السلطان ملكشاه جلال الدولة بن ألب أرسلان

Sultan Malikshah, Jalal al-Dawla, son of Alp Arslan and the third of the Seljuq sultans. He came to the throne after his father in 465 AH and gave the management of the realm back to Nizam al-Mulk. ²

Al-Suyuti says that Nizam al-Mulk was given the title "atabeg", and that he was the first to be so titled; its meaning is "the father prince". Malikshah entered Baghdad in 479 AH. ³ Ibn al-Jawzi describes his rule as extending from Kashgar to Jerusalem in length, and people called him "the just sultan". ⁴

He was devoted to hunting. The source relates that he built the Minaret of the Horns on the pilgrim road from the hooves and horns of game, and that he gave a dinar in charity for every soul he hunted. ⁴

When his son Dawud died in Isfahan in 474 AH, he grieved for him greatly. He wrote him a note in his own hand, which was taken to Nizam al-Mulk, who read it and wept. ⁵

In 485 AH he returned to Baghdad, and sent to the caliph asking him to leave the city. Then he fell ill and died, and this was counted as a wonder in the caliph's favour. ³ In the report of Ibn al-Imad, the caliph used to fast and pray against him. ⁶

Ibn al-Imad says that his wife Turkan concealed his death, and took the oath of allegiance for the amirs for her son Mahmud. Then his brother Barkiyaruq rose against them. ⁶