The Saljic (Seljuk) Empire

Origins and Expansion

• Turkish Sunni Muslim Empire
  • Originated from the Qiniq tribe of Oghuz Turks.
• Greatest Extent
  • West: Western Anatolia and the Levant.
  • East: Hindu Kush.
  • North: Central Asia.
  • South: Persian Gulf.

Founding and Early Conquests

• Founded in 1037 by Toghrul and his brother Chaghri.
• Initial Advancements
  • From near the Aral Sea to Khwarezm, Persia.
  • Conquered Baghdad and Eastern Anatolia.
• Battle of Manzikert (1071)
  • Seljuks defeated the Byzantine Empire.
  • Conquered most of Anatolia.
  • This victory prompted the First Crusade.

Decline and Succession

• Decline began in the 1140s.
• Supplanted by the Khwarazmian Empire by 1194.

Cultural and Political Influence

• Named after Seljuk
  • Gave name to the Seljuk Empire and Dynasty.
• Unification and Impact
  • United the fractured political landscape of the Eastern Islamic world.
  • Played key roles in the First and Second Crusades.
• Artistic Contributions
  • Influenced multiple art forms.
  • Highly Persianized in culture and language.
• Cultural Development
  • Contributed to the Turco-Persian tradition development.
  • Exported Persian culture to Anatolia.
  • Turkic tribes settled for military purposes, leading to Turkicization of certain regions.