The Seljuk Dynasty Origin

Kubarev V.V., The Seljuks Dynasty Origin, East European Scientific Journal (Warsaw, Poland), #5 (90), 2023 part 1. pp. 4–20. Link:

https://archive.eesa-journal.com/index.php/eesa/issue/view/84/133

Summary: The author put forward a hypothesis according to which the Seljuk’s Sultans came from the Princes of the Russ – Rurikovich Kin, who eventually converted to Islam. The hypothesis was fully confirmed by the identification of the main historical figures of the Seljuk dynasty with the descendants of the Princes St. Vladimir and Yaroslav the Wise. We are talking about the rulers of Sultanate of Rum Sultan Suleiman and his descendants, as well as Tuqaq, Seljuk, Mikail, Israel, Toghrul, Alp Arslan and other Sultans. Princes and their sons from the Principality of Tmutarakan became Seljuk’s Sultans, from where they conquered the countries and peoples of the Caucasus, Iran, Asia Minor and Central Asia.

Key words: Seljuk’s, Russ, Rurikovich, Tmutarakan, Princes, Sultans, Sultanate of Rum, Tuqaq, Mikail, Israel, Toghrul, Alp Arslan, St. Vladimir, Yaroslav the Wise.

The basic material: Recently, the author suggested that the Seljuk’s are representatives of an ancient royal family related to the Rurikovich, who converted to Islam. However, during the identification of Princes and Sultans, there were chronological gaps lasting more than 30 years. The names and nicknames of historical figures confused the reconstruction of events. In addition, European dating of the life of the Sultans did not coincide with Arabic and Persian sources.
The author hypothesized that the founders of the Seljuk Dynasties were representatives of the Russ Kin, the former Princes of Tmutarakan. Let's justify this statement. Information about the Princes of Tmutarakan will be summarized in Table No. 1.

In the East, it is believed that Seljuk Bey lived for about 100 years. According to Rashid Al-Din [1], he lived 107 years. European historians are convinced that he died in 1009 near Bukhara. At the same time, it is believed that his son Mikail (Mikhail) also died in 1009, although according to Sadr Al-Din Al-Husayni, Beg Mikail fought back in 1035 [2]. This source assures [2] that Seljuk left three sons – Mikael, Musa (Moses) and Arslan (Israel). The author Gregory Bar Hebraeus also believes [3]. According to Rashid Al-Din [1], he had five sons plus Yusuf (Joseph) and Yunus (Jonah). The information from Sadr Al-Din Al-Husaini is doubtful, because his book first entered scientific use in 1980 and looks like a new model book.
From the whole array of contradictory data, the author stopped first at identifying Mikail and his son Tughril Beg (Prince Falcon), so that then it would be possible to identify the rest of the relatives.
Mikail/Mikhail ibn Seljuk (?-1009/1035) is the son of Seljuk, the founder of the dynasty, whose children became the rulers of the Seljuk Empire [4]. The year of the ruler's birth is unknown. Mikhail had two sons – Chaghri Beg (Falcon, Gyrfalcon) and Tughril Beg (Falcon). Beg means Prince. According to Sadr Al-Din [2], Mikhail had a third son or nephew, Ertash Yabghu. The years of life are [4] for Chaghri Beg (989-1060) and Tughril Beg (990-1063). The younger brother ruled Khorasan (northeastern Iran and Central Asia) in 1038-1063. Chaghri Beg had 4 or 6 sons – Alp Arslan (1030-1072) assumed the throne of the Empire in 1063, Qavurt (1031-1073) became the ruler of Kerman, and Yakuti – the governor of Azerbaijan, and 4 daughters.
The youngest son of Mikhail the Tughril Beg did not have children. The Sultan's totem was a falcon. The heir to the Empire was his nephew Alp Arslan (the bold lion) aka Muhammad in 1063 [5], who died in 1073. Alp Arslan had four sons and several daughters.
