SOAS Research Online

Abstract

After a critical examination of the available sources and a chronological survey of the period, the thesis sets out to analyse the institutions of the Saljuqid State, so far as they can be identified. Among them are the royal family and Court including relations of princes and activities of wives, constitution of the armed forces, relations with amirs and Turkmen and Arab tribes, civil administration, relations with the caliphate, religious opposition, and economic factors. The bearing of each upon the fortunes of the dynasty and the conditions in the Middle East is examined as fully as possible. Finally, the political history of the period is surveyed in the light of the factors analysed above. The thesis thus aims at presenting for the first time a critical history of a period hitherto known only in general outline, and at isolating the features which marked the political life of the Eastern Islamic world during this period.