22 - Seljuk

The Turkish History Podcast

As the steppe world falls into chaos, the Oghuz Yabgu State begins to fall apart and a leader of the Kınık tribe of the Oghuz named Seljuk emerges. Fleeing the chaos of the steppe world, Seljuk leads a small band of his followers south and establishes his people in the lands of Islam. As more Oghuz flee south, they join with Seljuk and a new tribal confederation emerges, taking the name of the founder of the dynasty. The Seljuks become enmeshed in the wars and politics of the Karakhanid Khanate and the Ghanzavid Ghulam State. Seljuk dies at the age of 107, but his dynasty endures, and the successors to Seljuk, his son Musa Yabgu and his grandsons Tughrul and Chaghri, lay the foundations of the Great Seljuk Empire.