The last sultan of Great Seljuk Empire (B.
1086, Sincar - D. 1157, Merv). His full name was Muizzeddin Ahmet Sancar, he was the son of Sultan Malik-Shah. From
an early age he was raised by learning the sciences of the era, gained experience
in the affairs of state and helped his brother Sultan Berkyaruk. In the reigns
of both his brothers Berkyaruk and Muhammed Tapar, he exerted himself to assist
in ensuring national unity by doing government service; he suppressed the
rebellions in the east. In the meantime, Sanjar, who was assigned as the Melik
of Khorasan due to his achievements, repelled the attacks of Kadir Khan, the
monarch of eastern Karakhanid, who had attacked to the Seljuk territory by
taking advantage of the situation of the fights for throne within the Great
Seljuk Empire (1102). By annexing the Ghaznavids to the Seljuk Empire; he had
the khutbah read on behalf of firstly Caliph, and Sultan and Melik Sanjar and
the last Behramşah of Gaznavids (1118).
Sanjar continued his sincere and sober
cooperation with his older brother Sultan Muhammed Tapar after the death of his
brother Berkyaruk. While he applied his politics in the East, Sultan Muhammed
was dealing with the west. Thus, the future sultan and Sultan Berkyaruk
complemented each other. Sanjar, who followed the policy of his father Malik-Shah,
starting from Khorasan, re-established the order of the Seljuk in the east of
the country. Thus, the
Upon the death of Muhammed Tapar on April 18th,
1118, his son, Mahmud, who was at a young age, ascended to the throne by the
state officials. On the other side, Sultan Sanjar also declared himself as the
sultan and in Khorasan on June 14th, 1118 and had caliph confirm his
sultanate. To be the sole sultan of Great Seljuk Empire, Mahmud, who had been enthroned,
had to be disposed of. On August 14th, 1119 in Save, the war between
uncle and nephew resulted in victory of Sanjar
and Sanjar became the Sultan of Great Seljuk Empire, the capital of state moved
from the central Irak-ı Acem to Khorasan. According to the agreement with Mahmud,
Rey was left to Sanjar and the West parts of the country were given to Mahmud.
Yet, Mahmud would continue to assume the title of sultan and was affiliated to Sanjar.
Thus, the Iraqi Seljuk Empire was established.
Sanjar, launching series of expeditions in 1113
on
This union continued for a while. But Mahmud,
who cooperated with Caliph Müsterşid, started to prepare an uprising against
his uncle. Sanjar received the news and proceed towards Mahmud. The Dinever
battle on May 26th, 1132 resulted in the victory of Sanjar. Sanjar
had younger brother of Mahmud, Tuğrul whom he brought with, ascended to the
throne of Iraqi Seljuks instead of Mahmud and returned by giving him some
exhortations. Sanjar, who had suppressed the Karakhanids revolt, suppressed the
revolts of Ghaznavids in 1136 and Khwarezm in 1141. When Sanjar tried to
prevent the attack of Karakhitans on Karakhanids, he was defeated by the Karakhitans
on the
This defeat created great echoes in the Christian
world as well as in the Muslim world. Khwarezmian, taking advantage of this
situation, took the treasure by invading Khorasan and Merv, the capital of
Sanjar. Atsız, who was informed that Sanjar started an expedition on Khwarizm,
couldn’t have taken the risk of challenging him on the battle field. After having
paid homage, he was forgiven and gave the treasure back. However the
reconciliation did not solve anything and Sanjar sent the famous poet Edip
Sabir as the ambassador to convince Atsız. When Atsız had Edip Sabir
assassinated, Sanjar had to launch an expedition for the third time to
Khwarezm, Atsız sent an ambassador to be forgiven, Sultan Sanjar forgave him
again.
Meanwhile Kumac, one of the Sanjar’s
commanders, was defeated by Sultan Alâeddin Hüseyin Cihansuz of Ghurids, who
declared his independency. While Sanjar was preparing for the expedition to
Ghurids, Ghurids fought Ghaznavids. In the end, Ghaznavids were totally
vanquished and Behramshah ran to
However, this time, the disagreement between emirs
of Seljuks and Oghuzs deepened and Sultan Sanjar had to fight in the
Sultan Sanjar, during his forty year reign, followed
a bidirectional politics towards both the west and the east. During his reign,
the people of country were in welfare. The Batiniyya and Ismailiyya movements
emerging to violate the existing order, despite all the measures taken by
government, continued to spread among the ignorant, leaping from one castle to
another reached
His relation with the greatest scholar of the
era İmam-ı Gazalî was famous, who also lived in the reign of his father Malik-Shah,
and Sanjar, who also had relations with Ahmet Namık-i Camî, had poets in his
palace. As a result, during his long lasting reign, several physicians,
scientist, artist, who were complimented by the Sultan, were raised. Sultan Sanjar
liked to be among them, listened to their advices and asked them to warn him
when he was wrong. He always patiently listened to complainers whoever they
were and in the end, he secured the justice.
Sanjar assumed as a great sultan as his father
Malik-Shah while he was alive. After his death, he was exemplified as a great
sultan. Because of his authority in Hadith, he was deemed one of the Hadith
scholars. It is known that he wrote poems in Farsi. His tomb that he had built
in Merv while he was still alive was a great work of art and indicated the
level of civilization in the era.