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Economical Situation
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The provision of the political union in the countries
and regions dominated by Seljuks helped to the rapid development of the economical
situations and the trade. The provision of the permanent control and security in the trade
routes of the empire gave to the commercial caravans the opportunity for safe voyages and
transportation to India and the coasts of Syria and between the Western Europe and
Turkestan and Harezm. Seljuk State had played great attention to the irrigational channels
and plants in the regions that they dominated and this situation improved the agricultural
production. As a matter of fact, the agriculture of cotton was highly developed in the
savannas of Merv through these means. Apart from the development of the trade and
agriculture, the industry and the manufacture peculiar to each city were highly developed.
Therefore, the cities had become much prosperous and the public works had been developed.
On the other hand, Kirman region had been in a
prosperous state under the domination of Seljuk State until the emergence of the struggles
for the throne and the arrival of Oguz people in this region. The Ruler Kavurd from the
Seljuk State had taken the first precautions as soon as he established domination in
Kirman. Kavurd had constructed the signal towers over the road to Sistan that passed
through the desert lest the passengers would get lost. He had also constructed the
patrols, caravan inns, pools and public baths in the important places. Kavurd had also
repaired the port of Tiz that was one of the much-frequented places located on the road of
the world trade that passed through Iran. Therefore, it can be understood that he
particularly encouraged and protected the transit trade that passed through Kirman towards
Sistan, India and the Persian Gulf. The Ruler Kavurd had also attracted attention due to
his precautions that he placed in order to stabilise the prices and to increase the
production. He had played much care and importance in order to preserve the carat of the
coins that he minted and his money had never lost its value in the course of his ruling
period. We have observed that the cities in Kirman had developed and extended beyond their
borders and they had become great centres of trade and settlement in the period of the
Seljuk State.
This development observed in the cities had firstly
begun in the period of the Ruler Turan-shah I. In the period of the Ruler Arslan-shah I
(1101-1142), Kirman had reached to its highest peak of prosperity. The city of Berdesir
had developed in this period, and he had become the residential place of the merchants
coming from the east and the west. Furthermore, caravan inns were constructed for these
merchants and bazaars had been set up. Another city that had developed in Kirman was
Ciruft. Particularly Kemadin (Kumadin) had turned into a residential place of the
foreigners and the merchants coming from Anatolia and India and it had become a great
trade centre in which the valuable goods from various countries were stored and the
shopping was provided. On the other hand, Bem was another rich and big city of trade. In
this city, mostly cotton fabrics, shawls, turbans and fine fabrics for turbans were
manufactured and exported to the neighbouring countries. Furthermore, Seljuk State had
oriented the trade routes to pass over Kirman and therefore, it had provided the
prosperity of these regions.
Pursuant to the provision of the union and order by
the Anatolian Seljuks State, it had been located over the intersection point of the world
trade routes between the Muslim and Christian communities and the country had become much
more prosperous in respect of economy and culture. The capture of Antalya and Sinop in the
beginning of the century XII by the Seljuk sultans, the conclusion of the trade agreements
with Latins and the application of low customs tariffs aimed the purpose of the
encouragement of foreign trade. Furthermore, a kind of "state insurance" was
applied in order to cover the losses and damages that had been incurred by the merchants
due to various reasons. Seljuks had paid great attention to the provision of the security
for the caravans over the important international trade routes and they had appointed
guards for the rich trade caravans. Caravan inns were constructed in the places that the
merchants spent the nights and the same meals were given and the same treatment was
applied to all the people that stayed there for the night regardless of their being Muslim
or Christian.
The economical situation in the Seljuk Turkey had
developed in accordance with the lifestyles. Since those who led a nomadic life were
occupied in stockbreeding, abundant animals and the animal products were exported from
Turkey to the Byzantine and the Trebizond Greek State and especially to Arabian countries
in this period. Various fabrics were manufactured from wool, Angora wool and silk. The
unprocessed and processed leather materials took place among the export goods. As for the
agricultural products, the fruit growing and viniculture were of great significance in the
rural regions of the city life. The travellers that came to Anatolia in various seasons
had mentioned about the gardens, the irrigation systems and the fruits such as grapes,
melons, watermelons, apricots, peaches, almonds, plums, pears, lemons and oranges.
In the period of Seljuk State, Anatolia was rich in
minerals. The alum extracted from Anatolia was exported to the Western Europe to be used
as a paint pigment in the textile industry and it was under the monopoly of the Italians.
Furthermore, iron, copper and the silver minerals were also processed. The timber obtained
from the mountains in the south of Anatolia was exported from Antalya and the gulf of
Makri to Egypt. The timber obtained from Kastamonu was used in Sinop shipyard. The
magnificent rugs and carpets woven by Turkmens and the Angora mohair fabrics were well
known all over the world, and they were forwarded to the European and Islam countries.
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