Seljuk Civil War (1073)

Background

Sultan Alp Arslan marked a campaign to the Turkestan region with a large army of 200,000 people at the end of September 1072 to prevent the internal struggle between the Karakhanids and the raids of the Seljuk lands. He took delivery of the castle of Barzam, which he had besieged for a while during the campaign. Alp Arslan, who was seriously injured by the castle commander Yusuf Hârizmi, who appeared before him, with a small dagger he hid in his boot, died four days later.Müverrih Vardan (2017), Türk Fetihleri Tarihi, Hrand Der Andreasyan tarafından çevrildi, İstanbul: Post Kitap, p. 41

War

Occupation of Isfahan (1073)

However, right after Malik-Shah's accession, his uncle Qavurt claimed the throne for himself and sent Malik-Shah a message which said: "I am the eldest brother, and you are a youthful son; I have the greater right to my brother Alp-Arslan's inheritance. "Malik-Shah then replied by sending the following message: "A brother does not inherit when there is a son." This message enraged Qavurt, who thereafter occupied Isfahan.

Kerech

In 1073 a battle took place near Hamadan, which lasted three days. Qavurt was accompanied by his seven sons, and his army consisted of Turkmens, while the army of Malik-Shah consisted of ghulams ("military slaves") and contingents of Kurdish and Arab troops. During the battle, the Turks of Malik-Shah's army mutinied against him, but he nevertheless managed to defeat and capture Qavurt. Qavurt then begged for mercy and in return promised to retire to Oman. However, Nizam al-Mulk declined the offer, claiming that sparing him was an indication of weakness. After some time, Qavurt was strangled to death with a bowstring, while two of his sons were blinded. After having dealt with that problem, Malik-Shah appointed Qutlugh-Tegin as the governor of Fars and Sav-Tegin as the governor of Kerman.

References

Category:Civil wars