Part 6
Written by: Harith Ubaidah
The Morals and Character of Sultan Alp Arslan
Sultan Alp Arslan was a ruler of profound piety and compassion, renowned for his devotion to the poor and his gratitude for the blessings bestowed by Allah (SWT). One day, as he was passing through the poor areas of Khorāsān, he was moved to tears upon witnessing the plight of the impoverished. Raising his hands in supplication, he prayed, “O Allah, enrich these poor people through Your grace and mercy.” His generosity was legendary; during the blessed month of Ramadan, he regularly distributed 150,000 gold coins (Ashrafis) in charity.
Across his vast empire, Sultan Alp Arslan maintained meticulous records of the poor and needy, ensuring they were provided with suitable employment and that their expenses were covered by the state. Crime and injustice were virtually nonexistent in his realm, and the people lived in contentment. To ease the burden on his subjects, he divided the annual land tax (Kharāj) into two installments rather than collecting it in one lump sum.
On one occasion, tax collectors accused his minister, Niẓām al-Mulk Tusi, of amassing excessive wealth. Sultan Alp Arslan summoned Nizam al-Mulk and advised him, “If this accusation is true, accept it with dignity, correct your behavior, and reform yourself. If it is false, forgive those who have made the complaint.”
The Sultan’s Dedication to Justice and Public Welfare
Sultan Alp Arslan’s commitment to justice was unwavering. When he learned that a servant had stolen his companion’s cloak, he ordered the servant to be hanged. This act instilled such fear among the populace that theft became virtually nonexistent thereafter.
The Sultan was also an avid scholar, deeply interested in the biographies of kings, their morals, and Islamic jurisprudence. His exemplary character and virtues earned him widespread renown in the Islamic world, prompting many kings from Transoxiana to Syria to voluntarily submit to his authority and align themselves with him.
Malik-Shāh and the Challenges of Preserving the Empire
Following Sultan Alp Arslan’s death, his son Malik-Shāh also known as Şâhinşah ascended the throne. However, his uncle, Qawurd, who ruled Kerman under the Seljuks, refused to acknowledge Malik Shah’s authority and claimed the throne for himself. A bloody conflict ensued, resulting in Qawurd’s defeat and death on the battlefield. Malik Shah annexed Kerman and, in 465 AH (1073 CE), solidified his rule over these territories.
Under Malik-Shāh’s reign, the Seljuk Empire reached its zenith, expanding its borders to Afghanistan in the east, Anatolia in the west, and the Levant (Bilad al-Sham) in the south. These boundaries of the Seljuk Empire remained until the fourth conquest of Damascus in 468 AH (1075 CE) by the Seljuk commander Atsiz, and the khutbah (sermon) was delivered in the name of the Abbasid Caliphate.
To further his expansionist goals, Malik-Shāh entrusted the newly conquered Syrian territories to Abu Sa’id Taj al-Dawla Tutush in 470 AH (1077 CE). Under Taj al-Dawla’s leadership, the foundations of the Seljuk state in great Syria were firmly established. Similarly, Malik-Shāh appointed his close relative, Sulaymān ibn Qutalmïsh, as the governor of Anatolia, aiming to continue the jihadist campaigns in regions previously under Byzantine control.
In 470 AH (1077 CE), Sulaymān ibn Qutalmïsh was appointed governor of Anatolia, laying the groundwork for the Seljuk Empire in Rum (Anatolia). This empire endured for 224 years, with fourteen kings from the lineage of Abu’l-Fawaris Qutalmish ibn Israel ruling over it. Sulaymān ibn Qutalmïsh, the first ruler, is credited with founding this empire.
Sulaymān conquered Antioch in 477 AH (1084 CE), and his son Dawud captured Konya in 480 AH (1087 CE), establishing it as the capital. Konya, a prosperous and beautiful city in Anatolia, was transformed from a Byzantine Christian stronghold into an Islamic Seljuk city. In 700 AH (1300 CE), the empire fell to the Mongols and was later absorbed into the Ottoman Empire. The Seljuks of Rum aspired to establish a Turkish and Sunni state in Anatolia, and through their efforts, Islam spread widely in the region, dismantling the barriers that had hindered its progress in Europe.
The Decline of the Seljuk Empire
Despite the empire’s peak under Malik-Shāh, his commander Atsiz failed to unify Syria and Egypt. Although Atsiz had previously challenged the Fatimid Empire in Egypt, his invasion in 469 AH (1076 CE) ended in defeat at the hands of a massive Egyptian army led by Badr al-Jamali. This defeat triggered internal discord and political strife within the Seljuk Empire, culminating in Atsiz’s assassination in 471 AH (1078 CE).
Malik-Shāh also refrained from transforming the Abbasid Caliphate into a Seljuk dynasty, despite marrying his daughter to the Abbasid Caliph Al-Muqtadi bi-Amr Allāh in 1087 CE. Although a son was born from this union, Malik Shah did not claim the caliphate for his descendants.
The Death of Malik-Shāh and the End of an Era
Sultan Malik-Shāh’s death marked the end of an era of grandeur and power that had spanned the reigns of three Seljuk sultans: Tughril Beg, Alp Arslan, and Malik-Shāh, from 447 AH to 485 AH (1055–1092 CE). His passing ushered in a period of decline and chaos, as the empire struggled to maintain its unity and strength.
During the reigns of Alp Arslan and Malik Shah, the vizier (Minister) Niẓām al-Mulk Tusi played a pivotal role in strengthening the empire through his wisdom and governance. His contributions were instrumental in the empire’s prosperity, and a detailed study of his life and works remains essential to understanding the Seljuk Empire’s golden age.