Let us note that the eastern dating of the life of the first Seljuk’s is clearly overstated in order to make the genus more ancient than it actually is. It is doubtful that Seljuk lived 107 years, and his grandchildren 71 and 72 years in the conditions of Central Asia and in continuous wars and campaigns.
We also note that in the main source about the Russian Princes – the TBY of Nestor [6], a shift of 11 years appears in the chronology of events after the death of Yaroslav the Wise in 1054. In 1065, a double celestial phenomenon is mentioned – a total solar eclipse and a Supernova M1 outbreak of the star, which occurred in 1054. Accordingly, the dating of the events of Russia in the second half of the XI century can sometimes be overstated by 11 years.
According to the author's reconstruction, Mikhail ibn Seljuk is completely identified with Rostislav Vladimirovich, in baptism Mikhail is the son of Vladimir and grandson of Yaroslav the Wise, Prince of Tmutarakan. Years of the Prince's life is 1020?-1067. Mikhail had three sons – Rurik (Clear Falcon), Volodar, also Princes Tmutarakan, and Vasilko.
The eldest son of Mikhail with the name of the legendary Rurik was considered an outcast Prince. Information about his deeds and reign is completely absent in the Russian chronicles. Rurik had no children and died in 1092, but he managed to transfer his possessions to his brothers – Volodar and Vasilko.
So, Mikhail ibn Seljuk and Tughril Beg correspond to the Russ Princes Rostislav Vladimirovich and his son Rurik. It is also known that the children of Seljuk were Christians, like himself [2]. Over time, the Seljuk’s adopted Sunni Islam. It should be noted that the dates of death of Tughril and Rurik differ by 31 years, and the difference in the dates of death of both Mikhail’s is 32 years. The received discrepancies speak about the distortion of the history of Russia and the Seljuk’s in the X-XI centuries, which often happened with the chronology of Ancient Russia [7].
Mikhail was the Prince of Tmutarakan in 1064-1067 and was considered an outcast Prince without the right to the thrones of the Principalities of Russ. Relative of Rostislav Vladimirovich – Oleg Svyatoslavich, also baptized name Mikhail (1048/1050?-1115), Prince of Tmutarakan, was listed as the ruler of significant lands – Archon (ruler) Matrakhia (Taman and Kuban), Zikhiya (North Caucasus) and the whole Khazaria. These regalia are mentioned on his state seals [8]. Thus, the ruler of Tmutarakan controlled vast territories and many peoples, which was more than the possessions of traditional Ancient Russ. Therefore, the state of Tmutarakan was not a piece of land on Taman at all.
Russian historical science in the years of the Romanovs, the USSR and modern Russia tried in every possible way to belittle the role of Tmutarakan. It is believed that with the strengthening of the Cumans, Tmutarakan was separated from Russia and lost its importance in the 1130-1140s [9]. This statement is partly true, because the children of the Princes of Tmutarakan converted to Islam and founded the Seljuk Empire.
In reality, the activity of the Seljuk’s was justified by the claims of the Russ – Rurik Dynasty and the Saklan dynasty of Volga Bulgaria to the throne of New Rome – Constantinople [10, 11]. After all, the Co-Emperors of New Rome at one time were the Lekapenos (Rurikovich and the Saklan dynasty, including Baltavar and Emperor Mikhail), Saint Vladimir – Co-Emperor Basil II the Bulgar Slayer, and Yaroslav the Wise – Constantine Monomachos. When Constantine Monomachos failed to transfer the throne of the Empire to his son Vsevolod even after his marriage to Princess Irina/Anna Monomachos, then part of the Russian Princes decided to take revenge for the political defeat. One of the most active supporters of the restoration of Russia to the throne of New Rome was Prince Vladimir Yaroslavich, previously a participant in military and naval campaigns against Byzantium. His sons and grandsons continued his efforts through wars and seizures of Byzantine lands.
