Great Seljuq Empire

Seljuk Empire
Persian: آلِ سلجوق‎‎ Āl-e Saljuq
Empire
1037–1194
Great Seljuq Empire in its zenith in 1092, upon the death of Malik Shah I
Capital		Nishapur (1037–1043) Rey (1043–1051) Isfahan (1051–1118) Hamadan, Western capital (1118–1194) Merv, Eastern capital (1118–1153)
Languages		Persian (official & court language; lingua franca;) Oghuz Turkish (dynastic and military) Arabic (Language of law, theology and science))
Religion		Sunni Islam (Hanafi)
Government		Monarchy
Sultan
•	1037–1063	Toghrul I (first)
•	1174–1194	Toghrul III (last)
History
•	Tughril formed the state system	1037
•	Battle of Dandanaqan	1040
•	Battle of Manzikert	1071
•	First Crusade	1095-1099
•	Battle of Qatwan	1141
•	Replaced by the Khwarezmian Empire	1194
Area
•	1080 est.	3,900,000 km² (1,505,798 sq mi)
Preceded by Succeeded by Oghuz Yabgu State Ghaznavids Buyid dynasty Byzantine Empire Kakuyids Sultanate of Rûm Anatolian beyliks Ghurid Dynasty Khwarezmian Empire Ayyubid dynasty Atabegs of Azerbaijan Burid dynasty Zengid dynasty Danishmends Artuqid dynasty Saltukids Shah-Armens Shaddadids
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in Anatolia
Artuqid dynasty
Saltuqid dynasty
in Azerbaijan
Ahmadili dynasty
Ildenizid dynasty
in Egypt
Tulunid dynasty
Ikhshidid dynasty
in Fars
Salghurid dynasty
in The Levant
Burid dynasty
Zengid dynasty
in Yemen
Rasulid dynasty

The Seljuk Empire or Great Seljuk Empire (also spelled Seljuq) (Persian: آل سلجوق‎‎) was a medieval Turko-PersianSunni Muslim empire, originating from the Qynyq branch of Oghuz Turks. The Seljuk Empire controlled a vast area stretching from the Hindu Kush to eastern Anatolia and from Central Asia to the Persian Gulf. From their homelands near the Aral sea, the Seljuks advanced first into Khorasan and then into mainland Persia before eventually conquering eastern Anatolia.

The Seljuk empire was founded by Tughril Beg (1016–63) in 1037. Tughril was raised by his grandfather, Seljuk-Beg, who was in a high position in the Oghuz Yabgu State. Seljuk gave his name to both the Seljuk empire and the Seljuk dynasty. The Seljuks united the fractured political scene of the eastern Islamic world and played a key role in the first and second crusades. Highly Persianized in culture and language, the Seljuks also played an important role in the development of the Turko-Persian tradition, even exporting Persian culture to Anatolia. The settlement of Turkic tribes in the northwestern peripheral parts of the empire, for the strategic military purpose of fending off invasions from neighboring states, led to the progressive Turkicization of those areas.