Ergin AYAN

Khwarazm area was ruled as a governorship subjected to Gaznavid state. After the establishment of Seljuq state and conquest of the Khwarazm, it still continued as a governorship. However, Seljuqs changed the administrator family here. Anush Tigin, from a Turkic tribe, was ancestor of the Khwarazshahs dynasty. In fact, independence of the Khwarazmshah state begins with Il-Arslan. The Khwarazmshah state made affinity with Gaznavids through marriages before Seljuqs authority. In Seljuqs era, on the other hand, the first Sultan of the Seljuq dynasty, Tughril Beg married Khwarazmian Altun Jan Khatun. She can be seen as an example of Turkic women. With the death of Sultan Sanjar, the Khwarazmshahs and Iraqi Seljuqs became independent states, and after that a kinship was established by political marriages between them. It seems that rulers of the Khwarazm married Qangli women, one of Turkic peoples. These marriages have political and military aspects too. They also played a very important role in the political life of the Khwarazmshahs dynasty. In particular, it is seen that they came into prominence in politics during Mongol invasions. Khwarazmshahs also made affinity with Karakhanids and local rulers. Jalal ud-din Muhammed, last emperor of the Khwarazmshah state, made many marriages on the way from Khwarazm to Anatolia.

Key Words: Khwarazm, Gaznavids, Seljuqs, Karakhanids, Mongols