Where did the Seljuks come from? Are they related to the Turks? The Seljuks were a medieval Turkic dynasty that originated from the Central Asian steppes. They were a branch of the larger Turkic people and played a significant role in the Islamic world during the 11th to 14th centuries.
The Seljuks specifically emerged from the Qynyq branch of the Turkic people. The founder of the Seljuk Empire was Seljuk, a tribal chief who, along with his descendants, migrated westward from the Central Asian steppes into the Middle East. The Seljuks initially settled in the region of Transoxiana (present-day Uzbekistan and Tajikistan) before moving further westward.
By the 11th century, the Seljuks had established a powerful empire that stretched from Central Asia to the Middle East. They played a crucial role in the spread of Islam and the Turkification of the region. The Seljuk Empire reached its height under leaders like Alp Arslan and Malik Shah, who were successful in military campaigns against the Byzantine Empire and other regional powers.
While the term “Turk” is a broad and inclusive one, the Seljuks are indeed considered a Turkic people. They were part of the larger Turkic migration and settlement patterns that shaped Central Asia and surrounding regions during the medieval period.
