İnternational politics of the Great Seljuks in the time of Sultan Melikşah

In this study, the foreign policy of the Great Seljuk State in the reign of Sultan Melikshah is discussed. During the reign of Sultan Melikshah, the Great Seljuk State gained significant successes in foreign policy, and the borders of the state expanded considerably. The Seljuks continued their policies of conquest to the west since their establishment, and the boundaries of the state constantly, accordingly, expanded to the West. The relationship of the state with the states in the eastern borders was mostly to protect the borders and to act in a way that would not leave any problems and occupations behind while organizing campaigns to the west. For these reasons, the Seljuk State came across with the Karahanlılar and Ghaznavids from time to time. The problems in the east were tried to be solved by establishing kinship ties through political marriages. The state, which had an important place in foreign policy during the period of Meliksah, as well as before Malikshah, also became Sunni Abbasid Caliphate, known as a religious authority of Turkish-Islamic states. In the last period of Melikşah's reign and his life, being at odds with the Abbasid caliphs led Melikşah to act in a different way. The idea of moving the center of the state to Baghdad came up. It was also given to the Abbasid caliph a very short time to leave Baghdad. However, before this given deadline was over, Melikşah's death enabled the Abbasid caliph to remain in place. After the death of Sultan Melikşah, the Great Seljuk State entered into a period of the interregnum, which began with the fights for the throne, and this process kept the state occupied. Key words: The Seljuks, Melikshah, Foreign Policy, The Abbasid, Cihan Domination