NIZāM AL-MULK (1018-1092): THE MINISTER OF THE GREAT SELJUK STATE AND ONE OF THE IMPORTANT STATESMEN IN TURKISH HISTORY

The real name of Minister Nizām al-Mulk, who was one of the famous statesmen of the Great Seljuk State and of Turkish history, was Hasan b. Ali b. ？shak et-T？s？. The Abbāsid Caliph el-Kaim bi-emrillah gave him the name “Nizām al-Mulk” (state order) and his fame is derived from this name. It is acknowledged that the first person with the title Atabeg, having important duty among the Seljuks, was Minister Nizām al-Mulk. Through the first official educational institutions, known as “Nizamiyye Madrasas”, which he established based on the order of Sultan Alp Arslan in various cities, foremost among them Baghdad, the Seljuk Minister strove to develop knowledge and he donated both books and land for the madrasas. During the time that Nizām al-Mulk served as the Minister of the Great Seljuk State, he brought Turkish and Islamic elements together by developing the Iqtā System and introduced a more organized structure. His allocation of income to soldiers, by means of separating agricultural lands into ？qtā regions, ensured the improvement of living standards in the nation. Nizām al-Mulk played a role in many battles during the time of Sultan Alp Arslan and Sultan Malikshāh. He gave great importance to the army and through the organization he instituted and the measures he took, the Great Seljuk army became the strongest of the Middle Ages. He took the examples of the Sāmān？ds and Ghaznavids states institutions to form the Great Saldjuk State’s Central Council of State (Divān？yya Governance) and the Palace Council, as well as setting up the courts in a manner appropriate for Islamic traditions. Nizām al-Mulk also wrote a work in Persian putting forth his views on state administration. The work, called Siyāsetnāme, has been published many times and translated into other languages besides Turkish. The Minister, Nizām al-Mulk was known as a person who was just, capable in political and administrative matters, generous, morally upright and knowledgeable. He endeavoured to see that people were not treated unjustly and he wanted the door of the state to remain open at all times for the people to voice their complaints and requests. He valued scholars and sufis and took pleasure in participating in their discussions. In order to prevent the sectarian tensions in the Seljuk territory, he took certain measures to prevent them. Nizām al-Mulk fought against the Bāt？n？yya with militarily, political and scientific methods, which consequently made him the greatest foe of Bāt？n？yya. We have here tried to provide a brief summary of Minister Nizām al-Mulk and you will find more