The Seljuk Empire was a medieval Turko-Persian Sunni Muslim empire that controlled vast territories across the Middle East and Central Asia from the 11th to 14th centuries. It played a crucial role in the spread of Islam, Persian culture, and the defense against Crusaders.
The Seljuks – I have heard in history but did not know who they were. To be exact- The Seljuk Turks. The Turks were from Turkey (or that’s what I thought). The Seljuk Empire was founded in the 11th Century by Tughrul Bey. He was given the title of “King of the East and West” by the Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad—the then capital of the Muslim world.
Origins of The Seljuks
The Seljuks were from the Kinik Tribe, from the famous Oghuz Turkish Tribes (Oghuz Khan).
Seljuk Beg or Bey was a famous warrior from Central Asia. He lived to be 100 years old.
Homeland of the Turks
Turkey is not the original homeland of the Turks. They came from the high plateau of Mongolia is their homeland. The Turks were involved in agriculture and some were nomads.
Religion: The previous religion of the Turks was shamanism and believed in Tengri, sky Lord’.
Conversion to Islam was after 700 CE when Turks sided with the Muslims against the Chinese. The first Sultan of the Turks to gain fame was Sultan Satuq Bughra Khan of the Karakhaniads.
Gokturk Empire-At first could not make head or tail who they were and how they were related to Turks.
The Ashina tribe from the Turks founded the Gokturk Empire in 552 CE. Gokturks means Celestial Turks or Blue Turks. It was formed after the Hun State. After the collapse of the Gokturk Empire, some of the branches of the Ashina Tribe became the Khagans of the Khazars. The Khazars were a Turkic clan from the Caucasus region.
The Ashina tribe developed a writing system that was adapted from the Sogodian language.
There was a time when the Mongolians and Turks were related very closely in religion and culture as well.
This fact was said by Noyan’ in Resurrection Ertrugrul which I did not know and was surprised.
Well known to both Mongolian and Turkish people was Oghuz Khan who lived around 4000 years ago. He has many legends associated with him and is supposed to have converted to monotheism.
From Yafith(Japeth), son of Prophet Nuh(Noah), Peace be upon him.
Oghuz Khan was descended from Qara Khan who was descended from Mogul Khan. Mogul Khan descended from a Turk who descended from Yafith(Japeth), a son of Prophet Nuh(AS)- also known as Prophet Noah.
The Seljuks
The Seljuks came from the Kinik Tribe, one of the 24 grandchildren of Oghuz Khan. The Empire was named after Seljuk Beg but it was founded by his grandson Tughril Beg in 1037 CE. He along with his brother was raised by his grandfather Seljuk Beg.
Tugril Beg did not have any children so he left the empire to Alp Arslan.
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