<Ul> <Li> view </Li> <Li> talk </Li> <Li> edit </Li> </Ul> <P> The Seljuk Empire (Persian: آل سلجوق ‎, translit . Āl - e Saljuq, lit .' House of Saljuq') or Great Seljuq Empire was a medieval Turko - Persian Sunni Muslim empire, originating from the Qiniq branch of Oghuz Turks . The Seljuk Empire controlled a vast area stretching from the Hindu Kush to western Anatolia and the Levant, and from Central Asia to the Persian Gulf . From their homelands near the Aral Sea, the Seljuks advanced first into Khorasan and then into mainland Persia before eventually conquering eastern Anatolia . </P> <P> The Seljuk empire was founded by Tughril Beg (1016--1063) in 1037 . Tughril was raised by his grandfather, Seljuk - Beg, who was in a high position in the Oghuz Yabgu State . Seljuk gave his name to both the Seljuk empire and the Seljuk dynasty . The Seljuks united the fractured political scene of the eastern Islamic world and played a key role in the first and second crusades . Highly Persianized in culture and language, the Seljuks also played an important role in the development of the Turko - Persian tradition, even exporting Persian culture to Anatolia . The settlement of Turkic tribes in the northwestern peripheral parts of the empire, for the strategic military purpose of fending off invasions from neighboring states, led to the progressive Turkicization of those areas . </P> <P> The apical ancestor of the Seljuqs was their beg, Seljuk, who was reputed to have served in the Khazar army, under whom, circa 950, they migrated to Khwarezm, near the city of Jend, where they converted to Islam . </P>

Who were the seljuks and where did they come from