire at the Battle of Dandanaqan near the city of Merv (Turkmenistan).
- The Seljuk army arrived before the Ghaznavid army and poisoned all the water wells surrounding the Dandanaqan fort. The remaining water was insufficient for the soldiers and their horses and elephants. Hence, the Ghaznavids retreated.
- This gave Seljuks Khurasan and also ended Ghaznavid Rule in Central Asia and Iran.
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In 1043, the Seljuks would capture Ray in Iran and would make this their new capital. The Battle of Dandanaqan also allowed Sultan Tugrul I to besiege Isfahan (1050-51).
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Sultan Tugrul would capture Baghdad from the Shia Buyid Empire under a commission from the Abbasid Empire.
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Tughrul had forced the Abbasid Caliph to surrender his temporal powers with the Abbasid Caliphate to him. In 1057, Caliph Kaim al-Buemrillah pronounced Tughrul “The King of the East and the West.”
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Tugrul Bey didn't have any children. He nominated his infant Nephew, Suleyman, Chagri's son as his successor. However, due to his age Suleyman couldn't rule and so Alp Arsalan, another son of Chagri, became the next Sultan. The Great Seljuk Sultans | Part-1, YouTube -
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- Alp Arsalan preferred to conquer instead of rule and so gave the administration to his vizier, Nizam -ul-Mulk. He added Armenian and Georgian Territories to his domain.
- In 1064, he took control of Ani, the former Armenian Capital, and Kars.
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- In 1066, the Seljuk raids of Byzantium started to trouble the Byzantine rulers. In the same year, the Seljuk Army captured the well-fortified city of Edessa (Urfa). They captured its ruler and would release him if 20,000 dinars were given as ransom.
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- He was determined to destroy the Suljuks.
- In 1068, Diogenes left Constantinople with an army of 200,000 headed towards Kayseri but then received the news that the Turks have plundered and destroyed Neocaesarea. He then turned Northeast and met the Seljuk army at Tefrike (Divrigi). He destroyed the army and entered Syria.
- Throughout 1069 the Seljuks continued to raid the Byzantine Empire.
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- In 1071, the Byzantines had prepared a huge army to meet the Turks and have started marching to meet the Seljuks. Alp Arsalan was in Syria when he got to know all of this. He would swiftly gather his forces to meet the Byzantine forces.
- Alp Arsalan had divided his army into two parts. One was waiting in ambush while the other was led by Alp Arsalan. Those waiting in Ambush had bows and arrows instead of swords and spears. The Seljuks ambushed the Byzantine Right wing.
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- . The Roman Emperor ordered to send reinforcements to the right wing but Alp Arsalan had planned a pre-retreat and once the Seljuks started to retreat the Byzantines followed. At this time, the allies of the Byzantines included Oghuz and Pecheneg light cavalry made the Byzantine left wing switched sides. There are sources suggesting that there were negotiations between the Seljuks and their fellow tribesmen.
- The Byzantines were now attacked from all sides and started to retreat.
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- The Byzantine Emperor was caught by the Seljuks.
- Alp Arsalan decided to send him back to Byzantium on the throne but in return, he was required to pay 1.5 million gold dinars to the Seljuks. He would also have to pay 360,000 dinars each year to maintain peace with the Seljuks and provide them with a Byzantine army.
- However, Romanos wasn’t able to satisfy the terms of the Agreement this was because as everyone in Byzantium got to know of his defeat, they dethroned him and blinded him.
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- This battle was important in the history of Anatolia because this erupted a civil war in the Byzantine Empire and allowed the Seljuks to enter Anatolia and allowed caused the migration of other Turkic tribes.
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- When Malik Shah ascended the throne his uncle, Qavurt claimed the throne for himself and occupied Isfahan.
- In 1073 a battle took place near Hamdan in which Qavurt accompanied by his seven sons fought against Malik Shah and his army.
- • During the battle Malik Shah’s troops turned against him. However, he was able to outsmart them and Qavurt was captured. Qavurt then begged for Mercy but was strangled to death.
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Malik Shah showed great interest in Arts, Literature and science. The state was the greatest concern for him. In 1073, he commissioned the polymath Omar Khayyam to build the Malik Shah observatory in Isfahan and to create a solar calendar.
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- Apart from his uncle Malik Shah had also many other enemies. Taking the advantage of the death of Alp Arsalan, the Karakanids and the Ghaznavids started to invade parts of the Seljuk Empire.
