[4] The Ascent and Decline of The Ottoman Empire

In The Name of Allaah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

After the demise of Alp Arslan, the Sultanate was inherited by his son, Malik Shah. However, his uncle Qaaward (or Qavurt) Bin Chaghri, who ruled over the Seljuks of Kerman, challenged his authority and sought to claim the Sultanate for himself. This led to a confrontation near Hamadan, resulting in Qaaward’s defeat and demise. Consequently, Malik Shah gained control over the Seljuk state of Kerman, while Sultan Shah Bin Alp Arslan [Malik Shah’s brother] was designated as the governor of Kerman in the year 465 AH. The Seljuk state experienced growth under the rule of Sultan Malik Shah. It expanded its territory from Afghanistan in the east to Asia Minor in the west and Shaam in the south. After the fall of Damascus in 468AH, Atsiz played a significant role in establishing communication with the Abbasid caliph. In 470AH, Malik Shah assigned his brother Taj Al-Dawlah to govern the areas in Shaam and continue the conquest. Taj Al-Dawlah went on to establish the Seljuk state of Shaam.

Additionally, Sulayman Bin Qatlamish Bin Israa’eel, a relative of Taj Al-Dawlah, was appointed as the ruler of Asia Minor, which was connected to the lands of Rome. This led to the establishment of the Seljuk state of Rome in 470AH. The rule of this state lasted for 224 years with fourteen descendants of Abul Fawaaris Qaltamish Ibn Israa’eel continuing the rulership. Sulaymaan Qaltamish, the first descendant, is credited as the state’s founder and successfully conquered Antioch in 477 AH. His son Dawud later made Konya his capital in 480 AH, transforming the once wealthy Byzantine city into an Islamic Seljuk city. The state eventually fell to the Mughals in 700 AH and later became part of the Ottoman Empire. The Seljuks of Rome played a key role in Turkifying Asia Minor and spreading Islam in the region. They facilitated the spread of Islamic civilization and weakened the defensive barrier protecting European Christianity from Islam in the East.

Despite the powerful rule of Sultan Malik Shah, Atsiz was unable to unite Shaam and Egypt after the Seljuks, and the Abaydiyyah state in Egypt, which was Shiite and Fatimid, posed a real threat. When Atsiz attempted to invade Egypt, he was defeated by an Arab force before facing the large army led by Minister Badr al-Jamaalee in Rajab 469 AH. This failure resulted in further fragmentation, political turmoil, and violent conflict, ultimately leading to Atsiz’s death in 571 AH. After the death of Sultan Malik Shah, the Seljuk state experienced a decline in strength and glory, which had been prominent during the reigns of Tughrul Beg, Alp Arslan, and Malik Shah, between 447 AH and 485 AH.

[Ad-Dawlah Al-Uthmaaniyyah Awaamil An-Nuhood wa Asbaab As-Suqoot. 6/31-32]