Periods, Cultures, Styles > Seljuk
Seljuk
The Seljuks of Rum ruled much of Anatolia, what is now Turkey between 1040 and 1157, while the Seljuks of present-day Iran controlled the rest of the empire from 1081 to 1307. The Seljuks of Iran were great supporters of education and the arts and they founded a number of important madrasas (schools) during their brief reign. The art of the Anatolian Seljuks looks quite different, perhaps explaining why it is often labeled as a distinct sultanate. The inhabitants of this newly conquered land in Anatolia included members of various religions (largely Buddhists and Shamen), other heritages, and the Byzantine and Armenian Christian traditions. Seljuk projects often drew from these existing traditions. This period is noted for two unique types of building complexes: caravanserais, and the madrassa.