Alp Arslan (Persian: آلپ ارسلان; full name: Muhammad Alp Arslan bin Dawud Chaghri) was the second sultan of the Seljuk Empire and great-grandson of Seljuk, the eponymous founder of the dynasty and the empire. He reigned from 1063 until his assassination in 1072. "But the Battle of Manzikert opened Asia Minor to Turkmen conquest"
Alp Arslan greatly expanded Seljuk territories and consolidated his power, defeating rivals to the south, east, and northwest.
Birth and early life Zahir al-Din Nishapuri, al-Husaini al-Yazidi, Mirkhvand, Khvandamir and Hasan-i Yazdi record Alp Arslan's date of birth as January 10, 1030 while Bundari, Ibn Khallikan and Ibn al-Adim record it as 1032-1033. The 12th century historian Ibn al-Athir also records the date as 1032-1033 but mentions January 20, 1029 as an alternative account. The literature generally accepts the alternative date of January 20, 1029 provided by Ibn al-Athir because the 1032-1033 timeline does not chronologically align with the known facts of Alp Arslan's life. Alp Arslan grew up under the harsh conditions of the empire's foundation period as the son of Khorasan Malik Chaghri Beg who was one of the founders of the Great Seljuk Empire and the nephew of the Seljuk Sultan Tughril I. Following the Battle of Dandanaqan, Alp Arslan entered the service of Tughril at a young age during the Council of Merv. During his approximately three years in this duty Alp Arslan succeeded in becoming a respected figure whose counsel was heeded even in important and complex empire affairs.
Campaigns and battles
Alp Arslan accompanied his uncle Tughril on campaigns in the south against the Fatimids, while his father Chaghri remained in Khorasan. Upon Alp Arslan's return to Khorasan, he began his work in administration at his father's suggestion. While there, his father introduced him to Nizam al-Mulk, one of the most eminent statesmen in early Muslim history and Alp Arslan's future vizier.
Defense of Tokharistan (1043–44) After the Khwarazm campaign he undertook alongside Tughril, Chaghri Beg launched another expedition against the Ghaznavids. He besieged the city of Herat, which had fallen out of Musa Yabghu's control following a Ghaznavid attack. However, he fell ill after a while and was forced to lift the siege. Meanwhile, although the Ghaznavid army under the command of Sultan Mawdud launched another offensive and achieved some success, they were routed by the Seljuk army commanded by Malik Ertash, and the Seljuks captured Herat through a counterattack. Another the Ghaznavid army under the command of Sultan Mawdud attack was repelled by Malik Alp Arslan, who was stationed in Balkh. Due to his illness, Chaghri Beg was unable to command the battles against the Ghaznavids. Therefore, he appointed his son, Alp Arslan, in his place. Taking action, Alp Arslan defeated the Ghaznavids. Later, the Seljuk army, which launched an attack under the command of Alp Arslan and Chaghri Beg, captured the cities of Termez, Kubadhiyan, Vakhsh, Kunduz (Valvalic), held by the Ghaznavids, and other Tokharistan lands held by the Ghaznavids.
