The Political and Religious Status in Seljukian Anatolia in 1200s

Abstract

Anatolia is a geography that has been subjected to various invasion and conquest movements throughout history. Surrounded by the continents of Asia, Europe and Africa, Anatolia also acts as a bridge between Asia and the European continents. This bridge is surrounded by the Old East worlds such as Mesopotamia and Egypt from the southeast and the Old West worlds formed by the Mediterranean civilizations from the west. In addition to being a physical bridge to Anatolia, this feature also imposes the duty of intermediation between cultures and interaction. When the historical process is examined, it is seen that the Anatolian peninsula has been home to civilizations in every period of history. For this reason, Anatolia is called the “Cradle of Civilizations”. All of the civilizations understood to have been established in different historical periods in Anatolia are called “Anatolian Civilizations”. Known as Anatolia or Asia Minor, this region dates back to the XIIIth century. When we look from the window of the century, a different picture emerges both politically and religiously.