Alp Arslan (Persian: آلپ ارسلان; full name: Muhammad Alp Arslan bin Dawud Chaghri) (20 January 1029 – 24 November 1072) was the son of Chaghri Beg, a co-founder of the Seljuk Empire. In 1063, he defeated his rivals to ascend the throne, ruling as the Seljuk sultan until his death in 1072. He had previously served as the Seljuk malik of Khorasan from 1060 to 1063. Renowned for his justice, great military leadership and prowess as a warrior , Alp Arslan earned such epithets as Sultan al-Adil (The Just Sultan), Abu'l Feth (Father of Conquests), Sultan al-Azam (Greatest Sultan), Abu Shuja (Father of Courage), and Adud al-Dawla (Protector of the State). Additionally, due to the vastness of the territories he ruled, he was also known as Sultan al-Alem (Sultan of the World). Alp Arslan greatly expanded Seljuk territories and consolidated his power, defeating rivals to the south, east, and northwest.
Birth and early life
Zahir al-Din Nishapuri, al-Husaini al-Yazidi, Mirkhvand, Khvandamir and Hasan-i Yazdi record Alp Arslan's date of birth as January 10, 1030 while Bundari, Ibn Khallikan and Ibn al-Adim record it as 1032-1033. The 12th century historian Ibn al-Athir also records the date as 1032-1033 but mentions January 20, 1029 as an alternative account. The literature generally accepts the alternative date of January 20, 1029 provided by Ibn al-Athir because the 1032-1033 timeline does not chronologically align with the known facts of Alp Arslan's life.
Alp Arslan grew up under the harsh conditions of the empire's foundation period as the son of Khorasan Malik Chaghri Beg who was one of the founders of the Great Seljuk Empire and the nephew of the Seljuk Sultan Tughril I. Following the Battle of Dandanaqan, Alp Arslan entered the service of Tughril at a young age during the Council of Merv. During his approximately three years in this duty Alp Arslan succeeded in becoming a respected figure whose counsel was heeded even in important and complex empire affairs.
Campaigns and battles
Alp Arslan accompanied his uncle Tughril on campaigns in the south against the Fatimids, while his father Chaghri remained in Khorasan. Upon Alp Arslan's return to Khorasan, he began his work in administration at his father's suggestion. While there, his father introduced him to Nizam al-Mulk, one of the most eminent statesmen in early Muslim history and Alp Arslan's future vizier.
Defense of Tokharistan (1043–44)
After the Khwarazm campaign he undertook alongside Tughril, Chaghri Beg launched another expedition against the Ghaznavids. He besieged the city of Herat, which had fallen out of Musa Yabghu's control following a Ghaznavid attack. However, he fell ill after a while and was forced to lift the siege. Meanwhile, although the Ghaznavid army under the command of Sultan Mawdud launched another offensive and achieved some success, they were routed by the Seljuk army commanded by Malik Ertash, and the Seljuks captured Herat through a counterattack. Another the Ghaznavid army under the command of Sultan Mawdud attack was repelled by Malik Alp Arslan, who was stationed in Balkh. Due to his illness, Chaghri Beg was unable to command the battles against the Ghaznavids. Therefore, he appointed his son, Alp Arslan, in his place. Taking action, Alp Arslan defeated the Ghaznavids. Later, the Seljuk army, which launched an attack under the command of Alp Arslan and Chaghri Beg, captured the cities of Termez, Kubadhiyan, Vakhsh, Kunduz (Valvalic), held by the Ghaznavids, and other Tokharistan lands held by the Ghaznavids.
First Campaign against the Kara-Khanids
Ghaznavid Sultan Mawdud attacked Seljuk territories in 1043–44 and returned to his country defeated in the struggle he had started. After this defeat, he decided to attack the Seljuks once again. This time, instead of attacking alone, he began searching for allies for his campaign against the Seljuks. To this end, he proposed an alliance to the Kara-Khanid ruler Arslan Khan (Ibrahim ibn Nasr) and the Buyid Emir Abu Kalijar. These two rulers accepted Ghaznavid Sultan Mawdud's alliance offer and mobilized their armies in 1048–49.
