The High Middle Ages, or Classic Feudalism Period in what constitutes the present-day Republic of Azerbaijan, lasted from around the 11th century to the 15th century AD. The High Middle Ages were preceded by the Early Middle Ages and were followed by the Late Middle Ages, which ended around the 15thcentury AD. Key historical trends of the High Middle Ages include the incorporation of the territories that constitute present-day Azerbaijan into the Seljuk Empire, the establishment of the Eldiguzids, the Mongol invasions and the rule of the Ilkhanate, the invasions of Timur and the establishment of the Turkoman Kara Koyunlu and Aq Qoyunlu tribal confederations.
Seljuk dynasty
In the 11th century, the Seljuk dynasty of the Oghuz Turkic origin, which emerged in Central Asia, crossed the Araz River while marching to Gilan and then reached Arran. In 1048, the Seljuk dynasty, together with the Azerbaijani feudal lords, defeated the Christian bloc (Byzantine and Christian states of the South Caucasus). When the Seljuk ruler Toghrul Beg came to Azerbaijan and Arran to assert his authority, Rawwadid ruler Vahsudan in 1054, and then in 1062 his son and successor Mamlan II was forced to accept the rule of Toghrul Beg in Tebriz. After Rawwadid Vahsudan, Togrul Bey came to Ganja and Abulasvar Shavur accepted his rule in 1054.
After the death of Toghrul, Alp Arslan and his vizier Nizam ul-Mulk visited Ganja during the reign of Fazl Muhammad II, who came to power after Abulasvar Shavur. In return for Alp Arslan's promised expedition to the Alans, he demands 1,000 camels, 50 horses, finely decorated robes, and a mysterious “garden” (bostān) that had trees of gold and blossoms of precious stones weighing 100,000 meṯqāls, however, the march does not take place because of winter.In 1075, Alp Arslan annexed the last of the Shaddadid territories. A cadet branch of Shaddadids continued to rule in Ani and Tbilisi as vassals of the Seljuq Empire until 1175 when Malik-Shah I deposed Fadl III. In 1085, Fadl III instigated a revolt and gained possession of Ganja. Malik-Shah launched a campaign in 1086 and removed Fadl from power again. A collateral line of Shaddadids, through Manuchihr, continued to rule in Ani.
Referring to the work of Minorsky, Azerbaijani historian Sara Ashurbeyli states that in 1066-067, during the reign of Shah Fariborz b. Sallār (1063-1096), ruler of Shirvanshahs, Seljuk Turks headed by commander Qarategin made great marches to Shamakhi and Baku, and then Shah I Fariburz accepted to be dependent on the Seljuks by paying 40,000 dinars a year.
It is clear from the coins minted by Manuchohr II (1096-1106), who came to power after Shah I, in the name of Mahmud, the Seljuk sultan of Iraq, that the Shirvanshahs were dependent on the Iraqi Seljuks at that time.
In 1117, Demetrius I was sent by David IV of Georgia at the head of the Georgian army to Shirvan, where Demetrius took down the Agdash fortress. In 1120, David entered Shirvan and took the city of Qabala. During this time, the Shirvanshahs had a power shift between the rising Georgian and Seljuk states.
During the reign of Shirvanshah III Manuchehr (1120-1160), the Shirvanshah state gave up paying 40,000 dinars a year to the Seljuk Empire, and in return, Sultan Mahmud attacked Shirvan in 1123.
However, Sultan Mahmud retreated in front of the combined troops of the Shirvanshahs, Kipchak Turks and David IV. In 1123-1124, David IV invaded Azerbaijan and captured the fortresses of Gulustan and Bugurd, but after David's death in 1125, his army was forced to leave Shirvan. During the reign of Demeter I, there was no military conflict with the Shirvanshahs.
Coins from the reign of Manuchohr III also show that the state of the Shirvanshahs at that time depended on the Iraqi Seljuk sultan Malik Shah.
In 1160, after the death of Manuchehr III, Tamar joined the power struggle between her sons and tried to unite Shirvan with Georgia with the help of Kipchak mercenaries. Manuchehr's older son, Akhsitan I (1160-1197), won the battle for the throne, forcing Tamar and his younger brother to flee to Georgia with the support of the Eldeniz dynasty.
The absence of the sultan's name on the coins minted during the reign of his son Akhsitan I indicates that the Seljuk state was already weakened and the Shirvanshahs were independent.
Management
During the Seljuk rule, emirs were given "igta" lands in exchange for military service. It was one of the lands given by the sultans in Aran, Shirvan and Derbent as "igta". Various taxes were collected from the population, such as ushr (Usura), jizya and tribute taxes, as well as the expense of gun, and the expense of wine.