Atsiz Ibn Uwaq al-Huwārizmī : the first Turkish ruler of Ash-Sham

In the 11th century, a wave of Turkish tribes reached the territories of the Abbasid Caliphate, invading from the northeast. Ghaznavids followed by the Seljuks, leveraging their military advantage, subjugated extensive regions of the Muslim East. Following the equally spectacular and surprising victory at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071 over the army of Byzantine Emperor Roman Diogenes, Turkish invaders found further possibilities of expansion against the western territories of Anatolia and Syria. Exploiting the political weakness of Fatimid Caliphate, which ruled over Egypt and claimed the right to extend its sovereignty over the Great Syria, one of the Turkish chieftains, Emir Atsiz Ibn Uwaq al-Huwārizmī, established his ephemeral state based on cities of Jerusalem and Damascus. This work focuses on the turbulent career of this Turkish leader. The author, primarily relying on Muslim sources, illustrates the ongoing political fragmentation of Syria. The Turkish component further complicated the already challenging ethnic and religious situation in the region. Internal disputes, conflicts, and mutual animosities hindered the cooperation of local rulers in the face of potential danger. This phenomenon played a significant role in the success of the First Crusade, which entered the territories of Ash-Sham in the late 11th century. Emir Atsiz was one of the most important, albeit insufficiently known, elements in this Syrian puzzle.