Eldiguzids Atabegs of Azerbaijan اتابکان آذربایجان | |||||||||||
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1136–1225 | |||||||||||
Status | Atabegate | ||||||||||
Capital | Nakhchivan Hamadan Tabriz | ||||||||||
Common languages | Persian (official, court literature)[2][3] | ||||||||||
Atabeg | |||||||||||
• 1136–1175 | Eldiguz | ||||||||||
• 1175–1186 | Muhammad | ||||||||||
• 1186–1191 | Qizil Arslan | ||||||||||
• 1191–1210 | Nusrat al-Din Abu Bakr | ||||||||||
• 1210–1225 | Muzaffar al-Din Uzbek | ||||||||||
History | |||||||||||
• Established | 1136 | ||||||||||
• Disestablished | 1225 | ||||||||||
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The Ildegizids,[4] Eldiguzids[5][6] or Ildenizids, also known as Atabegs of Azerbaijan[7][8] (اتابکان آذربایجان Atabakan-e Āzarbayjan) were an Atabegate of the Seljuk Empire, and a Sunni Muslim Turkic[6] dynasty[9] (started by Eldiguz of Kipchak[6] origin), which controlled most of northwestern Persia,[5] eastern Transcaucasia, including[5] Arran,[5][6][8] most of Iranian Azerbaijan,[5][6][8] and Jibal.[5][6][8] At their maximum extent, the territory under their control, roughly corresponds to most of north-western Iran, most of the regions of modern Azerbaijan and smaller portions in modern Armenia (southern part), Turkey (northeastern part) and Iraq (eastern part). Down to the death in war 1194 of Toghril b. Arslan, last of the Great Seljuq rulers of Iraq and Persia, the Ildenizids ruled as theoretical subordinates of the Sultans, acknowledging this dependence on their coins almost down to the end of the Seljuqs.[5] Thereafter, they were in effect an independent dynasty, until the westward expansion of the Mongols and the Khwarazm-Shahs weakened and then brought the line to its close.[5]
Atabeg (literally means "fatherly lord" in Turkic) was the title conferred upon the Turkic officers who served as guardians of minor Seljuq rulers.[10] In the political circumstances of the time, Atabegs were not only tutors and vice-regents of their princes, but also de facto rulers.[10] At the height of Eldiguzid power, their territory stretched from Isfahan in the south to the borders of Kingdom of Georgia and Shirvan in the north. However, closer to the end of their reign amidst continuous conflicts with the Kingdom of Georgia, the Eldiguzid territory shrank to include only Azerbaijan and eastern Transcaucasia.[6]
The historical significance of the Atabeg of Azerbaijan lies in their firm control over north-western Persia during the later Seljuq period and also their role in Transcaucasia as champions of Islam against the Bagratids of Georgia.[6]
pp 199-200(Eldiguizds or Ildegizds): "The Elgiguzids or Ildegizds were a Turkish Atabeg dynasty who controlled most of Azerbaijan(apart from the region of Maragha held by another Atabeg line, the Ahamadilis), Arran and northern Jibal during the second half the twelfth century when the Great Seljuq Sultane of Western Persia and Iraq was in full decay and unable to prevent the growth of virtually independent powers in the province", pp 199-200: "Eldiguz (Arabic-Persian sources write 'y.l.d.k.z) was originally a Qipchaq military slave", pp199-200: "The historical significance of these Atabegs thus lies in their firm control over most of north-western Persia during the later Seljuq period and also their role in Transcaucasia as champions of Islamagainst the resurgent Bagtarid Kings". pp 199: "In their last phase, the Eldiguzids were once more local rulers in Azerbaijan and eastern Transcaucasia, hard pressed by the aggressive Georgians, and they did not survive the troubled decades of the thirteenth century".
Eldegüzid dynasty, also spelled Ildigüzid, Ildegüzid, Ildegizid, or Ildenizid, (1137–1225), Iranian atabeg dynasty of Turkish origin that ruled in Azerbaijan and Arrān (areas now in Iran and Azerbaijan).