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Oghuz Turkic dynasty
The Seljuk dynasty, or Seljukids alternatively spelled as Saljuqids or Seljuk Turks, was an Oghuz Turkic, Sunni Muslim dynasty that culturally became Persianate and contributed to Turco-Persian culture.
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Text from the Wikipedia article “Seljuk Dynasty”, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
The Seljuk dynasty, or Seljukids ( SEL-juuk; Old Anatolian Turkish: سلجك Sälcük; Azerbaijani: Səlcuqlular or Səlcuqilər; Turkmen: Seljuklar; Ottoman Turkish: سلچوق Selçuk; Turkish: Selçuklular; Persian: سلجوقیان Saljuqian,) alternatively spelled as Saljuqids or Seljuk Turks, was an Oghuz Turkic, Sunni Muslim dynasty that culturally became Persianate and contributed to Turco-Persian culture.
The founder of the Seljuk dynasty, Seljuk Beg, was a descendant of a royal Khazar chief Tuqaq who served as advisor to the King of the Khazars, in West Asia and Central Asia. The Seljuks established the Seljuk Empire (1037–1194), the Sultanate of Kermân (1041–1186) and the Sultanate of Rum (1074–1308), which stretched from Iran to Anatolia and were the prime targets of the First Crusade.
The Seljuks originated from the Kinik branch of the Oghuz Turks, who in the 8th century lived on the periphery of the Muslim world; north of the Caspian Sea and Aral Sea in their Oghuz Yabgu State in the Kazakh Steppe of Turkestan. During the 10th century, Oghuz had come into close contact with Muslim cities. When Seljuk, the leader of the Seljuk clan, had a falling out with Yabghu, the supreme chieftain of the Oghuz, he split his clan from the bulk of the Oghuz Turks and set up camp on the west bank of the lower Syr Darya. Around 985, Seljuk and his clan converted to Islam.
In the 11th century, the Seljuks migrated from their ancestral homelands into mainland Persia, in the province of Khurasan, where they encountered the Ghaznavids. The Seljuks defeated the Ghaznavids at the Battle of Nasa in 1035. Seljuk's grandsons, Tughril and Chaghri, received the insignias of governor, grants of land, and were given the title of dehqan. At the Battle of Dandanaqan, they defeated a Ghaznavid army, and after a successful siege of Isfahan by Tughril in 1050/51, established the Great Seljuk Empire. The Seljuks mixed with the local population and adopted the Persian culture and Persian language in the following decades.
After arriving in Persia, the Seljuks adopted the Persian culture and used the Persian language as the official language of the government, and played an important role in the development of the Turko-Persian tradition which features "Persian culture patronized by Turkic rulers". Today, they are remembered as great patrons of Persian culture, art, literature, and language.
Around 985-986, Seljuk Bey, who had great power and influence among the people of his tribe, left for Jand when his relations soured with the Oghuz Yabgu. After accepting Islam, Seljuk expelled the officials sent by the Oghuz Yabgu to Jand to collect the annual tax, saying "Muslims will not pay tribute to the unbelievers", and set up a war against the non-Muslim Turks.
This may well be proved by Al-Bayhaqi who calls Seljuk Beg as al-Malik al-Ghâzî Seljuk (meaning "ruler and religious fighter Seljuk"). Hence, a Seljuk dominion was established in Jand. The Saljuqids retained this dominion until 1016, when Toghrïl, with his brother Chaghri, left for Transoxania to join their uncle Isra'il, and also due to the frequent attacks of the Yabugu of Yengikent.
When Samanid ruler Nuh II asked help from the Seljuks in 992, Seljuk Bey sent his son Isra'il to support him. With Arslan's help, the Samanids defeated the Karakhanids under Hasan ibn Sulayman and reclaimed some of their occupied lands, including Bukhara. In this connection, the town of Nur between Bukhara and Samarkand was given to the Seljuks as their homeland.
Ilig Khan Nasr recaptured Bukhara and Samarkand in 999, exiling Abd al-Malik II and his dynasty to Transoxiana. Later allying with Abu Ibrahim al-Muntasir, Isra'il defeated two more Karakhanid armies in 1003 and 1004, one involving Ilig Khan Nasr himself. However, the Seljuks then deserted Isma'il during another battle, and his army fell apart.
