The Saljuq empire was one of the most important in the mediaeval Islamic world, stretching from Central Asia to Syria during the 11th and 12th centuries. This books charts the early development of the Saljuqs from tribesmen to rulers of a great Islamic empire, examining previously neglected sources to demonstrate the central role of tribalism in the evolution of their state.

Introduction: The Early Seljuqs in Mediaeval and Modern Historiography 1. The Origins and Early History of the Seljuqs: Western Eurasia and Transoxiana, c. 900-1025 2. The Tribes and the Seljuq Dynasty 3. Warfare, Conquest and Migration: The Seljuqs in Central Asia, Iran and Iraq to 1055 4. The Seljuqs and Islam 5. The Nature and Impact of the Turkish Invasions: Anatolia and the Middle East, 1029-71. Conclusion

Andrew Peacock is currently Assistant Director of the British Institute at Ankara, Turkey. Previous publications include Mediaeval Islamic Historiography and Political Legitimacy (2007) and, as editor, The Frontiers of the Ottoman World (2009).