It should be noted that the Principality of Tmutarakan, after the defeat of the Khazar Khaganate by Prince Svyatoslav, went to his son Saint Vladimir (933-1015), in the baptism Basil. Then the Principality passed to his son Mstislav Vladimirovich the Brave, in the baptism Constantine (980-1036) [6]. Mstislav's wife was Alanian the Anastasia. Mstislav was not without reason given the nickname Daredevil/Brave. In 1016, Mstislav participated in the conquest of the Crimea. In 1022, he fought victoriously with the Kasogs in modern Georgia. The King of the Kasogians Rededya challenged Mstislav to a hand-to-hand duel to avoid the victims of the angry troops, but in the fight Mstislav stabbed the enemy with a knife and the Kasogs swore allegiance to the Prince. In 1029, Mstislav defeated the Yasov/Alans in the North Caucasus. Then the Russ-Alan army appeared at the mouth of the Kura (Azerbaijan) and in 1031 invaded Armenia (Byzantium). In 1032-1033, this army participated in battles in the Caspian region [12]. At that time, the co-ruler of Tmutarakan was Mstislav's son Eustathius. Thus, in the first half of the XI century, the Russian Princes rapidly mastered the Caucasus and Transcaucasia in a military alliance with local peoples. Mstislav allegedly died hunting and was buried in the Church of the Savior in Chernihiv. The Prince's grave has not been found in the cathedral.
The chronicle [6] says that Eustathius died in 1033, where he was buried is unknown. The author believes that Eustathius died in a religious sense. He could change his faith to Islam to advance his career among Muslims. The Prince disappeared from the field of view of Russian chroniclers. Perhaps his descendants lived in the East, having founded the Seljuk Kingdom in Eastern Bulgaria and Iran.
According to the author's reconstruction of history [7,10,11], the city Prusa (now Bursa) was the throne of Russ for many hundreds of years, and the province of Bithynia with the city of Nicaea were the family lands of Russ-Rurikovich-Flavians. After death of Constantine Monomachos/ Yaroslav the Wise in 1054, Russia lost the opportunity to dispose of its ancestral property and the right to the throne of Byzantium due to the opposition of the Greek party of the Empire. As a result, the Princes of Tmutarakan directed their efforts to create an independent state, called the Sultanate of Rum/Rome. It should be noted that the Bulgarian source confirms the Bulgarian origin of the Seljuk’s [13], because the Kin of Russ was a Christian branch of the dynasty coming from Ugyr Urus Aidar (the Great Horseman Igor), in Christianity name Leo, the eldest son of Emperor Constantine the Blind [10,11]. And then through his younger son Rurik (Lachin). In addition, Ugyr Urus Aidar [7,10,11] was the founder of the Quraysh family (ancestor of the Prophet Muhammad An-Nadr).
So, let’s identify the Princes of Russ with the Seljuk Begs within the framework of the proposed concept.
The forefather is identified by the author as Saint Vladimir, whose Bulgarian name is Kubar (Red Sun). In one of the versions, it's like Svyatoslav Igorevich. Tamgas and coats of arms of Princes were called Trident (Baltavar). On Fig. 1 shows the Tamgas (coats of arms) of Svyatoslav Igorevich (7), Vladimir Svyatoslavich (1-6) and Yaroslav the Wise (8) in the form of a bow, falcon or trident. In the East, the Tamgas of Svyatoslav and Vladimir could be called the Iron Bow (the nickname is Tuqaq). In addition, Vladimir/Kubar began his military career in the 960s as a Voivode and Beg of the Khazar Khaganate [10,11,13].

Fig. 1. Coats of arms (Tamga) of the first Rurikovich.

Consequently, the Arabs called Seljuk, including Mstislav the Brave, the son of St. Vladimir.
The author assumes that the Russian name of Prince Eustaphius Mstislavo Eustaphius vich was Mikhail. In 1033, he may have converted to Islam and settled in Eastern Bulgaria with the name Mikhail (Mikail in Bulgarian). Mikail's Sons/Eustathius began to rule in Khorasan and Iran. Chaghri Beg (Falcon) had sons – Alp Arslan (1030-1072), Kavurd-Beg (1031-1073) and possibly four more sons. Alp Arslan became the Sultan of the Seljuk Empire, and his brother Kavurd Beg assumed power in the Kerman Sultanate (1048-1196) in Iran. Eustathius and his descendants could be helped militarily by their closest relatives the Rurikovich Princes of Tmutarakan.
