Ildeniz
Encyclopedia
Shams al-Din Ildeniz, Eldigüz or Shamseddin Eldeniz was an atabeg
of the Seljuq empire and founder of the dynasty of Eldiguzids (Atabegs of Azerbaijan
), which held sway over Caucasian Albania
, Iranian Azerbaijan, and most of northwestern Persia from the second half of the 12th century to the early decades of the 13th.
A Kipchak by origin, he was formerly a freedman
of Seljuq sultan
Mehmed I's (1118-1131) vizier
Kamal Din al-Simirumi and attained to the post of governor of Arran under Sultan Mas'ud (1134-1152). His raise as the most powerful peripheral emir
s of the Seljuq empire was aided by the necessity of having a large army against the frequent incursions from the neighboring kingdom of Georgia
. He made himself virtually independent ruler of Azerbaijan by 1146. His marriage with the widow of Sultan Toghrul II (1132-1133; Masud’s brother and predecessor) afforded him to intervene in the dynastic strife which erupted upon Mas'ud’s death in 1152. He succeeded, in 1160, in deposing Sulayman Shah and installing his stepson Arslan b. Toghrul (1160-1175) as sultan. Conferred with the rank of atabek, Ildeniz now became a chief protector of the sultan’s authority.
Ildeniz then arranged a marriage between his son Pahlawan and the daughter of Inanch, amir of Rey
, in order to secure the allegiance of this powerful dynast. Later Inanch allied himself with the amirs of Fars and Qazvin and attempted to depose Arslan in favor of his brother Muhammad. Ildeniz met the renegades on a battlefield and won a victory, but Inanch escaped to Rey. Ildeniz then marched to Isfahan
and forced the atabek of Fars, Zangi, into submission. Soon he proceeded northward to recover the city of Dvin
from the Georgian attack in 1162. A coalition of Muslim
rulers led by Ildeniz defeated the Georgian king Giorgi III
and forced him to withdraw into his possessions. Back at Hamadan
, he had to deal with another invasion – this time by the Khwarezmians who planned to annex Khorasan
. The Khwarezminas avoided the confrontation and retreated in the face of the advancing army of Ildeniz. Their ally Inanch was murdered at the request of Ildeniz in 1169. It was not, however, until the death of the Khwarazmshah Il-Arslan in 1172, when the threats on this sector were finally eliminated.
By the time of his death around 1175-1176, Ildeniz was arguably the undisputed de facto master of many parts of the already fragmentized Great Seljuq Empire, centered on Iraq
. He was buried at Hamadan, at a madrasa which he had founded.
Atabeg
Atabeg, Atabek, or Atabey is a hereditary title of nobility of Turkic origin, indicating a governor of a nation or province who was subordinate to a monarch and charged with raising the crown prince...
of the Seljuq empire and founder of the dynasty of Eldiguzids (Atabegs of Azerbaijan
Atabegs of Azerbaijan
The Ildegizids, Eldiguzids or Ildenizids, also known as Atabegs of Azerbaijan were a Turkic dynasty of Kipchak origin which controlled most of northwestern Persia/eastern Transcaucasia, including Arran, most of Azerbaijan, and Djibal...
), which held sway over Caucasian Albania
Caucasian Albania
Albania is a name for the historical region of the eastern Caucasus, that existed on the territory of present-day republic of...
, Iranian Azerbaijan, and most of northwestern Persia from the second half of the 12th century to the early decades of the 13th.
A Kipchak by origin, he was formerly a freedman
Freedman
A freedman is a former slave who has been released from slavery, usually by legal means. Historically, slaves became freedmen either by manumission or emancipation ....
of Seljuq sultan
Sultan
Sultan is a title with several historical meanings. Originally, it was an Arabic language abstract noun meaning "strength", "authority", "rulership", and "dictatorship", derived from the masdar سلطة , meaning "authority" or "power". Later, it came to be used as the title of certain rulers who...
Mehmed I's (1118-1131) vizier
Vizier
A vizier or in Arabic script ; ; sometimes spelled vazir, vizir, vasir, wazir, vesir, or vezir) is a high-ranking political advisor or minister in a Muslim government....
