21 Facts About Seljuk Empire

1.

Great Seljuk Empire, or the Seljuk Empire was a high medieval, culturally Turko-Persian, Sunni Muslim empire, founded and ruled by the Qiniq branch of Oghuz Turks.

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2.

Seljuk Empire was founded in 1037 by Tughril and his brother Chaghri, both of whom co-ruled over its territories; there are indications that the Seljuk leadership otherwise functioned as a triumvirate and thus included Musa Yabghu, the uncle of the aforementioned two.

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3.

The Seljuk Empire united the fractured political landscape in the non-Arab eastern parts of the Muslim world and played a key role in both the First Crusade and Second Crusade; it played an important part in the creation and expansion of multiple art forms during the period in which they had influence.

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4.

Seljuk Empire was reputed to have served in the Khazar army, under whom, the Seljuks migrated to Khwarezm, near the city of Jend, where they converted to Islam in 985.

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5.

Under Alp Arslan's successor, Malik Shah, and his two Persian viziers, Nizam al-Mulk and Taj al-Mulk, the Seljuk Empire state expanded in various directions, to the former Iranian border of the days before the Arab invasion, so that it soon bordered China in the east and the Byzantines in the west.

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6.

Seljuk Empire suffered his first defeat in his long career, and as a result lost all Seljuk territory east of the Syr Darya.

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7.

Elsewhere in nominal Seljuk Empire territory were the Artuqids in northeastern Syria and northern Mesopotamia; they controlled Jerusalem until 1098.

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8.

Seljuk Empire managed to escape after three years but died a year later.

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9.

The Seljuk Empire dominion was established over the ancient Sasanian domains, in Iran and Iraq, and included Anatolia, Syria, as well as parts of Central Asia and modern Afghanistan.

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10.

Seljuk Empire rule was modelled after the tribal organization common among Turkic and Mongol nomads and resembled a 'family federation' or 'appanage state'.

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11.

Much of the ideological character of the Seljuq Seljuk Empire was derived from the earlier Samanid and Ghaznavid kingdoms, which had in turn emerged from the Perso-Islamic imperial system of the Abbasid caliphate.

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12.

The populace of the Seljuk Empire would have considered this Perso-Islamic tradition more significant than that of steppe customs.

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13.

Seljuk Empire ceremonies were based on the Abbasid model, but sometimes ancient Iranian ceremonies were observed.

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14.

Vizier Nizam al-Mulk, the greatest advocate of Iranian orientation for the Seljuk empire, admitted the debt dynasty owed to the Turkmens.

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15.

However, the Seljuk Empire sultans encouraged artists to settle in Anatolia as part of a recolonization and reconstruction process of several cities.

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16.

Many works of Seljuk art continued to be produced following the decline of the empire in the late 12th century.

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17.

The glazes on the Seljuk Empire ceramics produced often ranged from a brilliant turquoise to a very dark blue.

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18.

The Seljuk Empire sultan commissioned numerous madrasas to promote the teaching of orthodox Islamic sciences.

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19.

Unlike the two Seljuk Empire Qur'ans discussed prior, this manuscript primarily contains Naskh script, another early Arabic script that replaced Kufic.

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20.

Secular manuscripts from the Seljuk empire bear illuminations that often relate to the alignment of planets and the zodiac, a couple examples of common themes.

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21.

Whether secular or non-secular, Seljuk Empire illuminated manuscripts had enough influence as to inspire other relevant art forms, such as brass or bronze metal objects.

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