Mstislav is Brave had an older brother Yaroslav the Wise (978-1054). Accordingly, Eustaphius Mstislavovich also had a cousin – Vladimir Yaroslavich (1020-11052), baptized name Basil, and a nephew Rostislav Vladimirovich, baptized name Mikhail (1038-1067).
The author believes that the presence of a large number of sons of Yaroslav the Wise, as well as the birth of even more grandchildren, completely confused the Eastern chroniclers. The names of the Princes and all their relatives brought complete confusion to the identification of historical figures. Chroniclers could easily refer nephews to uncles and vice versa.
The dating of the life of Yaroslav the Wise's children is associated with the date of birth of his wife Ingegerd Olofsdother (1001). For example, Yaroslav the Wise, who was born in 978, allegedly married in 1019 and found a son Vladimir at the age of 42 in 1020. In addition, his son Vladimir Yaroslavovich became the Prince of Novgorod at a young age (10 years) in 1030. We are witnessing a chronological shift in the life of Yaroslav the Wise, the son of Tuqaq/Vladimir and the brother of Seljuk/Mstislav. Note that Eustaphius Mstislavich was born around the 1000, and his cousins, the sons of Yaroslav the Wise, are at least 20 years younger than him, although Yaroslav the Wise is Mstislav's older brother.
The historiography of the Seljuk Kingdom is saturated with legends and fictions in order to ensure the visible greatness and significance of a family of low origin. The chronicles are filled with small details – the number of camels, sheep and goats, gifts, small skirmishes and insults of the Begs. All this information is background in nature and is a complement of the authors of the annals. For example, the forefathers of the Seljuk’s Tuqaq and Seljuk were called Voivodes of the Khazar Khaganate, and were counted among Jews or Christians, which is partly true. In their youth, they were Voivodes and converted to Christianity, and Tuqaq (Vladimir/Basil) he was a great ruler of Europe, and at the end of his life he was known as the Co-Emperor of New Rome Basil is Bulgar Slayers [10].
So, the Eastern authors of the chronicles [1-3] claim that Seljuk had three or five sons with Christian names. Mstislav had one son, but many nephews. The most significant branch of the brothers was the sons of Yaroslav, Mstislav's older brother. There were seven of them in total, but four were related to Tmutarakan. We are talking about Svyatoslav Yaroslavich (1027-1076), Vladimir Yaroslavich (1020?-1078), Igor Yaroslavich (?-1060) and Vyacheslav Yaroslavich (1036-1057). They themselves did not reign in Tmutarakan, but their sons ruled – Gleb Svyatoslavich (?-1078), Prince of Tmutarakan (1054-1064, 1067-1068), Rostislav Vladimirovich (1038-1067), baptism name Mikhail, Prince of Tmutarakan (1064-1067), Boris Vyacheslavich (1054-1078), Prince of Tmutarakan (1077-1078) and David Igorevich the Violent (1058-1112), Prince of Tmutarakan (1081-1083). Rostislav Vladimirovich and David Igorevich were considered outcasts without rights to the thrones of Russ. Thus, we are witnessing a leap of rulers through a generation – the sons of Seljuk were not nephews, but grand-nephews.
An interesting episode is the blinding of a Russ Prince and one of the Sultans in the XI century. According to the Russ chronicles, Vasilko Rostislavovich (1066-1124) had two sons Ivan (died 1141) and Rostislav (d. 1141). For his ambitions, Vasilko was blinded in 1097 by order of his uncles – Svyatopolk Izyaslavich and David Igorevich the Violent. Sultan Masud Ghaznavi blinded his brother Muhammad in 1040 and imprisoned him. Then the throne returned to Muhammad, and Masud was chained [2]. Perhaps in the Iranian chronicles, Mikhail's children were called Seljuk’s, and cousins (grandsons of Yaroslav the Wise) were counted among the Ghaznavids Sultans.
