Empire builders: Tracing the urban footprints of Seljuk women from Khorasan to Anatolia

Abstract

In 1050 CE, the Seljuk dynasty entered Greater Khorasan and established a vast empire in Iran. Gradually, they also conquered some regions of Iraq and Anatolia. This dynasty was of Turkish origin, and they were sunni Muslims. The main objective of the current study is to discuss and explain the role of women under the Seljuk Empire in all three Seljuk regions: Iranian Seljuks (Seljuks of Greater Khorasan and Kerman), the Seljuks of Iraq and the Levant, and the Seljuks of Anatolia, in the development of urban settlements through identifying their civil construction activities. Moreover, the specifications of the buildings founded by court women and the reasons behind their construction are explored. Using a descriptive-analytical approach and relying on historical documents, the current study tries to present historical facts by collecting information, evaluating and validating this information, and combining documented foundations and analyzing them to obtain defensible results concerning the objective of the study. Historical sources show that in all three geographical regions, women were the founders of many buildings, and had an impact on the community in terms of both architectural value and their sheer number. In addition, the majority of buildings constructed by women were built for public benefit. The activities for public benefit in the Anatolia region have more diverse applications. The main applications were schools and aqueducts in Iran, schools in Iraq and the Levant, and caravanserai and khanqahs in Anatolia.