Dukak's son, Seljuk had attracted attention due
to his superior characteristics pursuant to his father's death and he was appointed as
"su-başı" (commander of the army) at a young age by Yabgu. Yabgu was jealous
of Seljuk who had gradually strengthened his position in the state. Seljuk was afraid of
being killed, so he left the region together with his tribe, attendants and herds and came
to the environs of Cend that was a "sugur" (forefront) city where the Islam
countries and the Turkish countries combined (Approximately 961). It has been alleged that
the arrival of Seljuk in Cend was related with the abolition of Oguz State by Kipchak
people. However, it has been stated within the resources that the principal reason of this
migration was the lack of sufficient place and grassy places.
As a matter of fact, some of the resources that
dealt with the Seljuk immigration specified that they immigrated towards Transoxania due
to the crowded population of the groups under the command of Seljuk and the lack of enough
places for them. This is confirmed by the fact that Seljuk had taken particularly the
members of Kinik tribe and plenty of herds of camels, sheep and cattle pertaining other
Oguz groups when he was leaving from the city of Yeni-kent (ruins of Cankent today)
between the Caspian Sea and Aral Lake that was the winter residence of Oguz State.
At the same period, the religion of Islam was
disseminated among the Turkish groups without taking pains. Cend was a border city between
the Turks and Islam countries that was not far away from Yeni-kent and there were lots of
Muslims living in Cend who had emigrated from Transoxania. The immigration of Seljuk to
the city of Cend was the beginning point of an important era in the history. In this
period when several crowded Turkish groups adopted the religion of Islam, Seljuk found it
appropriate and somehow obligatory to adopt the religion of Islam that was not unfamiliar
for their religious beliefs. He had also found it convenient in order to live in the
Muslim region with the majority of Turks as stated by Kasgarli Mahmud. Seljuk who was
convinced that they required the adoption of Islam in respect of the provision of some
political opportunities proved his characteristics as a statesman through the
comprehension of the political and social conditions of his environment. Therefore, he
wanted some religious men from the neighbouring Islam countries such as Bokhara and Harezm
and he became Muslim together with the other Oguz people that were subject to him.
From
that date on, they were cited, as "Seljuks" (Selçukiyan, Salacika) in our
resources and it has been understood that this term was also used as a political phrase
firstly among Karluk people and then among Oguz people even before the adoption of the
religion of Islam. This Turkish group that were sometimes cited as Turkmens had achieved a
new identity in respect of political and social characteristics. Seljuk dismissed the
officials of Oguz Yabgu that came to collect the taxes through stating that "they
were not going to pay any fees to Non-Muslims". Then, he was involved in a struggle
against the Oguz State in his capacity as "ghazi" who was ready for holy war for
the sake of Islam. Afterwards, he fought with the forces sent by Yabgu. Seljuk endured in
this region without any pains, abolished the dominion of Yabgu and established an
independent bey principality in Cend.
While Seljuk people were settled in Cend, there were
three big states within the surrounding two of which were Turkish States (Karahanli and
Gazneli States) and the other state was Samani State. Karahanli State and Samani State
were in a war for the domination in Transoxania.
Seljuk acquired fame as a result of holy wars that he
waged against the Non-Muslim Turks and he had shown that he had a strong force with the
Oguz people that were in his command. His fame led him to collaborate with Samani State,
one of the states that tried to establish dominion in Transoxania. Samani State entitled
the Seljuk Oguz people with the permission to settle in and within the environs of Nur
district in the surroundings of Bokhara in return for the protection of state borders
against the other Turkish raids and Karahanli State (985-86). However, those who came to
the district of Nur and pastures within its environs were Arslan Israil and the Oguz
people with him. Seljuk and his attendants had stayed within the environs of Cend.
It
has been observed that Arslan that born the title of Yabgu had provided support for the
Samani State from that date on. Oguz people in the command of Arslan Yabgu and Samani
Prince, Ismail el-Muntasir had waged in successful wars against Karahanli State. When Oguz
people achieved lots of spoils as a result of these wars, they got separated from Ismail
el-Muntasir and returned to their lands. This separation caused the defeat of el-Muntasir
against Karahanli State and he was killed (1059). Upon his death, the hope for the
reinvigorating of Samani State was lost. As a result, Transoxania got under the dominion
of Karahanli State and Khorasan got under the dominion of Gazneli State.
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