Barkiyaruq

Abu al-Muzaffar Rukn ud-Din Barkyaruq ibn Malikshah (Persian: ابو المظفر رکن الدین رکن الدین برکیارق بن ملکشاه‎‎), better known as Barkyaruq, a Turkic word which means (firm, unwavering light), was the sultan of the Great Seljuq empire from 1092 to 1105.

Early life

Barkiyaruq was born in 1079/1080, he was the oldest son of Malik Shah I, and a Seljuq princess. He had five brothers named Mahmud I, Ahmed Sanjar, Mehmed I, Dawud, and Ahmad.

During his youth, the succession to the Seljuq sultanate was complicated by the death of two of his half-brothers: Dawud (died 1082) and Ahmad (died 1088), whom both were sons of the Kara-Khanid Princess Turkan Khatun, she also had a named Mahmud (born 1087) which she wanted to succeed his father, while the vizier Nizam al-Mulk and most of the Seljuq army was in favor of Barkiyaruq, the oldest of all Malik Shah's living sons and born to a Seljuq princess. Turkan Khatun then allied with Taj al-Mulk Abu'l Ghana'im to try to remove Nizam from his post. Nizam was later assassinated in 1092, which made Barkiyaruq lose a powerful supporter. Barkiyaruq's father eventually died some months later. Turkhan Khatun then took the opportunity of his death, and with the support of Taj al-Mulk, put her 4 year old Mahmud I on the throne, while Barkiyaruq was proclaimed as Sultan of the Seljuq Empire at Ray by the faction of the dead vizier Nizam al-Mulk.