article

The Seljuk Turks (also Seldjuk, Seldjuq, Seljuq; in modern Turkish Selçuklular; in Persian سلجوقيان Saljūqiyān; in Arabic سلجوق Saljūq, or السلاجقة al-Salājiqa) were a major branch of the Oghuz Turks and a dynasty that ruled parts of Central Asia and the Middle East from the 11th to 14th centuries. The Seljuks migrated from Central Asia into mainland Iran formerly known as Persia. They are regarded as the cultral and linguistic ancestors of the Western Turks, the present-day inhabitants of Turkey, Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan. They are also remembered as great patrons of Persian culture, art, literature, and language.

Under Alp Arslan's successor Malik Shah I and his two Persian viziersEncyclopaedia Britannica, "Nizam al-Mulk", Online Edition, (LINK) Nizām al-Mulk and Tāj al-Mulk, the Seljuk state expanded in various directions to former Iranian border before Arab invasion, so that it bordered China in the East and the Byzantine in the West. When Malik Shah died in 1092 the empire split, as his brother and four sons quarrelled over the apportioning of the empire among themselves. In 1118, the third son Ahmed Sanjar, dissatisfied by his portion of the inheritance, took over the empire. His brothers did not recognize his claim to the throne and Mahmud II proclaimed himself Sultan and established a capital in Baghdad. Ahmed Sanjar was captured and held captive by Turkish nomads from 1153 to 1156 and died the following year.

Despite several attempts to reunite the Seljuks in the centuries following Malik Shah's death, the Crusades prevented them from regaining their former empire. For a brief period, Toğrül III, was the Sultan of all Seljuk except for Anatolia. In 1194 Toğrül was defeated by Ala ad-Din Tekish, the Shah of Khwarezm, and the Seljuk finally collapsed. Of the former Seljuk Empire, only the Sultanate of Rüm in Anatolia remained. As the dynasty declined in the middle of the 13th century, the Mongols invaded Anatolia in the 1260s and divided it into small emirates called the Anatolian beyliks, one of which, the Ottoman, would rise to power and conquer the rest.

Rulers of Seljuk Dynasty 1037-1157

Seljuk Rulers of Kerman 1041-1187

Kerman was a nation in southern Persia. It fell in 1187, probably conquered by Toğrül III of Great Seljuk.

Seljuk Rulers in Syria 1076-1117

Sultans/Emirs of Damascus: Atabegs of Aleppo:

Seljuk Sultans of Rüm (Anatolia) 1077-1307

See also

References

Seljuk Turks | Sunni Islam | Crusades | Anatolia | Turkic peoples | History of Turkey | History of Iran | Nation timelines | Turkey-related lists | History of Pakistan

سلاجقة | Seldžuci Turci | Селджуци | Seldschuken | Selchucos | سلجوقیان | Seldjoukides | Սելջուկ թուրքեր | סלג'וקים | Seltsjoeken | セルジューク朝 | Szeldzsuk törökök | Seldsjukkene | Sułtanat seldżucki | Turcos Seljúcidas | Seldžukit | Seldjuker | Selçuklular Сельджуки

 

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the "Seljuk Turks".

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