Ahmed Sanjar
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Ahmad SanjarAhmad Sanjar (Mu'iz ud-Dīn Ahmad-e Sanjar; was the sultan
of the Great Seljuq Empire
from 1118 to 1153. He was initially the sultan of Khorasan
until he gained the rest of the territory upon the death of Muhammad I.
He was a son of Malik Shah I
and participated in wars of succession against his three brothers and an uncle, namely Mahmud I, Barkiyaruq
, Malik Shah II
and Mehmed I. In 1096, he was given the province of Khorasan
to govern under his brother Muhammad I. Over the next several years Ahmed Sanjar became the ruler of most of Persia with his capital at Nishapur
. A number of rulers revolted against him and continued the split of the Great Seljuq Empire that the dynastic wars had started. In 1102, he repulsed an invasion from Kashgaria
, killing Jibrail Arslan Khan near Termez
.
Sanjar undertook a campaign to eliminate the Assassins of Alamut, and successfully drove them from a number of their strongholds. However, an anecdote indicates that en route to their stronghold at Alamut, Sanjar woke up one day to find a dagger beside him, pinning a note from Hassan Sabbah stating that he (Hassan) would like peace. Sanjar, shocked by this event, sent envoys to Hassan and they both agreed to stay out of each other's way.
In 1141, Sanjar marched to confront the Kara Khitan
threat and engaged them near Samarkand at the battle of Qatwan
. He suffered an astounding defeat — his first — and escaped with only fifteen of his elite horsemen, losing all Seljuq territory east of the Syr Darya
(Jaxartes).
Oghuz Turks
from Khuttal and Tukharistan
captured Ahmed Sanjar in 1153 and held him until 1156. He died in 1157 and was buried at Merv
. His tomb
was destroyed by the Mongols in 1221, during their invasion of the Khwarezmian Empire
.
Ahmed Sanjar married Turkan Khatun (died 1156) and he had two daughters with her - wives of his nephew Mahmud II.
After her death Ahemed Sanjar married Rusudan, daughter of Demetrius I of Georgia, widow of sultan Masud Temirek. He had no children with her.
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
of the Great Seljuq Empire
Great Seljuq Empire
The Great Seljuq Empire was a medieval Persianate, Turko-Persian Sunni Muslim empire, originating from the Qynyq branch of Oghuz Turks. The Seljuq Empire controlled a vast area stretching from the Hindu Kush to eastern Anatolia and from Central Asia to the Persian Gulf...
from 1118 to 1153. He was initially the sultan of Khorasan
Greater Khorasan
Greater Khorasan or Ancient Khorasan is a historical region of Greater Iran mentioned in sources from Sassanid and Islamic eras which "frequently" had a denotation wider than current three provinces of Khorasan in Iran...
until he gained the rest of the territory upon the death of Muhammad I.
He was a son of Malik Shah I
Malik Shah I
Jalāl al-Dawlah Malik-shāh was born in 1055, succeeded Alp Arslan as the Seljuq Sultan in 1072, and reigned until his death in 1092....
and participated in wars of succession against his three brothers and an uncle, namely Mahmud I, Barkiyaruq
Barkiyaruq
Abu al-Muzaffar Rukn ud-Dīn Barkyāruq bin Malikšāh was the sultan of Great Seljuq from 1094-1105.He was a son of Malik Shah I and participated in the succession wars against his three brothers, Mahmud I, Ahmed Sanjar, and Mehmed I....
, Malik Shah II
Malik Shah II
Mu'izz ad-Din Malik Shah II Was Seljuq Sultan in Baghdad during 1105. He was the grandson of Malik Shah I, and was theoretically the head of the dynasty, although his relative Ahmed Sanjar in Khorasan probably held more effective power....
and Mehmed I. In 1096, he was given the province of Khorasan
Greater Khorasan
Greater Khorasan or Ancient Khorasan is a historical region of Greater Iran mentioned in sources from Sassanid and Islamic eras which "frequently" had a denotation wider than current three provinces of Khorasan in Iran...
to govern under his brother Muhammad I. Over the next several years Ahmed Sanjar became the ruler of most of Persia with his capital at Nishapur
Nishapur
Nishapur or Nishabur , is a city in the Razavi Khorasan province in northeastern Iran, situated in a fertile plain at the foot of the Binalud Mountains, near the regional capital of Mashhad...
