Pages: 231-242 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.55086/sp265231242

The death of Sultan Rukn ad-Din Toghrul III in 1194, marking the fall of the Seljuk state of Iraq, is a complex historiographical phenomenon. This study conducts a comparative analysis of primary narratives to identify the mechanisms the victorious side used to shape the official version of events. A central point of contention is the figure of Atabek Qutlugh Inanch, whose role varies from being the sultan’s direct assassin to a minor participant.
The methodology distinguishes sources bypolitical orientation: the Khwarazmian narrative, accounts associated with the Seljuk court, independent Middle Eastern chronicles, and later compilations. The analysis shows that al-Husayni’s account, preserved exclusively in Persian historiography, was a deliberately constructed official narrative intended to legitimize the new regime. Significantly, this version is not corroborated by chronicles contemporary with the events.
The study concludes that the Khwarazmian version, although an effective instrument of legitimation, gained acceptance only gradually. By contrast, early and independent sources suggest that the sultan died either in the general melee or as a result of betrayal. The transmission of al-Husayni’s account primarily within the Ilkhanid historiographical tradition illustrates how a victors’ narrative can become entrenched within particular sociopolitical contexts. Keywords: Iraqi Seljuks, Toghrul III, Khwarezmshah Tekesh, Qutlugh Inanch, battle of Rayy, historiography.

Keywords: Iraqi Seljuks, Toghrul III, Khwarezmshah Tekesh, Qutlugh Inanch, battle of Rayy, historiography

Information about author:

Dinmuhammet Tekayev (Turkmenabad, Turkmenistan). Seyitnazar Seydi Turkmen State Pedagogical Institute. Shabende St., 7, Turkmenabad, 746100, Turkmenistan
E-mail: [email protected]
ORCID: 0009-0006-5571-3472