It is important to note that almost all the Princes of Tmutarakan were outcasts, that is, outcasts. Such a humiliating status said that these historical figures were building their destiny outside the borders of Ancient Russia. It should be understood that the localization of the Seljuk’s in Bukhara meant the legal claims of the Russ – Rurikovich to the possession of Eastern Bulgaria.
According to the Turkic legend, Seljuk died and was buried in the city of Jand near the Aral Sea. The prototype of the Seljuk figure Mstislav Vladimirovich the Brave is allegedly buried in Chernihiv, in the Transfiguration Cathedral [6], but his grave has not been found there. In addition, it is unknown where Eustathius is buried, as well as the father of Seljuk Tuqaq. The prototype of Tuqaq, Saint Vladimir, was laid to rest in the Tithe Church of Kiev.
The burial places of the rogue Princes are not exactly known, because they are not mentioned in the chronicles and are absent in the temples of Russia. Rostislav Vladimirovich is allegedly buried in the Church of the Theotokos in Tmutarakan. However, there are no Princely burials in the only church found in the ruins of the city.
Gleb Svyatoslavich is buried in Chernihiv behind the Spas [6]. The supposed remains were examined on the Y-chromosome, which turned out to be from Haplogroup I2a [14], which contradict the relatedness of the relics with the Princely family of Rurik (Haplogroup N1). The graves of Roman Svyatoslavich and Boris Vyacheslavich are unknown. There is a dubious version that Oleg Svyatoslavich [15] is buried in the Transfiguration Cathedral of Chernihiv. After all, Oleg Svyatoslavich was in Tmutarakan, Bithynia, New Rome and was exiled to Rhodes [16]. It is mentioned that he was captured by the Khazars. Oleg's fate was connected with the formation of the Konya Sultanate (Rum) with its capital in Nicaea (1077), then the capital was moved to Konya (1096) [17]. David Igorevich the Violent, according to Karamzin [18], "was looking for loot and glory at sea," which means military affairs outside of Ancient Russia. There is no general opinion about the grave of David the Violent. Some believe that he died in Dorogobuzh in 1112, others believe [19] in Kiev in 1113 and was buried in the church of the Theotokos of Blachernae on Klova. There is no solid evidence of this.
In the eastern chronicles there is also no information about the burial places of the first Seljuk rulers. In the city of Rey (Iran) the Tughril Beg Tower has been standing in Iran for a thousand years. Someone considers it the tomb of Tughril/Rurik. Others call it the Tower of Caliph Yazid. It is doubtful that Sultan Tughril has found peace in Iran.
Consider the formation of the Seljuk Empire, taking into account the origin of the dynasty from the Rurik dynasty and the descendants of St. Vladimir.
We identify the Seljuk rulers, the founders of the Konya (Rum) Sultanate with the Russian Princes. The founder of the Sultanate is Suleiman ibn Qutalmish (ruled in 1077-1086). His father Qutalmish (d. 1064) was the son of Arslan/Israel (d. 1032) and the grandson of Seljuk. The author noted that Seljuk/Mstislav had one son and several nephews and many great-nephews, so figures from the Princes of Tmutarakan with a belligerent character and lack of information in the chronicles about their burials, families and heirs are suitable for the role of Arslan.
The author identifies Suleiman with Oleg I of Chernihiv (Svyatoslavich Gorislavich), baptized name Mikhail (1050?-1115), Prince of Tmutarakan (1083-1094). His father was Svyatoslav Yaroslavich, baptized name Nicholas (1027-1076), known in the chronicles of the Seljuk’s as Qutalmish. Accordingly, Qutalmish's father was Israel/Arslan Yabghu (d. 1032). Consequently, Israel is identified as the Russian Prince Yaroslav the Wise (978-1054). Note that the name Yaroslav is pronounced by Bulgars as Ar-Aslap [13], which is consonant with Arslan. However, Yaroslav the Wise is the son of Tuqaq/Vladimir and the brother of Seljuk/Mstislav, and not the son of Seljuk. Therefore, this ancestral tree of the Seljuk’s of the Sultans of Rum suggests that Seljuk is Saint Vladimir, and Tuqaq is Svyatoslav Igorevich.