. A number of rulers revolted against him and continued the split of the Great Seljuq Empire that the dynastic wars had started. In 1102, he repulsed an invasion from Kashgaria
Kara-Khanid Khanate
The Kara-Khanid Khanate was a confederation of Turkic tribes ruled by a dynasty known in literature as the Karakhanids or Ilek Khanids, . Both dynastic names represent titles with Kara Kağan being the most important Turkish title up till the end of the dynasty.The Khanate ruled Transoxania in...
, killing Jibrail Arslan Khan near Termez
Termez
Termez is a city in southern Uzbekistan near the border with Afghanistan.Some link the name of the city to thermos, "hot" in Greek, tracing its name back to Alexander the Great. Others suggest that it came from Sanskrit taramato, meaning "on the river bank". It is the hottest point of Uzbekistan...
.
Sanjar undertook a campaign to eliminate the Assassins of Alamut, and successfully drove them from a number of their strongholds. However, an anecdote indicates that en route to their stronghold at Alamut, Sanjar woke up one day to find a dagger beside him, pinning a note from Hassan Sabbah stating that he (Hassan) would like peace. Sanjar, shocked by this event, sent envoys to Hassan and they both agreed to stay out of each other's way.
In 1141, Sanjar marched to confront the Kara Khitan
Kara-Khitan Khanate
The Kara-Khitan Khanate, or Western Liao was a Khitan empire in Central Asia. The dynasty was founded by Yelü Dashi, who led the remnants of the Liao Dynasty to Central Asia after fleeing from the Jurchen conquest of their homeland in North and Northeast of modern day China...
threat and engaged them near Samarkand at the battle of Qatwan
Battle of Qatwan
The Battle of Qatwan was fought in September 1141 between the Kara-Khitan Khanate and the Seljuq Empire and its vassal-state the Kara-Khanids. Following the Kara-Khanid defeat at Khujand, Mahmud summoned his overlord Ahmed Sanjar to protect Western Kara-Khanid from invasion.-Battle:On the Qatwan...
. He suffered an astounding defeat — his first — and escaped with only fifteen of his elite horsemen, losing all Seljuq territory east of the Syr Darya
Syr Darya
The Syr Darya , also transliterated Syrdarya or Sirdaryo, is a river in Central Asia, sometimes known as the Jaxartes or Yaxartes from its Ancient Greek name . The Greek name is derived from Old Persian, Yakhsha Arta , a reference to the color of the river's water...
(Jaxartes).
Oghuz Turks
Oghuz Turks
The Turkomen also known as Oghuz Turks were a historical Turkic tribal confederation in Central Asia during the early medieval Turkic expansion....
from Khuttal and Tukharistan
Bactria
Bactria and also appears in the Zend Avesta as Bukhdi. It is the ancient name of a historical region located between south of the Amu Darya and west of the Indus River...
captured Ahmed Sanjar in 1153 and held him until 1156. He died in 1157 and was buried at Merv
Merv
Merv , formerly Achaemenid Satrapy of Margiana, and later Alexandria and Antiochia in Margiana , was a major oasis-city in Central Asia, on the historical Silk Road, located near today's Mary in Turkmenistan. Several cities have existed on this site, which is significant for the interchange of...
. His tomb
Tomb of Ahmed Sanjar
Tomb of Ahmed Sanjar was built in Merv in 1157, following the death of Ahmed Sanjar, sultan of the Great Seljuk Empire. It is reported that his tomb was the site of pilgrimages.-Tomb:...
was destroyed by the Mongols in 1221, during their invasion of the Khwarezmian Empire
Mongol invasion of Central Asia
The Mongol invasion of Central Asia occurred after the unification of the Mongol and Turkic tribes on Mongolian plateau in 1206. It finally completed when Genghis Khan conquered the Khwarizmian Empire in 1221....
.
Ahmed Sanjar married Turkan Khatun (died 1156) and he had two daughters with her - wives of his nephew Mahmud II.
After her death Ahemed Sanjar married Rusudan, daughter of Demetrius I of Georgia, widow of sultan Masud Temirek. He had no children with her.