Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The historical significance of the Atabeg of Azerbaijan lies in their firm control
over north-western Persia during the later Seljuq period and also their role in
Transcaucasia as champions of Islam against the Bagratid Georgian kings[6]
In 1136, Sultan Mas'ud appointed Shams ad-Din Ildeniz (ca. 113536 1175) to be an
atabeg of Arslan-shah,[8] the juvenile successor of the throne and transferred
Azerbaijan to his possession as iqta. Eldegiz chose Barda as his residence, and
attracted the local emirs to his camp. From 1161, the Seljuq princes at Hamadan
fell under the control of the Atabeg of Azerbaijan.[10]
Contents [hide]
1 Shams ad-Din Ildeniz (Eldigz)
2 Muhammad Jahan Pahlawan
3 Qizil Arslan
4 Uzbek
5 Persian Culture
6 List of Eldiguzids (Atabegs of Azerbaijan)
7 See also
8 References
9 External links
Shams ad-Din Ildeniz (Eldigz)[edit]
Shams ad-Din Ildeniz became the ruler of the remainder of the north Iran and South
Caucasus of the Seljuq empire. He was taking every measure to consolidate the power
of his own appointed, but powerless sultan. The word Azam (meaning great) was added
to his title and he was also known as Atabek-e Azam. All of the states subsequent
rulers used to hold this title. During his reign, Ildeniz could subdue a spacious
territory between the Caucasus and Persian Gulf. The territory belonging to him
stretched from the gate of Tiflis up to Mekran. He had possessed Azerbaijan (Iran),
Arran, Shirvan, Djibal, Hamedan, Gilan, Mazandaran, Isfahan and Rei. The Atabegs of
Mosul, Kerman and Fars as well as the feudalists of Shirvan, Khuzestan, Hilat,
Arzan-ar-Rhum and Maraga became his liegemen.
Georgia, whose army was strengthened by 40,000 Kipchak Turkic warriors,[11] was the
strongest antagonist of the Shams al-Din Ildeniz. In 1138, Georgian king Demetre I,
attacked the earthquake-ridden city of Ganja. While leaving the city, his troops
carried off the well-known iron gate of Ganja as their trophy, which up to this
date remains on display at the Gelati monastery. From 1161 onwards they began to
make plundering raids on Ani, Dvin, Ganja, Nakhchivan and other regions controlled
by Atabegs. Ildeniz formed a union with other Seljuqids in the beginning of the
1160s to fight against the Georgians, and in 1163 the allies inflicted a defeat on
king George III of Georgia. In response to this defeat, the king of Georgia
occupied Ganja in 1165. The Georgians took several fields in Azerbaijan and they
could reach such faraway cities as Nakhchivan and Beylakan. As a rule, Georgians
used to be paid their tribute and then they left. In 1173, Atabeg Ildeniz began his
big campaign against Georgia but he was defeated. Atabegs troops retreated and
Ildeniz died in 1174 in Nakhchivan.
Jahan Pahlavan suppressed all rebellious emirs and appointed faithful mamluks to
key positions. He apportioned each of them any region or town as iqta.The twelve
years of his rule are considered the most peaceful period of the states existence.
Under his reign the central power was strengthened and no foreign enemy invaded the
territory belonging to the Atabegs. Friendly relations with Khwarazm-Shahs, the
rulers of Central Asia, were founded. All those facts had positive influence on the
development of science, handicraft, trade and arts.
Qizil Arslan[edit]
After Muhammed Djahan Pehlevans death his brother Qizil Arslan (11861191)
ascended the throne. He continued his successful struggle against the Seljuq
rulers. At the same time the central power began to get weaker as mamluks who had
strengthened their power in their allotments did not want to obey the Sultan. Even
Shirvanshakh Akhsitan who used to be Atabegs liegeman decided to benefit from the
weakening of the Atabeks power and invaded his territories in 1186. But he was
defeated. His troops had to flee in pursuit of Atabegs army. They reached Baku. At
the same time Qizil Arslan occupied all the land of Shirvan lying between Shamakha
and Derbent. In 1191 Toghrul III, the last Seljuq ruler was overthrown by Qizil
Arslan. Then, by Khalifs leave, he proclaimed himself a Sultan.
The same year Qizil Arslan, who had become the individual ruler of the Great Seljuq
Empire was, assassinated. The power was divided among his three sons Abu Bakr,
Qutluq Inandj and Amir Amiran. Abu Bakr governed Azerbaijan and Arran, and his
brothers were the rulers of Khorasan and several neighboring regions. Soon, these
three successors began to fight for the throne. And Abu Bakr was the one to win
this war. But the States defense capability was stricken. Khorezmshahs' and
Georgians non-stopping forays aggravated the situation in the country and speeded
up its decay.
Uzbek[edit]
This process was speeded up during the reign of Atabeg Uzbek (12101225), who was
enthroned after Abu Bakrs death. In that period, Hassan Djalal the Mihranid
(12151262) began his separatist activities, a fact which shook the fundamentals of
the weakened State, with the result that it was invaded by the troops of Georgian
Queen Tamar. The troops occupied several Azerbaijani towns but they had to return
to Georgia. The Atabeg State fell in 1225 when it was included into the Khwarezmian
Empire. Finally the area of it passed to Mongol Empire in 1231.
Persian Culture[edit]
Much like the Seljuqs, under the Eldiguzids, Persian culture[5][14] and
literature[14] flourished and Persian was the primary language.[14] See also Nozhat
al-Majales for many of the poets of the area.