The Great Seljuk Empire - Paperback

by A. C. S. Peacock (Author)

The Seljuks, nomadic tribesman in origin, invaded the Middle East in the 11th century and established themselves as sultans in the Islamic tradition. The Great Seljuk Empire became one of the major empires of Middle Eastern history and dominated Central Asia, Iran, Iraq and Syria in the 11th and 12th centuries.The proposed book will provide the first English language general history of this empire. It will outline the chronological history of the empire and will then explore the religious and institutional history, based on the following themes: * The relationship between tribes and the state* The development of administrative and religious institutions* The nature and impact of Turkish settlement in the Middle East and its consequences* The long-term significance of the religious history of the period* The struggle for legitimacy and authority between sultans, caliphs, religious scholars and amirs* The political role of women in the Seljuk court* The Seljuks and the non-Muslim world.

Front Jacket

The Edinburgh History of the Islamic Empires Series Editor: Ian Richard Netton This major series covers the history of the Islamic world, from its origins in the 7th century to the fall of the last of the great Islamic empires, the Ottoman Empire, in the early 20th century. Combining scholarship, reliability and readability, books in the series reflect the fluctuating dynamics of change and present an overall unity to the history of the Empires. 'An elegantly and entertainingly written, painstakingly researched work that fills a glaring lacuna in the scholarly literature. Peacock's book is, quite simply, the first ever to cover the entire Seljuq period, and the only available comprehensive overview of this critical era. It will no doubt become a standard work in the field.' Professor Deborah G. Tor, University of Notre Dame The Great Seljuk Empire was the Turkish state which dominated the Middle East and Central Asia in the eleventh and twelfth centuries. This book surveys that period, which was one of exceptional importance, witnessing profound demographic, religious, political and social changes in the Islamic Middle East. The Turkish invasions played a role in provoking the Crusades, led to the collapse of Byzantine power in Anatolia and brought about the beginnings of Turkish settlement in what is now Turkey and Iran, permanently altering their ethnic and linguistic composition. Key Features The first book in a western language to offer an overview of this major Islamic empire Provides a narrative history and a thematic analysis of the empire's institutions and aspects of life in the Seljuk world Examines the political, administrative, military, religious, economic and social organization of the Great Seljuk Empire using a wide variety of historical and literary sources Draws on the evidence of archaeology and material culture Illustrated with images, maps, charts, family trees Text boxes introduce key themes and institutions A.C.S.Peacock is Lecturer in Middle Eastern History at St Andrews University. Previous publications include Early Seljūq History: a new interpretation (London, 2010) and as co-editor (with Sara Nur Yıldız) The Seljuks of Anatolia: Court and Society in the Medieval Middle East (London, 2013).

Author Biography

A.C.S. Peacock is Professor of Middle Eastern and Islamic History at the University of St Andrews, and holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge. His previous publications include The Great Seljuk Empire (2015) and Early Seljuq History (2010).