The Seljuks (also Seldjuk, Seldjuq, Seljuq, sometimes also Seljuk Turks) were a Turkic Sunni Muslim dynasty. They ruled parts of Central Asia and the Middle East from the 11th to 14th centuries. Their empire was known as Great Seljuk Empire that stretched from Anatolia and the Levant to Afghanistan. The Seljuks also fought the European Christian Crusaders in the First Crusade. The Shia Muslims and other non-Sunnis (such as Zoroastrians) were heavily oppressed under Seljuk rule as the Seljuks were devout Sunnis and saw themselves as the protectors of the Abbasid Caliphate and Sunni Islam. Culturally, the Seljuks were a Persianate empire as they focused heavily on Persianate culture and Persian language. The Seljuk dynasty was founded by Tughril, a Turkmen chief.

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The Double-headed eagle, used as a symbol by the Seljuks
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Seljuk Empire in 1071

The Seljuks were one of the cultural ancestors of the Western Turks, the present-day inhabitants of Azerbaijan, Turkey, and Turkmenistan. Originally, the House of Seljuq was a branch of the Kinik Oghuz Turks who in the 9th century lived in the steppes north of the Caspian and Aral Seas in modern-day Turkmenistan.

Rulers of Seljuk Dynasty 1037-1157

Seljuk Rulers of Kerman 1041-1187

Kerman was a nation in southern Persia. It fell in 1187, probably conquered by Toğrül III of Great Seljuk.

  • Qawurd 1041-1073
  • Kerman Shah 1073-1074
  • Soltan Shah 1074-1075
  • Hossein Omar 1075-1084
  • Turan Shah I 1084-1096
  • Iran Shah 1096-1101
  • Arslan Shah I 1101-1142
  • Mohammad I 1142-1156
  • Toğrül Shah 1156-1169
  • Bahram Shah 1169-1174
  • Arslan Shah II 1174-1176
  • Turan Shah II 1176-1183
  • Mohammad II 1183-1187

Seljuk Rulers in Syria 1076-1117

  • Abu Sa'id Taj ad-Dawla Tutush I 1085-1086
  • Jalal ad-Dawlah Malik Shah I of Great Seljuk 1086-1087
  • Qasim ad-Dawla Abu Said Aq Sunqur al-Hajib 1087-1094
  • Abu Sa'id Taj ad-Dawla Tutush I (second time) 1094-1095
  • Fakhr al-Mulk Radwan 1095-1113
  • Tadj ad-Dawla Alp Arslan al-Akhras 1113-1114
  • Sultan Shah 1114-1123

Sultans/Emirs of Damascus:

  • Aziz ibn Abaaq al-Khwarazmi 1076-1079
  • Abu Sa'id Taj ad-Dawla Tutush I 1079-1095
  • Abu Nasr Shams al-Muluk Duqaq 1095-1104]
  • Tutush II 1104
  • Muhi ad-Din Baqtash 1104

Atabegs of Aleppo:

  • Lulu 1114-1117
  • Shams al-Havas Yariqtash 1117
  • Imad ad-Din Zengi 1128-1146
  • Nur ad-Din 1146-1174

Seljuk Sultans of Rüm (Anatolia) 1077-1307

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The Sultanate of Rüm in 1190
  • Kutalmish 1060-1077
  • Süleyman Ibn Kutalmish (Suleiman) 1077-1086
  • Dawud Kilij Arslan I 1092-1107
  • Malik Shah 1107-1116
  • Rukn ad-Din Mas'ud 1116-1156
  • Izz ad-Din Kilij Arslan II 1156-1192
  • Ghiyath ad-Din Kay Khusrau I 1192-1196
  • Suleyman II (Suleiman) 1196-1204
  • Kilij Arslan III 1204-1205
  • Ghiyath ad-Din Kay Khusrau I (second time) 1205-1211
  • Izz ad-Din Kay Ka'us I 1211-1220
  • Ala ad-Din Kay Qubadh I 1220-123]
  • Ghiyath ad-Din Kay Khusrau II 1237-1246
  • Izz ad-Din Kay Ka'us II 1246-1260
  • Rukn ad-Din Kilij Arslan IV 1248-1265
  • Ala ad-Din Kay Qubadh II 1249-1257
  • Ghiyath ad-Din Kay Khusrau II (second time) 1257-1259
  • Ghiyath ad-Din Kay Khusrau III 1265-1282
  • Ghiyath ad-Din Mas'ud II 1282-1284
  • Ala ad-Din Kay Qubadh III 1284
  • Ghiyath ad-Din Mas'ud II (second time) 1284-1293
  • Ala ad-Din Kay Qubadh III (second time) 1293-1294
  • Ghiyath ad-Din Mas'ud II (third time) 1294-1301
  • Ala ad-Din Kay Qubadh III (third time) 1301-1303
  • Ghiyath ad-Din Mas'ud II (fourth time) 1303-1307
  • Ghiyath ad-Din Mas'ud III 1307

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