Seljuks later assisted Ali-Tegin in conquering Bukhara and establish his rule against Yusuf Qadir Khan. In 1025, Qadir Khan and Mahmud of Ghazni led an expedition against Ali-Tegin, which led to the imprisonment of Isra'il and the desertion of his community. The domain at Nur was also lost. The Turkoman then rallied around Tughril and Chaghri Bey, who later laid foundation to the Great Seljuk State.
Following the battle of Nishapur in 1038, Tughril I established his rule in Khorasan with the title of Sultan. After the battle of Dandanaqan and subsequent conquests, the empire expanded, which ultimately led to the foundation of the Great Seljuk Empire.
The "Great Seljuks" were heads of the family; in theory their authority extended over all the other Seljuk lines, although in practice this often was not the case. Turkic custom called for the senior member of the family to be the Great Seljuk, although usually the position was associated with the ruler of western Persia.
The Great Seljuks were at their zenith under Malik-Shah I, stretching from Hejaz in the west to the Kara-Khanid frontier in the east. Following the death of Muhammad I Tapar, the empire split into two sections:-
The Kerman Seljuk Sultanate was established in the aftermath of the Conquest of Kerman by Qavurt, the son of Chaghri Bey. It's strong rulers include Arslan Shah I and Qavurt himself. It dissolved after the invasion of the Ghuzz Turks under Malik Dinar in 1187.
Hence, Kerman fell into the hands of the Oghuz chief Malik Dinar. Kerman was eventually annexed by the Khwarazmian Empire in 1196.
The Seljuks of Syria were rulers belonging to the lineage of Tutush I, primarily ruling from their historic seat at Aleppo or Damascus. Although they operated as different polities, they often collaborated with one another in several periods such as the First Crusade.
The Seljuk Emirate of Damascus was the first one to be established in 1079, although central authority under the Great Seljuks existed as early as 1076, when Atsiz ibn Uwaq was governor. The Seljuk Sultanate of Aleppo were established later in 1086, when Tutush seized Aleppo.
The two polities united only for two brief periods: (May 1086 – December 1086) and (27 May 1094 - 25 February 1095), under the rule of Tutush himself.
In 1086, the city of Aleppo was besieged by Suleiman ibn Qutalmish, the Sultan of Rum, during his campaigns in Syria. Hassan ibn Hibat Allah Al-Hutayti, the Chief of Aleppo, requested help from Tutush I, the Emir of Damascus, promising to surrender the city to him. Thereupon Tutush marched on Suleiman, and defeated him at the Battle of Ain Salm.
However, Hassan did not fulfill his promise to hand over the city. Hence, Tutush marched on Hassan, subsequently besieging and occupying Aleppo in May 1086. Thereafter, he declared himself the Sultan of Aleppo and Damascus.
This led to the foundation of the Seljuk Sultanate of Aleppo. The Sultanate dissolved when Sultan Shah, the grandson of Tutush handed over the city to the Artukid emir Ilghazi. This was followed by an unsuccessful siege, thereby completely ending the Seljuk domain in Aleppo.
Atsiz ibn Abaaq al-Khwarazmi, a prominent Seljuk general, had seized Damascus and Palestine from the Fatimids and established himself as governor of both regions by 1076. However, he suffered a great defeat at the hands of the Fatimid vizier Badr al-Jamali during his Egyptian campaign. Capitalising on his victory, Badr al-Jamali sent his general Nasr al-Dawla to besiege Damascus.
Thereupon, Atsiz appealed to the Seljuks, and soon an army under Tutush I, brother of the Great Seljuk sultan Malik-Shah I, marched towards Damascus, scaring off the Fatimid forces. Tutush, however, decided to take control of Atsiz's territories and had him first imprisoned, then strangled with a bowstring in October 1079. Subsequently, he proclaimed himself the Emir of Damascus.
Hence, the Seljuk Emirate of Damascus was established. The Emirate dissolved with the death of Tutush II in 1104, when Atabeg Toghtekin assumed power and founded the Burid dynasty.
The rulers of the Seljuk dynasty had their historic seat at their administrative capitals.
Text from the Wikipedia article “Seljuk dynasty”, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.