- Also spelled:
- Seljuk
Seljuq
-
Who were the Seljuqs?
The Seljuqs were a Turkic military family from the Oghuz tribes who migrated to southwestern Asia in the 11th century. Their conquests led to an empire that encompassed Mesopotamia, Syria, Palestine, and most of Iran, signaling the rise of Turkic influence in the Middle East.
Driven by leaders like Chaghri Beg and Toghril Beg, the Seljuqs initially served in frontier defense for the Samanids and later allied with Persian forces to establish their own realms.
Under Sultans Alp-Arslan and Malik-Shah, the Seljuq empire expanded, incorporating all of Iran, Mesopotamia, and Syria. The Seljuqs' victory over the Byzantine army at Manzikert in 1071 opened Asia Minor to Turkmen settlement. Despite internal divisions and external threats, the Seljuqs left a lasting legacy, marked by architectural achievements, support for Persian culture, and the establishment of Islamic colleges.
3 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
Where did the Seljuq dynasty originate from?
The Seljuq dynasty emerged from the Oghuz Turkic tribes, who were migrating pastoralists in the Syr Darya-Oxus basin of Central Asia. The Seljuqs were a family within these tribes. In the 10th century, these tribes, led by Seljuq, settled near the Syr Darya River and converted to Sunni Islam. They entered Ghaznavid Khorasan, where, after defeating the Ghaznavid sultan in 1040, they proclaimed themselves rulers of Khorasan. Their expansion marked the start of Turkic power in the Middle East.
4 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
When did the Seljuq dynasty rule, and over which regions?
The Seljuq dynasty, a Turkic military family, rose to power in the 11th century, invading southwestern Asia and establishing an empire that included Mesopotamia, Syria, Palestine, and most of Iran.
Driven into Anatolia by Crusaders in 1097, the Seljuq Turks established their Anatolian domain as the sultanate of Rūm. Though its population included Christians, Armenians, Greeks, Syrians, and Iranian Muslims, Rūm was considered to be "Turkey" by its contemporaries.
The last of the Iranian Seljuqs died in 1194, and by 1200, Seljuq power was at an end everywhere except in Anatolia. The Seljuq dynasty died out at last early in the 14th century.
3 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
How did the Seljuqs influence the culture and religion of their empire?
The Seljuqs, a Turkic dynasty, significantly impacted the culture and religion of their empire, which included Mesopotamia, Syria, Palestine, and most of Iran. Converting to Sunni Islam in the 10th century, they were seen as restorers of Muslim unity under the Sunni caliphate.
Persian culture flourished, as the Seljuqs, lacking their own strong Islamic tradition, adopted the cultural language of their Persian instructors. Literary Persian spread throughout Iran, diminishing the use of Arabic except in religious scholarship.
The Seljuqs were great architectural patrons, building mosques and Islamic religious schools. Their structures featured decorative masonry, ornamented portals, and the use of Kufic script. They also attained a high standard in decorative arts, especially metalwork, wood carving, and pottery.
4 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
What challenges or enemies did the Seljuq dynasty face during its reign?
The Seljuq dynasty, a prominent Turkic power in the Middle East, faced numerous challenges and enemies during its reign:
-
Internal divisions The Seljuqs' practice of dividing provinces among deceased rulers' sons led to independent principalities and internecine power struggles, undermining the empire.
-
Nizārī Ismāʿīlīs This Shīʿī sect posed a threat, believed to be responsible for the killing of vizier Nizām al-Mulk in 1092.
-
Byzantine Empire The Battle of Manzikert in 1071 opened Anatolia to Turkmen Seljuqs, but they still faced the Byzantine Greeks on the west.
-
Crusaders The Seljuqs were driven to the interior of Anatolia by Crusaders in 1097, hemmed in by Crusader states in Syria.
-
Khwārezm-Shah dynasty A war against them led to the disintegration of Rūm and Seljuq power. The loss of this buffer state meant the Seljuqs couldn't fend off the Mongols.
-
Mongols The Battle of Köse Dağ in 1243 resulted in the loss of Seljuq autonomy forever.
-
Mamlūks The Mamlūk ruler Baybars I invaded Anatolia in 1277 and defeated the Mongols, causing further confusion and prompting a Mongol counterattack.
2 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles. -
-
How did the Seljuq dynasty decline and what impact did their rule leave on later empires?
The Seljuq dynasty's decline stemmed from internal divisions and external pressures. The practice of dividing provinces among deceased rulers' sons led to independent principalities and internecine power struggles. The rise of the Nizārī Ismāʿīlīs, a Shiʿi sect, and their suspected role in the assassination of vizier Niẓām al-Mulk in 1092 further destabilized the empire.