Consider the fate of the children and descendants of Suleiman and Oleg Svyatoslavich. Suleiman had one son, Kilij Arslan (1079-1107), who had sons Melik-Shah/Shahinshah (1096-1118), Masud (1097-1156), Arab (1098-1129) and Tughril Arslan (1099-1129). Oleg Svyatoslavich found four sons – Igor Olgovich (d. 1147), Gleb Olgovich (1079-1138), Svyatoslav Olgovich (1106-1164) and Vsevolod Olgovich (1094-1146). Oleg's first wife was a Cuman’s Princess, and the Greek Theophano became the second. Probably, Gleb was the son of a Cuman’s Princess. There are no details of Gleb Olgovich's life in the chronicles, as there are no confirmations of his reign in Kursk, so the author identifies Gleb with Kilij Arslan.
Let's look at the information in the chronicles about Oleg/Suleiman and see how the meaning of events changes, depending on the commentator's interpretations. In April 1078, Oleg arrived in Tmutarakan [20], where his brother Roman Svyatoslavich and cousins Boris Vyacheslavich, the ruling Princes of the region, were. According to the TBY [6] Oleg fought with the Poles in 1076. And in 1078, the Prince brought the troops of the "filthy" Cumans to Russia [6]:
"They caused great evil by shedding Christian blood, for which God will demand from them, and they will give an answer for the ruined Christian souls"
The author believes that Oleg led the allied forces of the Russ, Alans, Cumans and Oghus, who captured Nicaea and Nicodemia in 1075, marking the beginning of the Konya/Sultanate of Rum. Therefore, he commanded an army of Eastern peoples, who in Russia were counted among the Cumans, used by him to solve political problems.
Oleg Svyatoslavich's actions in Byzantium were caused by the desire to return the Imperial throne of New Rome to the family of Russ, lost after the death of Yaroslav the Wise/Constantine Monomachos, as well as the return of Prusa and Bithynia, belonging to the Russ – Flavian family since the IV century. As a result, Oleg found military allies among Muslims took the name Suleiman and in 1077-1086 headed Rum/Rome. Part of Oleg's allied troops was the soldiers of Volga Bulgaria led by Khan Adam p. 40, volume II [13].

Great Bulgaria - Great Israel, VII century.

It should be noted that for the first time the combined army of Russ, Bulgars (led by Khan Adam), Cumans, Alans and Oghuses entered the borders of Byzantium in 1071, where the battle of Manzikert took place [21]. The Islamic troops were led by Alp Arslan and his cousin/brother Suleiman. During the battle, part of the Byzantine army defected to the enemy, including the Varangians, Bulgarians and Pechenegs – blood brothers and subjects of Oleg/Suleiman, Adam and Alp Arslan. Emperor Roman IV Diogenes was captured. He paid a lot of money for his release – 1.5 million gold coins in advance and then promised an annual tribute of 360 thousand gold. The Seljuk’s/Russian Princes received at their disposal considerable material resources for waging new wars of conquest and strengthening their power.
It is important to note that all the Russian Princes of Tmutarakan used the troops of the Cumans and Pechenegs in battles, and some of them married Cuman Princesses. In fact, this means that they led the armies of the peoples of the North Caucasus and the Caspian region. On the other hand, the Seljuk Sultans used a freelance army consisting of Ghilman in wars [22]. Ghilman were called people from the Northern Black Sea region and the North Caucasus. The Ghilman were not slaves, but rather nobles of the Sultans, sometimes they were part of the personal guards and guards of the rulers. Accordingly, the armies of the Seljuk’s and Tmutarakan Princes were identical.
Therefore, the concept of the Tmutarakan region included eastern peoples, as well as vast expanses, from where there was access by land and sea to the Caucasus, Eastern Bulgars (Central Asia), Iran, Anatolia and Byzantium.
