SURVEY OF SALJUK STATE IN IRAN

The Saljuks were of the Turkish origin that brought about the new era in the history of Islam and caliphate. They were inhabitant of the Kirgiz steppes of Turkistan were Sajuk the founder of Saljuk was the chief of the nomadic tribe of Ghuzz. During period of the time they were settles in the region of Bukhara and they soon become great dynasty afterward.

When the Saljuk appeared on the scene, the Abbasid Empire became totally dismembered political and military anarchy prevails all over the empire and it seemed that the Abbasid were crushed to the ground. The Saljuk’s niccessfully fought their way trough the territories of I.L Khan and Samanid. In 1037, Thugril bey, the grandson of Saljuk captured Marv and Nishapur from Ghaznavids afterward he captured Balkh, Isfahan, Khawarizm, Ray and Tabaristan. In the year 1055, Tughril Bey entered Baghdad victoriously and put an end to Buwahid dynasty. He was welcomed by the caliph Al-Qoim and appointed him as the Sultan of Abbasid Empire. The the Saljuk domination over the Abbasids caliphate lasted till 1194.

He reigns of Tughril, his nephew and successor Alp-Arsalan (1063-1073) and later son Malik Shah (1073-1092) marked the brilliant period of the Saljuks domination the Muslim east. They extended their power in all directions and again the vast Abbasid Empire became united under the Seljuk. The first two sultans didn’t lived in Baghdad. Marv was the capitals of Tughril beg and Isfahan was the capital of Alp-Arsalan. It was during the end of the Malik Shah’s rule in which the capital was moved to Baghdad.

In the second year of his reign, Alp-Arsalan captured Aani, the capital of Christian Armenia in 1071; he gave a crushing defeat to the Byzantine in the battle of Manzikhard at Armenia. After that the whole of Asia Minor permanently came under the sway of Seljuk.

Under Malik Shah the Seljuk power reached its highest glory. His rule was extended from Tashgarh to Jerusalem and from Constantinople to Caspian sea there was also internal security during his rule.

According to Ibn-Khalakan all the roads of Empire was safe and the caravan’s were peacefully traveled from tranoxiana to Syria. It is also remarkable to note that during his period. The Turks were migrated in large number to Persia, Iraq, Syria and others parts of Islamic world and lived under the protection of compatriots
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The renowned Persian wazir Nizam-ul-Muluk was a great asset of the rule of Malik shah. A number of welfare scheme including sanitary were undertaken. Several roads and mosques were reconstructed end built. Canals were dug and huge amounts of money were spent on the caravan saris that spreading along pilgrimage route to Mecca.

It was during this period that the first Jalali calendar was made at the suggestion of Nizam-ul-Mulk by the team of astronomers; Nizam-ul-Mulk was himself as the cultured and learned man. His contribution in field of knowledge can be seen from the famous book titled Siasat-Namah it was the most celebrated and valuable book. It was due to initiation of Nizam-ul-Mulk that the first well organized center of learning from the muslims was established in Baghdad.

Nasir-i-Khusraw, Imam Ghozali, Jalaluddin Rumi, Abdul Qadir Jeelani and Umar Khayyam were the other luminary personals of the time.

After the death of Malik Shah in 1092 A.D, the civil war broke out among his sons who resulting the weakened the Seljuk Dynasty and this lead to the downfall of Seljuk dynasty. Soon, the number of independent states sprung up and ruled different parts of the Seljuk Kingdom the main live of the Seljuk in Persia remained their till 1157. But the Seljuk of Asia minor remained in power up to 1300 when they supersede by the Ottoman Turks.


Written by: Muhammad Ikhsan.
The author is student of post graduate under department of Islamic Studies. Aligarh Muslim University