Altun Jan Khatun

Altun Jan Khatun (died 1060) was the Empress of the Seljuk Empire as the first wife and chief consort of Tughril, the founder of the Seljuk Empire, ruling from 1037 to 1063.

Biography

Altun Jan Khatun was a Turkish woman, possibly from Khwarezm. Before becoming Tughril Beg's wife she had been married to the Khwarezm Shah. Her son by that marriage, Anoushiravan, apparently remained with her after she married Tughril Beg.^[1]

Toghril Beg is reported to have consulted his chief wife Altun Jan in affairs, Sibt ibn al-Jawzi states that she was a religious woman, much given to charitable works, of good judgement and firm determination.^[2][3] When Tughril Beg went to Hamadan in 1058 to deal with the revolt of Ibrahim Inal, he sent Altun Jan, Anoushiravan and Kanduri to Baghdad. Kanduri appears on this occasion to have considered replacing Tughril Bey by Anoushiravan. Anoushiravan rebelled but was captured. He was imprisoned in Rey and was killed after Tughril's death.^[4]

She held estates in Iran. She died in 1060 in Zanjan, and was buried in Rey.^[5] She bequeathed her states, assignments and pensions to the Caliph's daughter. Tughril assigned these to the latter when the marriage contract between him and the caliph's daughter was finally concluded in 1062.^[6]

References

Bibliography

• J. A. Boyle, ed. (1968). The Cambridge History of Iran, Volume 5. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 978-0-521-06936-6. 
• Ann K. S. Lambton (January 1, 1988). Continuity and Change in Medieval Persia. SUNY Press. ISBN 978-0-887-06133-2. 
• Hamilton Alexander Rosskeen Gibb (1954). The Encyclopaedia of Islam, Volume 6. Brill. ISBN 978-9-004-08112-3. 
• Uri M. Kupferschmidt (1987). The Supreme Muslim Council: Islam Under the British Mandate for Palestine. BRILL. ISBN 978-9-004-07929-8.