Portal:Iran

The Byzantine–Seljuq Wars were a series of decisive battles that shifted the balance of power in Asia Minor and Syria from the Byzantine Empire to the Seljuq Turks. Riding from the steppes of Central Asia, the Seljuq Turks replicated tactics practiced by the Huns hundreds of years earlier against a similar Roman opponent but now combining it with new-found Islamic zeal; in many ways, the Seljuq Turks resumed the conquests of the Muslims in the Byzantine–Arab Wars initiated by the Rashidun, Umayyad and Abassid Caliphate in the Levant, North Africa and Asia Minor. Today, the Battle of Manzikert is widely seen as the moment when the Byzantines lost the war against the Turks; however the Byzantine military was of questionable quality before 1071 with regular Turkish incursions overrunning the failing theme system. Even after Manzikert, Byzantine rule over Asia Minor did not end immediately, nor were any heavy concessions levied by the Turks on their opponents — it took another 20 years before the Turks were in control of the entire Anatolian peninsula and not for long either. During the course of the war, the Seljuq Turks and their allies attacked the Fatimid Caliphate of Egypt, capturing Jerusalem and catalyzing the call for the First Crusade. Crusader assistance to the Byzantine Empire was mixed with treachery and looting, although substantial gains were made in the First Crusade. Within a hundred years of Manzikert, the Byzantines had (with Crusader assistance) successfully driven back the Turks from the coasts of Asia Minor and extended their influence right down to Palestine and even Egypt. Later, the Byzantines were unable to extract any more assistance, and the Fourth Crusade even led to the sack of Constantinople. Before the conflict petered out, the Seljuqs managed to take more territory from the weakened Empire of Nicaea until the Sultanate itself was taken over by the Mongols, leading to the rise of the ghazis and the conclusive Byzantine–Ottoman wars.

Ancient bracelet, Achaemenid period, part of Oxus Treasure, 500 BCE, Iran

• April 1, 1979 - Iran's government becomes an Islamic Republic by a 98% vote, overthrowing the Shah officially.
• April 18, 2005 - Five people die in ethnic clashes in Iran's south-west Khuzestan province.
• April 20, 1925 - Iranian forces of Rezā Shāh occupy Ahwaz, and arrest Sheikh Khaz'al.
• April 24–April 25, 1980 – Operation Eagle Claw, a commando mission in Iran to rescue American embassy hostages, is aborted after mechanical problems ground the rescue helicopters. Eight United States troops are killed in a mid-air collision during the failed operation.

You are invited to participate in WikiProject Iran, a WikiProject dedicated to developing and improving articles about Iran.

Parent projects

Asia • Western Asia • Countries

Main project

WikiProject Iran

Sub-projects

Persian cinema • Persian literature • Zoroastrianism

Related projects

Geography • History • Armenia • Azerbaijan • Caucasia • Central Asia • Iraq • Russia • Georgia • Islam • Kurdistan • Afghanistan • Turkmenistan • Tajikistan • Greece • Turkey