Seljuk Turkmen Relations with the People of the Caucasus and the Caucasus

The region which was open to settlement of Turks since Scythians was quite important for Seljuk Turks. Before and after conquest of Seljuk Turk, none of the states which develop policies for the region whether Turk-or not- have been as conscious and planned as Seljuk Sultans. Because part of these states regarded these lands wither as a commercial zone and strived for making use of commercial activity of the region-like Muslim Arabs-or used the region as a shield, a buffer zone against external threats-like Iran and Byzantine. However Caucasian region has been quite different for Seljuks. Therefore, Caucasian policy of Seljuk State and Seljuk Sultans are totally different. Together with Dandanakan War, after Seljuk State made itself accepted in political arena, and started to assume dominance in political destiny of Asia Minor, in other words right after they arrived Asia Minor as a savior army, they quit irregular marches and given opportunity to direct towards West in more organized way. In the congress which was organized right after foundation of government, Tugrul Bey took the responsibility of organizing activities about the West as a matter of basic policy of new state. The main destination of Tugrul and Cagrı Bey who founded Seljuk State was the West. They had to obviate two great obstacles in order to enable political dominance in both Asia Minor and Caucasia. One of them is Şii Fatimids who are the greatest enemy of Sunni belief, the other is Byzantine Empire, the only enemy of Islam. Caucasia was the key point in the struggle against Byzantine. Seljuk Sultans knew well that as long as they had dominance in Caucasia, they would put Byzantine under pressure. Seljuk princes and notables of the state who are sent for the conquest of Caucasia knew that Caucasia which is the outpost of Byzantine an in a way the entrance of Anatolia should be invaded. Basic policy of Tugrul Bey who is the architecture of policy of Seljuk State for Caucasians and pointed out to subsequent Sultans was to support Muslim local rulers who sustain their existence in the region. Thereby Seljuk Sultanate whose political entity was registered by caliph would take local beylik of region under dominance and strengthen religious and political existence in Asia Minor. We can say that, in XI. and XII. centuries when Seljuk domination is effective, the region became open to influence of outer world like Islamic world in political, social, economic and cultural sense. Important changes occurred in political, social, religious and cultural aspects. Political negations which existed before the region fell under Turk Islam dominations were removed, political stability was provided by enabling unity and integrity of region. After enabling political and religious unity and stability, social welfare of society increased, in this way important developments were enabled in scientific and cultural aspects. Establishment of madrassahs, bringing up great scholars and sufi made it easy for Caucasians and Anatolia to become Turk and Islamic.

Keywords

Seljuk, the Caucasus, Anatolia, the Byzantine, the Turkmen