The Seljuks, meanwhile, were occupied with defense preparations against the enemy armies. Chaghri Beg was at the head of these defense preparations. The army that had departed from Ghazni was forced to turn back due to Sultan Mawdud falling ill. Taking advantage of this allied attack, the Seljuk governor of Khwarezm rebelled. Chaghri Beg had to launch a campaign to Khwarezm; he arrived in Urgench and suppressed the rebellion. The Kipchaks, who were supporters of the Ghaznavids, also took advantage of this situation and attacked Khwarezm. Upon the Kipchaks' attack on Khwarezm, Chaghri Beg dispatched an army against them. The Seljuk army sent by Chaghri Beg fought the Kipchak army commanded by Haşaka near Urgench and defeated the Kipchaks.
Another allied army, the Buyids, suffered heavy losses on the desert route they had taken. Thus, the Ghaznavids and the Buyids returned to their lands without entering into any struggle with the Seljuks. Unaware of the events that had befallen the Buyids and Ghaznavids, Arslan Khan entered Seljuk territory with his army and occupied Termez. Having conquered Termez, Arslan Khan turned his route toward Balkh and marched forth. Upon receiving the news that Arslan Khan had attacked Seljuk lands, Alp Arslan marched against Arslan Khan with his army. Alp Arslan emerged victorious in the battle that took place between the two armies. Arslan Khan, on the other hand, crossed the Amu Darya river and retreated to Bukhara. Later, Arslan Khan made a peace offer to Chaghri Beg, and as a result of this request, Chaghri Beg accepted the peace proposal. A peace treaty was signed between the two parties.
First Campaign in Fars
In 1050, Sultan Tughril launched a campaign against the Buyids. Isfahan, which belonged to the Buyids, was besieged, and military expeditions were organized against the Fars province, which was under Buyid rule. One of the Seljuk commanders who led a campaign into the Fars province was Malik Alp Arslan. Alp Arslan conducted this expedition in complete secrecy from everyone. While his uncle, Sultan Tughril, was preoccupied with the siege of Isfahan, Alp Arslan secretly departed from the city of Merv in the Khorasan province and attacked the Buyid-controlled Fars province. Conquering a large part of the Fars province Alp Arslan also captured the Buyid city of Fasa located within this province, taking 3,000 prisoners. Following these successes, Alp Arslan swiftly returned to Khorasan to avoid receiving any orders from his uncle, Sultan Tughril, who was completely unaware of his presence in the Fars province.
Defense of Khorasan (1053)
By the order of Sultan Abd al-Rashid, the Ghaznavid Emir Toghrul Bozan attacked Sistan, which was under Seljuk rule. Musa Yabghu, who was stationed in Sistan, was defeated by the Ghaznavid Emir Toghrul Bozan and abandoned Sistan, retreating to Herat. Having raised a new army in Herat, Musa Yabghu marched against the Ghaznavids occupying Sistan, accompanied by his son Böri (Kara Arslan) and his vizier Abu'l-Fazl. Upon receiving news that Musa Yabghu was advancing on Sistan with a new army, the Ghaznavid Emir Toghrul Bozan abandoned the region and returned to Ghazni.
Arriving in Ghazni, Emir Toghrul Bozan rebelled against Sultan Abd al-Rashid with the intention of usurping the throne. Successful in his rebellion, Emir Toghrul Bozan overthrew Sultan Abd ur-Rashid and seized power. Reacting to this usurpation by Emir Toghrul, Kirghiz, one of the Ghaznavid commanders, killed Emir Toghrul and placed Farrukh-Zad from the Sabuktigin Dynasty on the throne in his stead.
Taking advantage of the internal turmoil caused by this civil war within the Ghaznavid Empire, the Seljuks, under the leadership of Chaghri Beg, launched a campaign against the Ghaznavids and advanced as far as Bost. Sultan Farrukh-Zad dispatched his commander Kirghiz against Chaghri Beg, who had reached Bost. In the battle that took place near Bost, Chaghri Beg was defeated and forced to retreat. Later, acting on Sultan Farrukh-Zad's orders commander Kirghiz attacked Seljuk territories, defeating the Seljuk army under the command of Atabeg Gul-Sarigh as well as other Seljuk forces he clashed with, and took their commanders captive.
Faced with this dire situation for the Seljuks, Malik Alp Arslan sought permission from his father, Chaghri Beg, to launch an attack on the Ghaznavids. Chaghri Beg responded favorably to his son Alp Arslan's request. Having obtained his father's permission, Alp Arslan marched against the Ghaznavids with his army. In the ensuing battle between the two sides, Alp Arslan routed the Ghaznavid forces commanded by Kirghiz. Following this battle, a prisoner exchange took place between the two sides, and a peace treaty was signed.