Seljuq Armenia

Armenia under the Seljuq Empire
1071–1201
Armenia, split among the Shaddadids of Ani and Gandzak, Ahlatshahs (Shah-Armen), the Saltukids of Erzurum (Karin/Theodosiopolis), the Kingdom of Syunik-Baghk, states in the Armenian Highlands during its Seljuq rule.
Capital		Ani
Languages		Armenian (native language) Oghuz Turkic
Religion		Armenian Apostolic Sunni Islam
Government		Monarchy
Historical era		Middle Ages
•	Established	1071
•	Disestablished	1201
Preceded by Succeeded by Bagratid Armenia Byzantine Empire Zakarid Armenia Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia Kingdom of Georgia

Seljuq Armenia refers to the period of Medieval Armenia under the Seljuq Empire, which began after its brief conquest by the Byzantine Empire with the fall of Bagratid Armenia in 1045 until its complete acquirement by the Kingdom of Georgia and the beginning of the Armenian-Georgian union in 1201 out of the turmoil of the fall of the Seljuq Empire in the same year.

Although the native Bagratuni Dynasty was founded under favourable circumstances, the feudal system gradually weakened the country by eroding loyalty to the central government. Thus internally enfeebled, Armenia proved an easy victim for the Byzantines, who captured Ani in 1045.

The Seljuq dynasty under Alp Arslan took the city of Ani in 1064. In 1071, after the defeat of the Byzantine forces by the Seljuq Turks at the Battle of Manzikert, the Turks captured the rest of Greater Armenia and much of Anatolia. So ended Christian leadership of Armenia for the next millennium with the exception of a period of the late 12th-early 13th centuries, when the Muslim power in Greater Armenia was seriously troubled by the resurgent Georgian monarchy. Many local nobles (nakharars) joined their efforts with the Georgians, leading to liberation of several areas in northern Armenia, which was ruled, under the authority of the Georgian crown, by the Zacharids/Mkhargrdzeli, a prominent Armeno-Georgian noble family.

The Saltukids were centered in Arzan ar-Rum (Armenian: Կարին Karin, Greek: Θεοδοσιούπολις Theodosiopolis, Turkish: Erzurum) following the Battle of Manzikert, who ruled from 1071 to 1202.