Malik-Shah I, born in 1055 and died on November 19, 1092, was the third sultan of the Seljuk Empire, reigning from 1072 to 1092. His rule marked the zenith of the Seljuk power and influence in the Middle East, extending from Central Asia to the eastern shores of the Mediterranean Sea.
Malik-Shah was the son of Alp Arslan, who was known for his military victories, most notably against the Byzantine Empire at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071. Upon Alp Arslan's assassination in 1072, Malik-Shah, then only 17 years old, ascended to the throne. His mother, Terken Khatun, played a significant role in his early reign, acting as a regent and advisor.
Under Malik-Shah's leadership, the Seljuk Empire saw significant administrative reforms. He established a highly organized bureaucratic system, with the Nizam al-Mulk as his vizier, who is credited with the creation of the Nizamiyya madrasas, which were influential in spreading Sunni Islam and educating future administrators and scholars.
Malik-Shah was a patron of the arts and sciences. His era saw the compilation of the Zij-i Malikshahi, an astronomical almanac, under the supervision of Omar Khayyam, one of the most famous mathematicians, astronomers, and poets of the Islamic Golden Age. The calendar reform introduced during his reign, known as the Jalali Calendar, was highly accurate, with an error of only one day every 3,770 years.
Malik-Shah's death in 1092 at the age of 37 was sudden and under mysterious circumstances. Some sources suggest he might have been poisoned, possibly at the instigation of his wife, Terken Khatun, or by a conspiracy involving his vizier, Nizam al-Mulk, who was assassinated a few days earlier. His death led to a period of civil war and fragmentation within the Seljuk Empire.
His legacy includes not only the expansion of the Seljuk Empire but also the cultural and scientific advancements made during his reign. However, his early death prevented him from consolidating his rule, leading to the eventual decline of Seljuk power in the following decades.