Seljuk Empire السلطنة السلجوقية

1037 CE – 1194 CE · Central Asia, Persia, Anatolia, Levant

Turco-Persian synthesis; Nizamiyya madrasa system institutionalizing Sunni orthodoxy; Abbasid legitimation

Capitals

Nishapur, Isfahan, Baghdad, Merv

Peak Era

1055–1092 CE (Tughril Beg to Malik Shah)

Historical Significance

Restored Sunni political dominance after Shi'a Buyid control; institutionalized Sunni education through the Nizamiyya madrasa network; Turkicized the Islamic world's military and eventually opened Anatolia to Turkish settlement — paving the way for the Ottoman Empire. This restoration of Sunni dominance had complex effects on sectarian relations, as it often exacerbated tensions with Shi'a communities, reshaping the religious landscape of the region.