1. Toghrul III was the last sultan of the Great Seljuk Empire and the last Seljuk Sultan of Iraq.
17 Facts About Toghrul III
1. 2.
Toghrul III nominally reigned over the territories in Azerbaijan, Iraq and western Persia and was dependent on the loyalty of independent Amirs like Eldiguz to enforce his authority.
3.
Toghrul III's vassals included feudal lords of Shriven, Ahlat, and Arzan-ar-Rum Arslan Shah lived in Hamadan, he was looked after by his younger half-brothers, and fathered Toghril, in 1168.
4.
Toghrul III was seven years old when he began his reign, he was well treated by Jahan Pahlvan, who remained the effective ruler of the empire, with his brother Muzzafar Al-Din Qizil Arslan Uthman as his chief subordinate in Tabriz, who was Atabeg of Nusrat al-Din Abu Bakr, one of the sons of Jahan Pahlvan.
5.
When Jahan Pahlvan died, Qizil Arslan assumed his position, which was contested by his brother's widow, Innach Khatun, who wanted her son Qutlugh Inanch Muhammad to succeed his father, as she was afraid the childless Qizil Arslan would nominate his favorite Abu Bakr as his heir, Toghrul III, who resented the harsh treatment he received from Qizil Arslan, joined the rebels.
6.
Toghrul III undertook two diplomatic ventures in 1187, he journeyed to Mazandaran to request aid from Bavandid Husam al-Daula Ardashir, and received troops from him, and Toghrul III sent messages to Caliph Al-Nasir, asking him to restore the palace of the Seljuk Sultan in Baghdad for him, but the Caliph razed the palace and then sent aid to Qizil Arslan, who agreed to become the Caliph's vassal.
7.
The Caliph sent an army numbering 15,000 under his vizier Jalal al-Din 'Ubaidallah b Yunus, which attacked Hamadan in 1188 without waiting for Qizil Arslan's army to arrive, he was defeated and captured, Toghrul secured victory by charging the enemy center after his right wing was battered, but this was a Pyrrhic victory, as Toghrul's army suffered grievous losses in the battle.
8.
Toghrul III was joined by an army led by his brother in law Hasan Kipchiq, and Toghrul tried to get help from the Ayyubids and the Caliph, even sent his infant son as hostage to Baghdad in a futile gesture.
9.
Toghrul III occupied Hamadan, secured the treasury and came to rule over Isphahan and Jibal, but did not attempt to negotiate an agreement with Abu Bakr, against Qutlug Innach.
10.
Sultan Toghrul III opened negotiations with Shah Tekish, and eventually agreed to become a vassal of Khwarizm, marriage of his daughter The Shah's son Yunus Khan, and in return Shah Tekish kept Rey, garrisoned his newly acquired territory, collected taxes, then installed Tamghach as the governor, and returned home to quell the rebellion of his brother Sultan Shah.
11.
Toghrul III now had the chance to negotiate with the Atabeg of Yazd, Langar ibn Wardanruz, or the Salghurid ruler of Fars, Degle ibn Zangi, both were nominally loyal to the Seljuks but no initiatives were taken to unite against their common enemy.
12.
Toghrul III next married Innach Khatun, mother of Qutlug Innach and Amirin Umar, as part of the peace agreement on her request she was executed after the discovery of a plot to poison the Sultan.
13.
Toghrul III again moved east in 1194 and defeated Qutlug Innach in battle despite the presence of 7,000 Khwarazmian troops aiding Qutlug Innach.
14.
Toghrul III was seven years old when he came to the throne, and being disgruntled with the harsh treatment of Qizil Arslan, availed the first opportunity at the age of 19 to break the Eldiguzid shackles and become the first Seljuk ruler after Sultan Muhammad II ibn Mahmud who tried to assert direct rule over his domain.
15.
Toghrul III's resources were limited to the Amirs who rallied to him, the domain Jibal was comparatively poor, and the Atabegs of Fars and Yazd, nominally loyal to the throne, never came to his aid.
16.
Toghrul III was the daughter of Amir Inanch Sonqur, the governor of Ray.
17.
Toghrul III was the widow of Qizil Arslan and before that of Muhammad Jahan Pahlavan.