Introduction

The period covered by this book spans more than two centuries, from the year 420/1029, which marks the first incursion of Turkish tribes into Jibal, up to 633/1235–6, the date of the Mongol conquest of Isfahan. The book is divided into three parts. The first looks at the course of Isfahani history as the city was fought over by Buyid, Kakuyid, Ghaznavid and Saljuq princes, and at the role played by its elites in the face of these various powers. The second part shows how Saljuq rule resulted in the reshaping of local society to the benefit of a newcomer elite from Khurasan, at the cost of provoking violent tensions. The third part analyses how this new elite, now thoroughly integrated in the local society, sought to profit from the crisis and collapse of the sultanate by establishing its authority in the face of various Turkish rulers and taking control of the local political stage.