Alp Arslan

Alp Arslan
Alp Arslan humiliating Emperor Romanos IV after the Battle of Manzikert. From a 15th-century illustrated French translation of Boccacio's De Casibus Virorum Illustrium.
Sultan of the Seljuq Empire
Reign	4 September 1063 – 15 December 1072
Predecessor	Toghrul-Beg
Successor	Malik-Shah I
Born	20 January 1029
Died	15 December 1072
Spouse	Aka Khatun Safariyya Khatun
Issue	Muizz ad-Din Malik-Shah I Taj ad-Dawlah Tutush I Izz ad-Din Arslan-Argun Bori-Bars Toghrul Ayaz Toghan-Shah Arslan-Shah Tekish Aisha Khatun Zuleikha Khatun
Full name Laqab: Diya ad-Din (shortly), Adud ad-Dawlah Kunya: Abu Shuja Given name: Muhammad Turkic nickname: Alp Arslan Nasab: Alp Arslan Chaghri-Beg ibn Mikail ibn Seljuq ibn Duqaq
House	House of Seljuq
Father	Chaghri-Beg
Mother	unknown
Religion	Sunni Islam

Alp Arslan (Honorific in Turkish meaning "Heroic Lion"; in Persian: آلپ ارسلان‎‎; full name: Diya ad-Dunya wa ad-Din Adud ad-Dawlah Abu Shuja Muhammad Alp Arslan ibn Dawud ابو شجاع محمد آلپ ارسلان ابن داود;‎ 20 January 1029 – 15 December 1072), real name Muhammad bin Dawud Chaghri, was the second Sultan of the Seljuk Empire and great-grandson of Seljuk, the eponymous founder of the dynasty. As Sultan, Alp Arslan greatly expanded Seljuk territory and consolidated power, defeating rivals to his south and northwest. His victory over the Byzantines at Manzikert ushered in the Turkish settlement of Anatolia. For his military prowess and fighting skills he obtained the name Alp Arslan, which means "Heroic Lion" in Turkish.

Alp Arslan accompanied his uncle, Tughril Bey on campaigns in the south against the Shia Fatimids while his father, Çağrı Bey remained in Khorasan. Upon Alp Arslan's return to Khorasan, he began his work in administration at his father's suggestion. While there, his father introduced him to Nizam al-Mulk, one of the most eminent statesmen in early Muslim history and Alp Arslan's future vizier.

After the death of his father, Alp Arslan succeeded him as governor of Khorasan in 1059. His uncle Tughril died in 1063 and was succeeded by Suleiman, Arslan's brother. Arslan and his uncle Kutalmish both contested this succession. (see Battle of Damghan (1063)) Arslan defeated Kutalmish for the throne and succeeded on 27 April 1064 as sultan of Great Seljuq, thus becoming sole monarch of Persia from the river Oxus to the Tigris.