User:HistoryofIran/Tughril

Abu Talib Muhammad Tughril ibn Mika'il, better known as Tughril (also spelled Toghril), was a Turkoman chieftain, who founded the Seljuk Empire, ruling from 1037 to 1063.

Before the advent of the Seljuks, Iran was divided between several warring local powers, such as the Saffarids, Buyids, Samanids, and Ghaznavids. As a result, it suffered from continuous war and destruction. However, under Tughril peace and prosperity were brought to the country and in Mesopotamia, a transition that was further reinforced due to the Seljuks assimilation to Iranian-Muslim culture.

Name
"Tughril" was the Old Turkic word for a bird of prey, possibly the Crested goshawk. In early Turkic history and culture, starting from the Uyghur Khaganate and onwards, it was used as a personal name.

Early life
Tughril was born in c. 993, most likely in the Central Asian steppes, where the Oghuz Turks was roaming. After the death of his father Mikail, Tughril and his brother Chaghri were reportedly raised by their grandfather Seljuk (the eponymous founder of the Seljuks) in Jand. It was seemingly during this period that the Seljuk family converted to Islam, at least nominally. In the following decades, the Seljuks were employed as mercenaries under the warring factions of Transoxiana and Khwarazm, in exchange for pasture for their herds. In 1030s, they went to Khwarazm, but were forced to withdraw to Ghaznavid Khurasan in 1035 due to the hostility of a rival Oghuz ruler, Shah Malik. The Seljuk clan was at that time led by Tughril, Chaghri, Musa Yabghu and Ibrahim Inal.