First Campaign against the Kara-Khanids
Ghaznavid Sultan Mawdud attacked Seljuk territories in 1043–44 and returned to his country defeated in the struggle he had started. After this defeat, he decided to attack the Seljuks once again. This time, instead of attacking alone, he began searching for allies for his campaign against the Seljuks. To this end, he proposed an alliance to the Kara-Khanid ruler Arslan Khan (Ibrahim ibn Nasr) and the Buyid Emir Abu Kalijar. These two rulers accepted Ghaznavid Sultan Mawdud's alliance offer and mobilized their armies in 1048–49. The Seljuks, meanwhile, were occupied with defense preparations against the enemy armies. Chaghri Beg was at the head of these defense preparations. The army that had departed from Ghazni was forced to turn back due to Sultan Mawdud falling ill. Taking advantage of this allied attack, the Seljuk governor of Khwarezm rebelled. Chaghri Beg had to launch a campaign to Khwarezm; he arrived in Urgench and suppressed the rebellion. The Kipchaks, who were supporters of the Ghaznavids, also took advantage of this situation and attacked Khwarezm. Upon the Kipchaks' attack on Khwarezm, Chaghri Beg dispatched an army against them. The Seljuk army sent by Chaghri Beg fought the Kipchak army commanded by Haşaka near Urgench and defeated the Kipchaks. Another allied army, the Buyids, suffered heavy losses on the desert route they had taken. Thus, the Ghaznavids and the Buyids returned to their lands without entering into any struggle with the Seljuks. Unaware of the events that had befallen the Buyids and Ghaznavids, Arslan Khan entered Seljuk territory with his army and occupied Termez. Having conquered Termez, Arslan Khan turned his route toward Balkh and marched forth. Upon receiving the news that Arslan Khan had attacked Seljuk lands, Alp Arslan marched against Arslan Khan with his army. Alp Arslan emerged victorious in the battle that took place between the two armies. Arslan Khan, on the other hand, crossed the Amu Darya river and retreated to Bukhara. Later, Arslan Khan made a peace offer to Chaghri Beg, and as a result of this request, Chaghri Beg accepted the peace proposal. A peace treaty was signed between the two parties.
First Campaign in Fars In 1050, Sultan Tughril launched a campaign against the Buyids. Isfahan, which belonged to the Buyids, was besieged, and military expeditions were organized against the Fars province, which was under Buyid rule. One of the Seljuk commanders who led a campaign into the Fars province was Malik Alp Arslan. Alp Arslan conducted this expedition in complete secrecy from everyone. While his uncle, Sultan Tughril, was preoccupied with the siege of Isfahan, Alp Arslan secretly departed from the city of Merv in the Khorasan province and attacked the Buyid-controlled Fars province. Conquering a large part of the Fars province Alp Arslan also captured the Buyid city of Fasa located within this province, taking 3,000 prisoners. Following these successes, Alp Arslan swiftly returned to Khorasan to avoid receiving any orders from his uncle, Sultan Tughril, who was completely unaware of his presence in the Fars province.
Defense of Khorasan (1053) By the order of Sultan Abd al-Rashid, the Ghaznavid Emir Toghrul Bozan attacked Sistan, which was under Seljuk rule. Musa Yabghu, who was stationed in Sistan, was defeated by the Ghaznavid Emir Toghrul Bozan and abandoned Sistan, retreating to Herat. Having raised a new army in Herat, Musa Yabghu marched against the Ghaznavids occupying Sistan, accompanied by his son Böri (Kara Arslan) and his vizier Abu'l-Fazl. Upon receiving news that Musa Yabghu was advancing on Sistan with a new army, the Ghaznavid Emir Toghrul Bozan abandoned the region and returned to Ghazni. Arriving in Ghazni, Emir Toghrul Bozan rebelled against Sultan Abd al-Rashid with the intention of usurping the throne. Successful in his rebellion, Emir Toghrul Bozan overthrew Sultan Abd ur-Rashid and seized power. Reacting to this usurpation by Emir Toghrul, Kirghiz, one of the Ghaznavid commanders, killed Emir Toghrul and placed Farrukh-Zad from the Sabuktigin Dynasty on the throne in his stead. Taking advantage of the internal turmoil caused by this civil war within the Ghaznavid Empire, the Seljuks, under the leadership of Chaghri Beg, launched a campaign against the Ghaznavids and advanced as far as Bost. Sultan Farrukh-Zad dispatched his commander Kirghiz against Chaghri Beg, who had reached Bost. In the battle that took place near Bost, Chaghri Beg was defeated and forced to retreat. Later, acting on Sultan Farrukh-Zad's orders commander Kirghiz attacked Seljuk territories, defeating the Seljuk army under the command of Atabeg Gul-Sarigh as well as other Seljuk forces he clashed with, and took their commanders captive. Faced with this dire situation for the Seljuks, Malik Alp Arslan sought permission from his father, Chaghri Beg, to launch an attack on the Ghaznavids. Chaghri Beg responded favorably to his son Alp Arslan's request. Having obtained his father's permission, Alp Arslan marched against the Ghaznavids with his army. In the ensuing battle between the two sides, Alp Arslan routed the Ghaznavid forces commanded by Kirghiz. Following this battle, a prisoner exchange took place between the two sides, and a peace treaty was signed.