The Seljuqs left a significant legacy, notably as restorers of Muslim unity under the Sunni caliphate. They fostered Persian cultural autonomy, with literary Persian spreading throughout Iran. The establishment of madrasahs (Islamic colleges) provided uniform training for state administrators and religious scholars. However, their failure to provide enduring stability led to military oppression and the rise of petty principalities. After the Seljuq realm was divided among three brothers, the Seljuq sultans became figureheads. The dynasty's demise by the early 14th century paved the way for the rise of the Ottoman Empire.
3 Britannica SourcesCreated from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Seljuq, ruling military family of the Oğuz (Ghuzz) Turkic tribes that invaded southwestern Asia in the 11th century and eventually founded an empire that included Mesopotamia, Syria, Palestine, and most of Iran. Their advance marked the beginning of Turkic power in the Middle East.
A brief treatment of the Seljuqs follows. For full treatment, see Anatolia: The Seljuqs of Anatolia.
During the 10th-century migrations of the Turkic peoples from Central Asia and southeastern Russia, one group of nomadic tribes, led by a chief named Seljuq, settled in the lower reaches of the Syr Darya (ancient Jaxartes River) and later converted to the Sunni form of Islam. They played a part in the frontier defense forces of the Samanids and later of Maḥmūd of Ghazna. Seljuq’s two grandsons, Chaghri (Chagri) Beg and Toghrïl (Ṭugril) Beg, enlisted Persian support to win realms of their own, Chaghri controlling the greater part of Khorāsān and Toghrïl, at his death in 1063, heading an empire that included western Iran and Mesopotamia.
" height="20" alt="HEW Logo">
Under the sultans Alp-Arslan and Malik-Shah, the Seljuq empire was extended to include all of Iran and Mesopotamia and Syria, including Palestine. In 1071 Alp-Arslan defeated an immense Byzantine army at Manzikert and captured the Byzantine emperor Romanus IV Diogenes. The way was open for Turkmen Seljuqs to settle in Asia Minor.
Because of Toghrïl Beg’s victory over the Buyids in Baghdad in 1055, the Seljuqs came to be seen as the restorers of Muslim unity under the Sunni caliphate. While Alp-Arslan and Malik-Shah expanded the empire to the frontier of Egypt, the Seljuq vizier Niẓām al-Mulk oversaw the empire’s organization during both their reigns. The Seljuq empire, political as well as religious in character, left a strong legacy to Islam. During the Seljuq period a network of madrasahs (Islamic colleges) was founded, capable of giving uniform training to the state’s administrators and religious scholars. Among the many mosques built by the sultans was the Great Mosque of Eṣfahān (the Masjed-e Jāmeʿ). Persian cultural autonomy flourished in the Seljuq empire. Because the Turkmen Seljuqs had no Islamic tradition or strong literary heritage of their own, they adopted the cultural language of their Persian instructors in Islam. Literary Persian thus spread to the whole of Iran, and the Arabic language disappeared in that country except in works of religious scholarship.
The Seljuq empire was unable to prevent the rise of the Nizārī Ismaʿīlīs, a Shiʿi sect thought to be responsible for the killing of vizier Niẓām al-Mulk in 1092. More importantly, the empire was undermined by the Seljuqs’ practice of dividing provinces among a deceased ruler’s sons, thus creating numerous independent and unstable principalities. Internecine struggles for power followed.
The last of the Iranian Seljuqs died on the battlefield in 1194, and by 1200 Seljuq power was at an end everywhere except in Anatolia.
The trusted destination for professionals, college students, and lifelong learners.
SUBSCRIBE
Alp-Arslan’s victory at Manzikert in 1071 had opened the Byzantine frontier to Oğuz tribesmen, and they soon established themselves as mercenaries in the Byzantines’ local struggles. Their employment by rival Byzantine generals vying for the throne of Constantinople (now Istanbul) gained them increasing influence, and gradually they assumed control of Anatolia as allies of the Byzantine emperor. They were driven to the interior of Anatolia by Crusaders in 1097. Hemmed in between the Byzantine Greeks on the west and by the Crusader states in Syria on the east, the Seljuq Turks organized their Anatolian domain as the sultanate of Rūm. Though its population included Christians, Armenians, Greeks, Syrians, and Iranian Muslims, Rūm was considered to be “Turkey” by its contemporaries. Commerce, agriculture, and art thrived in the kingdom, where a tolerance of races and religions contributed to order and stability.
A war against the Khwārezm-Shah dynasty of Iran instigated in 1230 by the Rūm sultan ʿAlaʾ al-Dīn Kay-Qubādh (Kaikobad) I led ultimately to the disintegration of Rūm and of Seljuq power. The loss of the Khorezmian buffer state meant that when the invading Mongols reached Turkey’s eastern frontiers, the Seljuqs could not fend them off. At the Battle of Köse Dagh in 1243, Seljuq autonomy was lost forever. For a time the Seljuq sultanate continued as a Mongol province, although some Turkmen emirs maintained small principalities of their own in distant mountainous districts. The Seljuq dynasty died out at last early in the 14th century.