Seljuk dynasty

Seljuk dynasty
The Seljuk dynasty, or Seljukids (Saljuqian, alternatively spelled as Seljuqs or Saljuqs), Seljuqs, also known as Seljuk Turks, Seljuk Turkomans or the Saljuqids, was an Oghuz Turkic, Sunni Muslim dynasty that gradually became Persianate and contributed to the Turco-Persian tradition in the medieval Middle East 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 at their heights stretched from Iran to Anatolia and were the prime targets of the First Crusade.
Early history
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 off from the bulk of the Oghuz Turks and set up camp on the west bank of the lower Syr Darya. Around 985, Seljuk 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 Plains 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.
Later period
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.
Seljuk rulers
Rulers of the Seljuk Dynasty
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.
Muhammad's son Mahmud II succeeded him in western Persia, but Ahmad Sanjar, who was the governor of Khurasan at the time being the senior member of the family, became the Great Seljuk Sultan.
Seljuk sultans of Hamadan
The rulers of western Persia, who maintained a very loose grip on the Abbasids of Baghdad. Several Turkic emirs gained a strong level of influence in the region, such as the Eldiguzids.
Mahmud II 1118–1131
1131–1133 disputed between:
Dawud 1131–1132
Mas'ud (in Jibal and Iranian Azerbaijan) 1132
Toghrul II, 1132–1133
Mas'ud 1133–1152
Malik Shah III 1152–1153
Muhammad II 1153–1159
Suleiman-Shah 1159–1161
Arslan Shah (Arslan II) 1161–1177
Toghrul III 1177–1194
In 1194, Toghrul III was killed in battle with the Khwarezm Shah, who annexed Hamadan.
Seljuk rulers of Kerman
Kerman was a province in southern Persia. Between 1053 and 1154, the territory also included Umman.
Qawurd 1041–1073 (great-grantson of Seljuq, brother of Alp Arslan)
Kerman Shah 1073–1074
Sultan Shah 1074–1075 or 1074–1085
Hussain Omar 1075–1084
or 1074 (before Sultan Shah)
Turan Shah I 1084–1096 or 1085–1097
Iranshah ibn Turanshah 1096–1101 or 1097–1101
Arslan Shah I 1101–1142
Muhammad I 1142–1156
Tuğrul Shah 1156–1169 or 1156–1170
Bahram-Shah 1169–1174 or 1170–1175
Arslan Shah II 1174–1176 or 1175–1176
Turan Shah II 1176–1183
Muhammad II Shah 1183–1187 or 1183–1186
Muhammad abandoned Kerman, which fell into the hands of the Oghuz chief Malik Dinar. Kerman was eventually annexed by the Khwarezmid Empire in 1196.
Seljuk rulers in Syria
Abu Sa'id Taj ad-Dawla Tutush I 1085–1086
Jalal ad-Dawlah Malik Shah I of Great Seljuk 1086–1087
Qasim ad-Dawla Abu Said Aq Sunqur al-Hajib 1087–1094
Abu Sa'id Taj ad-Dawla Tutush I (second time) 1094–1095
Fakhr al-Mulk Ridwan 1095–1113
Tadj ad-Dawla Alp Arslan al-Akhras 1113–1114
Sultan Shah 1114–1123
To the Artuqids
Sultans/Emirs of Damascus:
Aziz ibn Abaaq al-Khwarazmi 1076–1079
Abu Sa'id Taj ad-Dawla Tutush I 1079–1095
Abu Nasr Shams al-Muluk Duqaq 1095–1104
Tutush II 1104
Muhi ad-Din Baktāsh (Ertaş) 1104
Damascus seized by the Burid Toghtekin
Seljuk sultans of Rum (Anatolia)
The Seljuk line, already having been deprived of any significant power, effectively ended in the early 14th century.
Kutalmish 1060–1077
Suleyman I (Suleiman) 1077–1086
Dawud Kilij Arslan I 1092–1107
Malik Shah 1107–1116
Rukn ad-Din Mesud I 1116–1156
Izz ad-Din Kilij Arslan II 1156–1192
Ghiyath ad-Din Kaykhusraw I 1192–1196
Suleyman II (Suleiman) 1196–1204
Kilij Arslan III 1204–1205
Ghiyath ad-Din Kaykhusraw I (second time) 1205–1211
Izz ad-Din Kaykaus I 1211–1220
Ala ad-Din Kayqubad I 1220–1237
Ghiyath ad-Din Kaykhusraw II 1237–1246
Izz ad-Din Kaykaus II 1246–1260
Rukn ad-Din Kilij Arslan IV 1248–1265
Ala ad-Din Kayqubad II 1249–1257
Ghiyath ad-Din Kaykhusraw III 1265–1282
Ghiyath ad-Din Mesud II 1282–1284
Ala ad-Din Kayqubad III 1284
Ghiyath ad-Din Mesud II (second time) 1284–1293
Ala ad-Din Kayqubad III (second time) 1293–1294
Ghiyath ad-Din Mesud II (third time) 1294–1301
Ala ad-Din Kayqubad III (third time) 1301–1303
Ghiyath ad-Din Mesud II (fourth time) 1303–1307
Gallery
Family tree
See also
Khatun Seljuk princess
Seljuk Empire
Seljuk Sultanate of Rum
Seljuk (warlord)
Сельджуки сериал на русском
References
Further reading
Peacock, A.C.S. (2010). Early Seljuq History: A New Interpretation. New York: Routledge.
First Crusade
History of Nishapur
Maturidis