History of the World - Civilizations of Western Asia

Seljuk Turks (1040 A.D. - 1242 A.D.)

Overview:

• Territory covered modern Iran, Iraq, and Turkey. See also City of Isfahan
• One of the tribes of the Ghaznavids, nomadic Central Asian horse tribes
• Muslim. Birth of Sufi'ism. Also Assasin cult.
• Early Universities
• Fore-runners of later Ottoman Turks

• 1040 A.D. Dandarqun
• 1055 A.D. Baghdad capitulates
• 1045-1067 Raiding against Byzantines
• 1071 A.D. (19th of August) Victory at Manzikert over the Byzantines
• 1242 A.D. (26th of June) Loss to the Mongols at the battle of Kuzadag

• Tugrul
• Alp Arslan (nephew to Tugrul) Killed by a captive's dagger
• Suleyman (head of Rum)
• Keyhusrev (lost to Mongols - Baidju and Hulagu)

• 1st Mental Hospital. Also combined Medical School and Hospital.
• New Calendar in 1079
• University at Baghdad

• Founded by Hasan/as/Sabbah (Hashishiyun), chamberlain to Alp Arslan
• Erotic, fanatical, politically minded
• Use of hashish

• Nizam al Mulk, vizar under Alp Arslan
• Use of Persian for administration of the empire
• Omar Khayyam established in 1079 a new calendar (Celalian/Seljukid)
• Nizamiye established an early university at Baghdad
• al Ghazali taught there (math, astronomy)

• Founding of Whirling Dervishes
• Mevlana Jalaluddin Rumi