II. International Seljuk Historical Geography Symposium FULL TEXT BOOK-I
CENTRES OF MILITARY ACTIVITY IN IRAN DURING THE REIGN OF SULTAN ALP ARSLAN
Yayıncı:
Necmettin Erbakan Üniversitesi Yayınları
The Seljuks, who belonged to the Kınık tribe of the Uchok branch of the Oghuzes, settled in the front beds of the Seyhun River at the end of the 4th/10th century AH. This situation constituted the first step of the developments that would turn the course of Turkish-Islamic history in another direction. In the battles between them and their rivals, the Karakhanids and Ghaznavids, they showed how determined they were to establish their existence on strong foundations. The Seljuks, who migrated southwards, continued to move towards the interior of Iran. After the battles of Nesa and Serahs with the Ghaznavids, the Battle of Dandanakan, which took place in 1040, registered their decisive and final victory. This victory was the ground for the Seljuks, who struggled for existence in their geography, to establish a state. The victors of the years-long struggle were able to establish their state centred in Nishapur. The main reason for the Seljuks’ arduous struggle in Iran was the search for a homeland. The Kınık Turks, who were in the city of Jend during the Seljuk Bey period, were in search of a region that would ensure their new order. After the Battle of Dandanakan, when Khorasan and Iran were taken from the Ghaznavids, Turkish tribes came to this region in large numbers. Following Khorasan, they travelled to the Maveraunnehir and Northern Mesopotamia, where they began to find places to graze their herds of animals. The necessity of south and westward migration led to the establishment of the Great Seljuk State in the Iran region, as well as the extension of the Turkish presence from Ceyhun to Iraq, Egypt, Syria and Western Anatolia. For these Turks, the Iran region was in fact a transitional step. Some cities of the Great Seljuk State, whose new homeland covered the territory of Iran, stood out in terms of their different characteristics. Some of them gained importance politically or culturally due to their status as the capital city, some academically due to their madrasahs, and some militarily. During the reign of Sultan Alp Arslan, one of the most important rulers of both Turkish and world history, some centres of military activity stand out. Regions such as Kirman, Persia, cities such as Rayy, Nishapur, Isfahan, Hamadan, and fortresses such as Gerdkūh, Jîruft, Khurseh were the centres where military activity took place. Were these points, which were the scene of military activities and encounters, consciously preferred in terms of their geographical characteristics or were they necessary due to the circumstances? Did factors such as fortresses, etc. in the region, proximity to water and supply sources have an effect on the choice of the region? In this study, answers to these questions will be sought while identifying the centres of military activity during the reign of Sultan Alp Arslan. In the light of the findings obtained by using the document analysis technique, one of the qualitative research methods, evaluations will be made with descriptive analysis.