Seljuks

The Seljuks were a medieval Turkic Sunni Muslim dynasty of Oghuz origin that rose to power in the 11th century in the eastern Islamic world, particularly in Iran, Iraq, and Anatolia. The name derives from Seljuk (or Seljuk Beg), a prominent early leader of the Seljuk clan.

Origin and rise

Migrating from the steppes of Central Asia, the Seljuks gained regional power under Tughril Beg and Chaghri Beg. They defeated the Ghaznavids at the Battle of Dandanaqan in 1040, consolidating control over Khurasan and eastern Iran, and captured Baghdad in 1055, bringing the Abbasid Caliphate under their political influence while allowing the caliphate symbolic religious authority.

Expansion and governance

Under Alp Arslan (r. 1063–1072) the empire expanded into eastern Anatolia and the Caucasus. Malik-Shah I (r. 1072–1092) centralized authority, promoted Persianate culture, and supported state-building projects and learning, including the establishment of the Nizamiyya system of madrasa education. The Seljuks fostered a synthesis of Turkic, Persian, and Islamic traditions and left a lasting impact on law, administration, and architecture.

Decline and successors

After Malik-Shah’s death, internal strife and succession crises weakened the state, leading to fragmentation into regional atabegates. The Crusades underscored military and political vulnerability. In Anatolia, the Seljuks of Rum (Rum Seljuks) established a lasting sultanate, while the broader empire diminished by the late 12th and 13th centuries. The Mongol invasions in the mid-13th century further eroded Seljuk polities.

Legacy

The Seljuks helped shape medieval Iran and Anatolia, consolidating Turkic political power within a Persianate cultural framework, promoting Islam, and influencing architecture, administration, and the Turkish-speaking world.