Kamal Din al-Simirumi and attained to the post of governor of Arran under Sultan Mas'ud (1134-1152). His raise as the most powerful peripheral emir
Emir
Emir , meaning "commander", "general", or "prince"; also transliterated as Amir, Aamir or Ameer) is a title of high office, used throughout the Muslim world...
s of the Seljuq empire was aided by the necessity of having a large army against the frequent incursions from the neighboring kingdom of Georgia
Georgia (country)
Georgia is a sovereign state in the Caucasus region of Eurasia. Located at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe, it is bounded to the west by the Black Sea, to the north by Russia, to the southwest by Turkey, to the south by Armenia, and to the southeast by Azerbaijan. The capital of...
. He made himself virtually independent ruler of Azerbaijan by 1146. His marriage with the widow of Sultan Toghrul II (1132-1133; Masud’s brother and predecessor) afforded him to intervene in the dynastic strife which erupted upon Mas'ud’s death in 1152. He succeeded, in 1160, in deposing Sulayman Shah and installing his stepson Arslan b. Toghrul (1160-1175) as sultan. Conferred with the rank of atabek, Ildeniz now became a chief protector of the sultan’s authority.
Ildeniz then arranged a marriage between his son Pahlawan and the daughter of Inanch, amir of Rey
Rey, Iran
Rey or Ray , also known as Rhages and formerly as Arsacia, is the capital of Rey County, Tehran Province, Iran, and is the oldest existing city in the province....
, in order to secure the allegiance of this powerful dynast. Later Inanch allied himself with the amirs of Fars and Qazvin and attempted to depose Arslan in favor of his brother Muhammad. Ildeniz met the renegades on a battlefield and won a victory, but Inanch escaped to Rey. Ildeniz then marched to Isfahan
Isfahan (city)
Isfahan , historically also rendered in English as Ispahan, Sepahan or Hispahan, is the capital of Isfahan Province in Iran, located about 340 km south of Tehran. It has a population of 1,583,609, Iran's third largest city after Tehran and Mashhad...
and forced the atabek of Fars, Zangi, into submission. Soon he proceeded northward to recover the city of Dvin
Dvin
Dvin was a large commercial city and the capital of early medieval Armenia. It was situated north of the previous ancient capital of Armenia, the city of Artaxata, along the banks of the Metsamor River, 35 km to the south of modern Yerevan...
from the Georgian attack in 1162. A coalition of Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
rulers led by Ildeniz defeated the Georgian king Giorgi III
George III of Georgia
Giorgi III , of the Bagrationi dynasty, was king of Georgia from 1156 to 1184. His reign, and that of Tamar, are seen as the 'golden age' of Georgian history, the era of empire, diplomatic success, military triumphs, great learning, cultural, spiritual, and artistic flowering.-Life:He succeeded on...
and forced him to withdraw into his possessions. Back at Hamadan
Hamadan
-Culture:Hamadan is home to many poets and cultural celebrities. The city is also said to be among the world's oldest continuously inhabited cities.Handicrafts: Hamadan has always been well known for handicrafts like leather, ceramic, and beautiful carpets....
, he had to deal with another invasion – this time by the Khwarezmians who planned to annex Khorasan
Greater Khorasan
Greater Khorasan or Ancient Khorasan is a historical region of Greater Iran mentioned in sources from Sassanid and Islamic eras which "frequently" had a denotation wider than current three provinces of Khorasan in Iran...
. The Khwarezminas avoided the confrontation and retreated in the face of the advancing army of Ildeniz. Their ally Inanch was murdered at the request of Ildeniz in 1169. It was not, however, until the death of the Khwarazmshah Il-Arslan in 1172, when the threats on this sector were finally eliminated.
By the time of his death around 1175-1176, Ildeniz was arguably the undisputed de facto master of many parts of the already fragmentized Great Seljuq Empire, centered on Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. He was buried at Hamadan, at a madrasa which he had founded.