Rebellion of Ibrahim Inal and the Battle of Rey (1059) Following his Baghdad campaign in 1055, Sultan Tughril wanted to launch an expedition against the Buyid commander Arslan al-Basasiri. However, when Malik Resultegin, the brother of Qutalmish, rebelled, Sultan Tughril became occupied with suppressing the uprising. Resultegin was taken prisoner after the rebellion was crushed. At the request of Caliph Al-Qa'im, Sultan Tughril pardoned him. After the suppression of Resultegin's rebellion, rumors spread that the Governor of Mosul, Malik Ibrahim Inal, was also planning to rebel. According to the news reaching Baghdad, Ibrahim Inal had left Mosul and headed to the Jibal region, and some Turkmens had followed him there. As soon as Sultan Tughril, who was in Baghdad, received this news, he dispatched one of his commanders, Savtegin, to Malik Ibrahim Inal as an envoy bearing valuable gifts. Savtegin presented these gifts to Malik Ibrahim Inal and also conveyed the sultan's orders for him to come to Baghdad. Ibrahim Inal went to Baghdad following the sultan's orders, and Emir Aytekin, Emir Erdem, Emir Yaruktekin, and Hajib Boritekin were appointed to the military commands of Northern Iraq in his place. Seizing the opportunity created by Ibrahim Inal's departure and the reduced number of troops in the region, the Buyid commander Arslan al-Basasiri attacked and captured Mosul. Upon hearing that Mosul had fallen to the Buyids, Sultan Tughril launched a second expedition against the city. However, when Arslan al-Basasiri learned of Sultan Tughril's approach, he inflicted damage on the city and abandoned it. Determined to pursue Arslan al-Basasiri, Sultan Tughril continued his advance and reached as far as Nusaybin. When Sultan Tughril arrived in Nusaybin, Ibrahim Inal, having secured the backing of the Fatimids and Arslan al-Basasiri, marched with his troops to the city of Hamadan, which housed the Seljuk arsenals and treasuries. Upon learning that Ibrahim Inal was heading to Hamadan, Sultan Tughril abandoned his pursuit of al-Basasiri and dispatched a portion of his troops to Baghdad to defend against a potential Buyid attack. He then mobilized with a small number of soldiers and reached Hamadan before Ibrahim Inal. Ibrahim Inal's army grew in size when his nephews, Mehmed and Ahmed (the sons of Malik Ertash), arrived with their troops to support him. He clashed with Sultan Tughril near Hamadan and defeated him. Following his defeat, Sultan Tughril retreated to the fortress of Hamadan. In the wake of his victory, Ibrahim Inal laid siege to the fortress where Sultan Tughril had taken refuge. Finding himself in a dire situation, Sultan Tughril sent message to request aid from his wife Altun Jan Khatun and his Vizier al-Kunduri in Baghdad, as well as his brother Chaghri Beg in Khorasan. The predicament facing Sultan Tughril and the news that Arslan al-Basasiri was marching on Baghdad with Fatimid support sparked chaos in the city. Although Vizier Al-Kunduri wanted to install Sultan Tughril's stepson Anushirvan as sultan, Altun Jan Khatun refused to allow it. She imprisoned her son Anushirvan and issued an arrest warrant for Vizier Al-Kunduri. Altun Jan Khatun then set out for Hamadan with the soldiers stationed in Baghdad.