Mahmud II of Great Seljuk
Encyclopedia
Mahmud II was the Seljuq sultan
of Baghdad
in 1118 following the death of his father Mehmed I. At the time Mahmud was fourteen, and ruled over Iraq
and Persia.
Mahmud fought against the rival Seljuq Sultan of Khorasan
, his uncle Ahmed Sanjar
, whom Mehmed I had revolted against in 1105. His reign mas marked by an increasing anarchy, as numerous of the local emirs suppressed by his father strove to regain their independence. His young brother Mas'ud revoled against him in 1120, but the civil war ended the following year thanks to the intervention of the atabeg of Mosul
, Aq Sonqor Bursuqi, and Mas'ud was pardoned. In 1129 Mahmud officially recognized the authority of Zengi
, who had supported him against a revolt led by al-Mustarshid
, caliph of Baghdad, in Syria
and northern Iraq.
Mahmud, then aged 26, died in 1131. His death was followed by a civil war between his son Dawud, his nephew Mas'ud and the atabeg Toghrul II.
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 Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
in 1118 following the death of his father Mehmed I. At the time Mahmud was fourteen, and ruled over Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
and Persia.
Mahmud fought against the rival Seljuq 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...
, his uncle Ahmed Sanjar
Ahmed Sanjar
Ahmad Sanjar Ahmad Sanjar Ahmad 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....
, whom Mehmed I had revolted against in 1105. His reign mas marked by an increasing anarchy, as numerous of the local emirs suppressed by his father strove to regain their independence. His young brother Mas'ud revoled against him in 1120, but the civil war ended the following year thanks to the intervention of the atabeg of Mosul
Mosul
Mosul , is a city in northern Iraq and the capital of the Ninawa Governorate, some northwest of Baghdad. The original city stands on the west bank of the Tigris River, opposite the ancient Assyrian city of Nineveh on the east bank, but the metropolitan area has now grown to encompass substantial...
, Aq Sonqor Bursuqi, and Mas'ud was pardoned. In 1129 Mahmud officially recognized the authority of Zengi
Zengi
Imad ad-Din Zengi was the atabeg of Mosul, Aleppo, Hama and Edessa and founder of the Zengid dynasty, to which he gave his name.-Early life:...
, who had supported him against a revolt led by al-Mustarshid
Al-Mustarshid
Al-Mustarshid was the Abbasid Caliph in Baghdad from 1118 to 1135.Son of the preceding Caliph, he achieved more independence as a ruler while the Seljuq sultan Mahmud II was engaged in war in the East....
, caliph of Baghdad, in Syria
Syria
Syria , officially the Syrian Arab Republic , is a country in Western Asia, bordering Lebanon and the Mediterranean Sea to the West, Turkey to the north, Iraq to the east, Jordan to the south, and Israel to the southwest....
and northern Iraq.
Mahmud, then aged 26, died in 1131. His death was followed by a civil war between his son Dawud, his nephew Mas'ud and the atabeg Toghrul II.