Seljuqs

The Seljuqs, or Seljuks, were a major medieval Turkish-Persian Sunni Muslim dynasty of Oghuz origin that formed the Great Seljuk Empire in the 11th century. Originating among Turkic tribes in the northeast Iranian plateau, the family came to power under Tughril Beg (r. 1037–1063) and Chaghri Beg, who captured Baghdad in 1055 and established their rule over the Abbasid Caliphate as protectors rather than conquerors. The empire expanded from present-day Iran and Iraq into Anatolia, the Caucasus, and Central Asia, reaching its height under Alp Arslan (r. 1063–1072) and Malik Shah I (r. 1072–1092).

Battle of Manzikert in 1071 was a major turning point, with Alp Arslan defeating the Byzantines and opening Anatolia to Turkic settlement. The Seljuqs administered a Persianate bureaucratic system, employing Persian as the language of administration and culture, patronizing scholars and poets, and integrating Islamic law and governance with a strong army of ghazis.

After Malik Shah’s death, the empire weakened, and successive divisions, internal strife, and Crusader pressure fragmented it. The Mongol invasions in the 13th century further reduced its power, leading to the rise of local beyliks in Anatolia, including the eventual emergence of the Ottoman state. The term Seljuk also refers to the broader cultural and political influence of the dynasty: a bridge between Turkic and Persianate civilizations, they left a lasting imprint on Islamic governance, architecture, and the spread of Islam in Anatolia.