Malik-Shah I

Malik-Shah I
Investiture scene of Malik-Shah I, from the 14th-century book Jami' al-tawarikh
Sultan of the Great Seljuk Empire
Reign15 December 1072 – 19 November 1092
PredecessorAlp Arslan
SuccessorMahmud I
Born16 August 1055 (1055-08-16)
Isfahan, Seljuk Empire
Died19 November 1092 (1092-11-20) (aged 37)
Baghdad, Seljuk Empire
Burial
Isfahan
Spouse
Issue
HouseSeljuk
FatherAlp Arslan
ReligionSunni Islam

Malik-Shah I (Persian: ملک شاه) was the third sultan of the Seljuk Empire from 1072 to 1092, under whom the sultanate reached the zenith of its power and influence.[3]

Miniature of Malik-Shah I

During his youth, he spent his time participating in the campaigns of his father Alp Arslan, along with the latter's vizier Nizam al-Mulk. During one such campaign in 1072, Alp Arslan was fatally wounded and died only a few days later. After that, Malik-Shah was crowned as the new sultan of the empire, but the succession was contested by his uncle Qavurt. Although Malik-Shah was the nominal head of the Seljuk state, Nizam al-Mulk held near absolute power during his reign.[4] Malik-Shah spent the rest of his reign waging war against the Karakhanids to the east and establishing order in the Caucasus.

The cause of Malik-Shah's death remains under dispute to this day; according to some scholars, he was poisoned by Abbasid caliph al-Muqtadi, while others say that he was poisoned by the supporters of Nizam al-Mulk.

  1. ^ Henry Melvill Gwatkin (1923). The Cambridge Medieval History: The Eastern Roman empire (717-1453). p. 307. Malik Shāh was recognised by the Caliph as his successor, and invested with the title of 'Amir-al-Mu'minin
  2. ^ Massignon 1982, p. 162.
  3. ^ Tucker, Spencer C., ed. (2019). Middle East Conflicts from Ancient Egypt to the 21st Century: An Encyclopedia and Document Collection. Volume 1. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 790. ISBN 978-1-440-85353-1.
  4. ^ Gibb, H. A. R. (1960–1985). The Encyclopedia of Islam, vol. 8. Leiden: Brill. p. 70.