In 1079 or 1080, a revolt of the Varangian guard arose in Constantinople [16]. At this time, the Emperor Nikephoros III Botaneiatas ruled. It is obvious that Oleg led the uprising of the Varangian guard, consisting mostly of Russians, in order to seize the throne of the Empire. The revolt failed, and Oleg was exiled by the Emperor to Rhodes. According to some sources [23], Oleg allegedly came to Constantinople in 1079 by force, captured by the Khazars in Tmutarakan. The author considers this argument ridiculous, because the Khazars were subordinated to Oleg and the Princes of Tmutarakan.
In 1081, the new Emperor Alexios I Komnenos, a cousin of the Princes of Russ, returned Oleg from imprisonment to Constantinople and married a noble Greek woman, Theaphano Mouzalon [16]. Then, accompanied by the Imperial fleet, Oleg returned to Tmutarakan and expelled his cousin David Igorevich and nephew Volodar Rostislavich from there. Oleg Svyatoslavich/ Suleiman recognized the primacy of New Rome over himself and received the official Title of Archon of the eastern lands is "Matrahiya, Zikhiya and all Khazaria" [8].
According to eastern sources, Alexios Komnenos and Suleiman were in long-standing friendly relations [24], so they concluded an alliance agreement, according to which Nicodemia (the capital of Bithynia) remained in the power of Suleiman. This fact confirms the fidelity of the identification of Oleg and Suleiman, as well as the kindred friendship of Alexios Komnenos with Oleg and the legitimacy of the rights of the Russ family to Bithynia and Prusa city.
Some sources claim [25] that Suleiman committed suicide or was killed during an unsuccessful battle in Aleppo in 1086. A duplicate of Sultan named Oleg at that time returned to Tmutarakan, from where he began to claim the throne of Chernihiv. For several years he was not mentioned in the annals. In 1094, Oleg led the troops of the Cumans and Muslims for the third time [6] in a campaign against Vladimir Monomachos, which committed a sin against Christians. In 1094-1097, the internecine war in Russ continued. As a result, in 1097, a Council of Princes was held in Liubich, which proclaimed peace. After 1094, Oleg became the Prince of Chernihiv and Novgorod-Seversky. Oleg Svyatoslavich was participant in several congresses of Princes, made peace with the Cumans and died in 1115. He buried in Transfiguration Cathedral of Chernihiv.
The burial place and grave of Sultan Suleiman is unknown.
In 1092-1107, the Sultanate of Rum was headed by Suleiman/Oleg's son Sultan Kilij Arslan, aka Gleb Olgovich. Kilij Arslan allegedly drowned in the Khabur River with his horse during the battle [26] at the age of 27. Perhaps Sultan Kilij is buried in the Kubbetü's-Sultan tomb, which was built by Atabeg Humartash in Mayafarikin. Contemporaries claimed that Sultan Kilij Arslan was a tolerant Muslim or Christian, because his death brought grief to local Christians [27]:
"His death caused great grief among Christians [of the East], because he was a kind husband and benevolent to believers at every opportunity"
Let's identify the ruling branch of the Seljuk dynasty, coming from Mikhail, Chaghri and Alp Arslan among the Rurikoviches, taking into account the chronological shift by one generation, based on traditional historiography.
The author has already written that the variant of the origin of the Seljuk’s branch from Mikhail, identified with Eustaphius, has no confirmation in the Russian annals, therefore it is possible to focus only on eastern sources. The accuracy of the details of the description of the origin and life of Mikhail, Tughril, Chaghri and Alp Arslan is questionable, as well as the dating of the life of these figures. For example, in the battles with the Byzantines, Alp Arslan (1030-1072) is described as the head of the Seljuk army, who had a cousin Suleiman (1050?-1086) under his command, although, according to the author, he should be older than Alp Arslan.
The second variant of the appearance of the main branch of the Seljuk’s corresponds to the origin of the nephew of the Seljuk’s/Mstislav the Brave named Vladimir Yaroslavich, son of Yaroslav the Wise, aka Israel or Ar-Aslap.
