Charting the expansion of the Rum Seljuqs from rulers of a small principality to a fully- fledged sultanate ruling over almost the whole of Anatolia, this book demonstrates how ideology, rather than military success, was crucial in this development."

The Rum Seljuqs "examines four distinct phases of development, beginning with the rule of Sulaym n (473-478/1081-1086) and ending with the rule of Kay Khusraw II (634-644/ 1237-1246). Firstly, Songul Mecit examines the Great Seljuq ideology as a pre-cursor to the ideology of the Rum Seljuqs. Continuing to explore the foundation of the...

The Saljuq period of the eleventh and twelfth centuries saw the arrival in Iran of Turkmen nomads from Central Asia and the beginning of Turkish rule. Through the example of the city of Isfahan, the book analyses the internal evolution of Iranian society in this period and the interaction of the Iranian elites and Turkish rulers.

Drawing on an analysis of a wide range of sources, including poetic and epistolary material, this study fills an historiographical gap and casts new light on the two centuries prior to the Mongol invasion. This comprehensive analytical study provides a new...

This book investigates the early history of the Seljuq Turks, founders of one of the most important empires of the mediaeval Islamic world, from their origins in the Eurasian steppe to their conquest of Iran, Iraq and Anatolia. The first work available in a western language on this important episode in Turkish and Islamic history, this book offers a new understanding of the emergence of this major nomadic empire

Focusing on perhaps the most important and least understood phase, the transformation of the Seljuqs from tribesmen in Central Asia to rulers of a great Muslim...

Translating a collection of the most important descriptions of the Turks found in medieval Arabic texts into English, this book aims at delineating the coming of the Turkic people in the eleventh century, their military successes in Iran and Iraq, and the emergence of the sultanate.

The book introduces the reader to the history of the Islamic Caliphate and the Turkic people. This introduction is followed by annotated translated sources which illuminate; the view of the Eurasian steppes in Muslim-Arabic geographical writing from the pre-Saljūq period, the self-image and...

The twenty two essays collected in Turkish Language, Literature and History offer insights into Turkish culture in the widest sense. Written by leaders in their fields from North America, Europe and Turkey, these essays cover a broad range of topics, focusing on various aspects of Turkish language, literature and history between the eighth century and the present.

The chapters move between ancient and contemporary literature, exploring Sultan Selim's interest in dream interpretation, translating newly uncovered poetry and exploring the works of Orhan Pamuk....

Zengi gained his legacy as the precursor to Saladin. While Zengi captured Edessa, Saladin would capture Jerusalem, and both leaders fought to establish their own realms. However, Zengi cannot be fully understood without an examination of his other policies and warfare and an appreciation of his Turkmen background, all of which influenced his fight against the Crusades. "

Zengi and the Muslim Response to the Crusades: The politics of Jihad, "provides a full and rich picture of Zengi s career: his personality and motives; his power and ambition; his background and his foundation of a...