Malik Shah of Rum

Malik Shah
Sahinshah
Sultan of Rum
Reign1110–1116
PredecessorKilij Arslan I
SuccessorMesud I
Emir of Mosul
Reign1107 (a few months)
PredecessorZengi ibn Jikirmish
SuccessorJawali Saqawa
Born1096
Died1116 (aged 19–20)
HouseHouse of Seljuq
ReligionSunni Islam

Malik Shah (Old Anatolian Turkish: مَلِكشاه,Turkish: Melikşah, Persian: ملک شاه), also known as Şâhinşah (Persian: شاهنشاه, lit. 'king of kings'), was the Seljuk Sultan of Rum from 1110 to 1116.

Reign

In 1107, Malik Shah came with his father, Kilij Arsalan I, during his campaign on Mosul. After Kilij Arslan I entered the city, Malik Shah was appointed as its Emir, and Emir Idbar was appointed as his regent, and after leaving some forces to protect Mosul, Kilij Arslan left to face Jawali Saqawa, the Emir of Mosul appointed by Muhammed I Tapar. But Kilij Arslan was defeated and died in Battle of Khabur River. Jawali captured Mosul, restoring it under Muhammed I's domains, and sent him Malik Shah to Isfahan where he was prisoned for three years, while the throne in Rum remained vacant.

Malik Shah remained a prisoner in Isfahan until 1110 when he returned to Anatolia to assume the throne. He then imprisoned his two younger brothers, Mesud and Arab. However, his position remained insecure, as he was attacked by the Danishmendid beylik.

Shortly before his death, he was defeated by the Byzantine emperor Alexios Komnenos at the Battle of Philomelion (1116). Malik Shah then signed a treaty with the emperor, allegedly agreeing to let the Byzantines take back all their land in Anatolia. Using the peace treaty as a pretext, the Danishmendid ruler Gümüshtigin deposed Malik Shah and replaced him with Mesud, who was married to his daughter. The treaty was thus nullified. Malik Shah was then executed by being strangled with a bowstring. The loss of prestige suffered by Malik Shah due to his defeat by the Byzantines probably precipitated his fall.

Malik Shah was described by Anna Komnena as a fool who often ignored the strategies of his more experienced generals, to the point where he mocked and criticized his generals.

References

  1. ↑ Muharrem Kesik (1988–2016). "MELİKŞAH ملكشاه (ö. 511/1117) Anadolu Selçuklu hükümdarı (1110-1116).". TDV Encyclopedia of Islam (44+2 vols.) (in Turkish). Istanbul: Presidency of Religious Affairs, Centre for Islamic Studies.
  2. ↑ Khalil, Imad al-Din (2005). Islamic resistance against the Crusader invasion (1 ed.). Damascus-Beirut: Dar Ibn Kathir. pp. 49–50.
  3. 1 2 Mecit, Songül (2014). The Rum Seljuqs: evolution of a dynasty. Routledge studies in the history of Iran and Turkey. London ; New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group. pp. 100–101. ISBN 978-0-415-50540-6.
  4. ↑ Komnene, pp. 488-491
  5. ↑ Birkenmeier, p.79 footnote

Bibliography