- After dealing with the Quvurt rebellion, Malik shah in 1074, turned his troops towards the Karakanids and the Ghaznavids. Both understood the situation and sued Malik Shah for peace. Malik Shah forgave them.
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- In 1081, Sulayman bin Qutlumush, a Seljuk prince established his own rule in Anatolia. This became known as the Sultanate of Rum.
- Malik Shah ordered his troops to conquer this new state. However, Sulayman was able to defend himself and retain his independence.
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Most of Mesopotamia would fall to the Seljuks by 1087.
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By 1091, Yemen, Syria, Hejaz and Aden had become a part of the Seljuk Empire. -
In 1092, Nizam-al-Mulk was killed by an Assassin of Hassan bin Sabah. -
After learning about the death of Nizam- ul- MulkMalik Shah besieged the Assassin Headquarter. However, siege was halted due to the sudden death of Malik shah in 1092.
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- After Malik Shah's death his brother and sons fought for the throne. The Empire got divided among Malik Shah's sons. All of whom fought for dominance.
- Malik Shah’s brother Tutush I took control of Syria.
- In Iran, Mahmud I tried to take control but was faced with three of this his brothers. Ahmad Sanjar in Khurasan, Barkiyaruq in Iraq and Muhammad I in Baghdad.
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- In 1095, Tutush’s army met with Barkiyaruq. Many of Tutush’s allies deserted him and he was killed
- At Tutush’s death, his sons, Radwan and Duqaq inherited Aleppo and Damascus. This further divided Syria.
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In the Battle of Dorylaeum, 1097 Kilij Arsalan I of the Sultanate of Rum fought against the Crusaders. He was able to outnumber them. However, reinforcements came in time and this resulted in a Seljuk loss.
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In 1118, Malik Shah's son Ahmad Sanjar took control of the Seljuk Empire. However, his nephew refused to accepted this and established his capital at Baghdad. In 1131, he was finally deposed by Ahmad Sanjar.
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With the death of Sultan Ahmad Sanjar in 1153 the Seljuk Empire collapsed. After this the empire got divided into many small states. These states got united under Khawarazm shah to make the Khwarazmian Empire.
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- Ashrafi, S. (2022) Sultan Tughril, the founder of the Great Seljuk Empire, a short biography – 5-Minute History, 5 Minute History. Available at: https://fiveminthistory.com/history/the-great-seljuk-empire/sultan-tughril-the-founder-of-the-great-seljuk-empire-a-short-biography/ (Accessed: 1 January 2023).
- EDITS 22, A. (2021) The Great Seljuk Sultans | Part-1 - YouTube, YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FKDqhLZvWQs (Accessed: 1 January 2023).
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- Seljuk Turks - New World Encyclopedia (no date) New World Encyclopedia. Available at: https://www.newworldencyclopedia.org/entry/Seljuk_Turks#Great_Seljuk (Accessed: 10 January 2023).
- Zaporozec, V.M. (2012) The Seljuks. Translated by K.A. Nazarévskaia. Döring. Available at: http://eanw.info/konkurs-2012/The-Seljuks.pdf (Accessed: 7 January 2023).
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- Malik-Shah, The great Seljuq Sultan (2020) Know History. Available at: https://www.knowhistory.live/2020/11/malik-shah-great-seljuq-sultan.html (Accessed: 5 January 2023).
- Cahen, C. (2023) Alp-Arslan | Seljuq sultan | Britannica, Britannica. Available at: https://www.britannica.com/biography/Alp-Arslan (Accessed: 13 February 2023).
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- Battle of Dandanaqan | Military Wiki | Fandom (no date) Fandom. Available at: https://military-history.fandom.com/wiki/Battle_of_Dandanaqan (Accessed: 2 January 2023).
- Malik-Shah I: Seljuq sultan from 1072 to 1092 (1055 - 1092) | Biography, Facts, Information, Career, Wiki, Life (no date) peoplepill. Available at: https://peoplepill.com/people/malik-shah-i (Accessed: 5 January 2023).
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- inkofknowledge (2020) Rise and Fall of the Great Seljuk Empire - YouTube, YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rhTuCtKjgIE (Accessed: 9 January 2023).
- Jano, S. (2021) Seljuk empire History | Seljuk empire family tree | Rise of Seljuk |Seljuk empire documentary - YouTube, YouTube. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Y9enEFsGNo (Accessed: 9 January 2023).