Pursuant to the arrest of Arslan Yabgu, the Turkmens
that were submissive to him were left without any ruler and some of them got dispersed.
Cagri and Tugrul Beys tried to gather these people and add them to the Turkmens that were
subject to them. Meanwhile, a group of four thousands of families immigrated to several
regions of Khorasan upon the permission of Gazneli State. A large group among these people
went to Iraq under the command of their own leader and they were called as Iraq Turkmens
from that date on. Some of the others went to Anatolia and then to Azerbaijan.
Tugrul and Cagri Beys and Arslan Yabgu's sons did not ever forget the arrest of Arslan
Yabgu by Gazneli Mahmud and his exile to India and they decided to take revenge under a
perfect state of consolidation. However, they did not have enough power to wage a war in a
battlefield against such a powerful state of the period. Tugrul and Cagri Beys were the
pioneers among the Seljuk people. The administration of Turkmens pertained to them. But as
required by the traditions and organisation, they elected their other uncle, Musa Bey as
yabgu. Seljuk State could not firstly come to terms with Ali Tegin who had recaptured
Bokhara and they retreated to Harezm as a result of his pressures. They resided in the
region determined by Altuntash who was the governor of Gazneli State. Meanwhile, Gazneli
Sultan Mahmud had died and Mesud had replaced him (1030). There were important changes
that occurred from that date on. Sultan Mesut commissioned Altuntash with the task of the
organisation of an expedition against Ali Tigin. But Altuntas died in that period. Sultan
appointed his son, Harun in the place of him. Ali Tigin had to cultivate friendly
relations with Seljuk State against the threat of Gazneli State. Seljuk people wanted to
establish an independent state whatever the cost may be. Therefore, they tried to get
benefit of all opportunities. So, they behaved in a favourable manner to Ali tegin
although they had not forgotten his hostility before.
On the other hand,
Harun, the governor of Harezm had initiated his war of liberation against the Gazneli
State since the spring of 1034. Harun was in good relations with Seljuk people just like
his father was. Seljuk people supported him since his father had given settlement place to
them in the region of Harezm. But the main purpose of Seljuk people was the establishment
of a fully independent state as we have stated above. The death of Gazneli Mahmud (1030)
and his replacement by Mohammed and then Mesud led to various changes in the political
situations. Seljuk people made an alliance with Ali Tegin again and they fought against
the Gazneli army in the command of Harezmshah Altuntash (1032). Upon the death of Ali
Tegin in the year of 1034, Seljuk people immigrated again to Harezm upon the invitation of
Altuntash's son, Harun who had been involved in a war of liberation against the Gazneli
State. Meanwhile, Seljuk people suffered great casualties as a result of a raid of Shah
Melik, the emir of Cend who was their old enemy (November 1034). There was an old
hostility and blood feud between the Seljuk family and Shah Melik, the ruler of Cend and
the son of Ali who was the Yeni-Kent Yabgu from the lineage of Baranli (koyunlu) tribe of
Oguz people. Shah Melik who secretly passed from the village paths caught the Turkmens
unaware and napping on the date of the Muslim Festival of Sacrifices in the year of 1304.
He killed seven-eight thousands of people and took lots of people as prisoners. He also
seized lots of horses in this raid. The second event was the opposition of the sons of Ali
Tigin who had died in the same year against the Seljuk people.
Although Seljuk people
recovered from this raid, they lost their friend, Harun before long. Harun was killed as a
result of an assassination arranged by the Gazneli State (1035).When Seljuk people lost
this friend, they did not stay in Harezm and they immigrated to Khorasan. They passed over
Ceyhun and came to Nesa that was located on the way to Merv. The Turkmens and Harezm
people who had immigrated to this region before started to join them. Seljuk leaders, Musa
Yabgu, Tugrul and Cagri Beys had written a letter to Mesud and expressed their situations.
In this letter, they stated that they wanted to be in the service of Sultan Mesud, but
they wanted him to give them Nesa and Ferave as homelands in return. Sultan Mesud rejected
these demands and sent a well-equipped army in the command of Hacib Begtogdi towards
Seljuk people. Seljuk people defeated this Gazneli army in the region of Nesa (29th June
1035). Then, as a result of the negotiations between the two states, Gazneli State gave
Ferave to Musa Yabgu, Dihistan to Cagri Bey and Nesa to Tugrul Bey. Furthermore, Sultan
Mes'ud sent robe of honour, firmans and flags to the Seljuk leaders and entitled them with
the title of "Dihkan". Due to the fact that this agreement that the Seljuks made
with the Gazneli State increased their prestige and Turkmens started to come to them
rushing and surging in crowds.
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