From the 9th century onward, the authority of the Abbasid caliph rapidly became nominal, and independent dynasties arose in many regions. The Seljuk Dynasty, a Turkic dynasty that rose to power from Central Asia, then reunified the Islamic world.
The Disintegration of the Abbasid Dynasty
- 9th century: The caliph employed Turkic soldiers (ghulams) as guards → Turkic military officers seized actual power
- Independent dynasties in various regions: the Iranian Samanid Dynasty, Egypt's Tulunid Dynasty, the Fatimid Dynasty (Shiite), and others
- The caliph became merely a "figurehead" who retained only religious authority
The Seljuk Dynasty (1038〜1194)
- The Seljuk, a Turkic nomadic people of Central Asia, unified Iran
- 1055: Entered Baghdad and received the title of sultan (secular ruler) from the Abbasid caliph
- Opposed the Shiite Fatimid Dynasty (Egypt) as the leader of Sunni Islam
- 1071: Defeated the Byzantine Empire at the Battle of Manzikert → Turkish expansion into Asia Minor → contributed to the First Crusade
- Established Nizamiyya academies (madrasas) in various regions and institutionalized Sunni Islamic education
Example ①
Explain the meaning of the title "sultan" and the historical background to its establishment.
Answer: Sultan means "power" or "rule" in Arabic. It was the title of a secular and military ruler separated from religious authority (the caliph). In 1055, Tughril Beg of the Seljuk Dynasty became the first person to receive this title from the Abbasid caliph. Thereafter, the dual system of the caliph (religion) and the sultan (politics and military affairs) became the standard in the Islamic world.
Explain the meaning of the title "sultan" and the historical background to its establishment.
Answer: Sultan means "power" or "rule" in Arabic. It was the title of a secular and military ruler separated from religious authority (the caliph). In 1055, Tughril Beg of the Seljuk Dynasty became the first person to receive this title from the Abbasid caliph. Thereafter, the dual system of the caliph (religion) and the sultan (politics and military affairs) became the standard in the Islamic world.
Key Points
- Actual power in the Abbasid Dynasty → seized by Turkic military officers (ghulams)
- Seljuk Dynasty: leader of Sunni Islam and origin of the title sultan
- 1071 Battle of Manzikert → a remote cause of the First Crusade (1096〜1099)
- Sunni Islam was strengthened through the institutionalization of madrasas (academies)
Practice Questions
- What title did the Seljuk Dynasty receive from the Abbasid caliph when it entered Baghdad in 1055?
- Which country did the Seljuks fight at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071, and what was its result (long-term impact)?
- Explain what a madrasa was.
Answers and Explanations
- Answer: Sultan (the title of a secular ruler)
Explanation: Thereafter, the separation between the caliph as religious authority and the sultan as political power became established. - Answer: Opponent: the Byzantine Empire. Impact: Turkish expansion into Asia Minor began, and the Byzantine emperor requested aid from the pope → this became a remote cause of the First Crusade.
Explanation: It was one of the events that led to the Crusades (1096〜). - Answer: An institution of higher Islamic education (religious school). The Seljuk vizier Nizam al-Mulk established madrasas in various regions, where Sunni scholarship and law were taught.
Explanation: The Nizamiyya Academy in Baghdad was the most famous. Al-Ghazali and others taught there.