Medieval West Asia

c. 711 CE–1500 CE

A page with Arabic calligraphy, black ink on aged beige paper, with red dots and marks indicating vowels and pronunciation, handwritten style.

Medieval West Asia was home to some of the world’s most incredible advancements in science, technology, and art

What is West Asia?

West Asia includes modern-day Iraq, Iran, Turkey, Syria, the eastern Mediterranean coast, Yemen, and parts of Central Asia.

The Basics

The Seljuqs

11th–14th century CE

What was the Seljuq Sultanate?

The Seljuq Sultanate was a powerful Turkic dynasty of Central Asian origin that rose to prominence in the 11th century. They seized Baghdad in 1055 and established a vast empire across Iran, Iraq, and Anatolia. An alternate spelling of Seljuq is Seljuk.

Important terms and concepts

Seljuq (Seljuk)

Middle East/Near East

mina’i ware

caravan

Silk Roads

Ancient West Asia

Learn more about ancient West Asia, such as Mesopotamia

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