The biography of Vladimir Yaroslavich is covered with the darkness of lies, because theoretically he was the eldest son of Yaroslav the Wise with a claim to the Title of Grand Prince in Kiev, but he became only the Prince of Novgorod and was on the sidelines all his life. The author is convinced that Vladimir Yaroslavich is the youngest son of Yaroslav's first wife named Anna [28], captured in Kiev by Boleslav of Poland in 1018. Eldest son Ilya died at the Principality in Novgorod in 1020. Consequently, Vladimir Yaroslavich was born around 1000, and not in 1020 [6]. Formally, Anna lost her honor, so her sons Ilya and Vladimir received a pejorative status.
Vladimir became the Prince of Novgorod in 1030 at the age of about 30, and not a child at 10. He also participated in the campaign against Byzantium in 1043, not as a 23-year-old youth, but as an adult warrior 43 years old. Vladimir Yaroslavich's wife is not known. The only son of the Prince named Rostislav Vladimirovich, baptized name Mikhail, could have been born around 1020, and died in 1067. Accordingly, Mikhail, aka Mikail ibn Seljuk, is the great-nephew of Seljuk, or Tuqaq in this family tree Yaroslav the Wise. Michael had three sons, and Mikail had two. The eldest sons were called Falcon – in Russ it was Rurik (1040-1092), and in the East Tughril (?-1063). Both Princes had no children. Rurik Rostislavich was an outcast until 1084.
According to the author's reconstruction, Rurik /Tughril left the East after 1063 and returned to Russia. This decision was caused by the death of Mikhail's father, Prince of Tmutarakan, who was poisoned by Greek from the Crimea in 1064. Eastern authors claim that Mikail died in 1009, which is ridiculous. But the source [2] believes that Mikail participated in the battle in 1035.
The second son of Mikhail named Volodar Rostislavich (1041?-1124) had two sons – Vladimir (1104-1153) and Rostislav (?-1128). The date of Vladimir Volodarevich's birth reveals a forgery of the chronicle, which contradicts reality. Father Volodar Rostislavovich allegedly unexpectedly lived more than 80 years, but at the same time he was Prince of Tmutarakan only in 1081-1083.
Theoretically, Vladimir Volodarovich should claim the role of Alp Arslan, but historians have thrown him far into the future, making such an assumption obviously erroneous. According to the author's boldest estimates, Vladimir/Alp Arslan was born around 1060 and could not carry out the capture of the Armenian capital Ani in 1064 and lead the Turkic troops in 1071, as well as command his relative Suleiman. In the TBY [6] there is no data about Vladimir Volodarievich, and information from later Russian sources corresponds to a duplicate of the figure of Vladimir of a different pedigree. The Prince's burial place is unknown. In fact, the identity of Alp Arslan/Vladimir and his children disappeared from the annals of Russia. This indicates a possible change of faith by Vladimir and living in the East.
Consequently, either the chronicles of the Seljuk’s and Russ of the second half of the XI century are the result of a complement of Russian and Western historians, or the figure of Alp Arslan is given a false family tree, or both versions are true.
As an option, the author suggests considering possible candidates for the person of Alp Arslan among other Russ Princes from the family of Yaroslav the Wise. According to the years of life and death at the hands of the allies it is Prince Roman Svyatoslavich the Handsome (1048/1052-1079), Prince of Tmutarakan (1069-1079). The date of Roman's birth is not exactly known, researchers believe it to be in 1052. However, his father Svyatoslav Yaroslavich (1027-1076) married Cilicia early. Roman was the second oldest son and could have been born in 1048-1049. Therefore, the date of the Prince's birth should be omitted for 1048. Roman the Handsome is mentioned twice in the TBY [6] for 1077 and 1079, when he was Prince of Tmutarakan, and then was killed by allied Cumans in unknown lands.
So, the figure of Alp Arslan of the Eastern chronicles corresponds to the personality of Roman the Handsome, Mikhail's/Mikail cousin, the great-nephew of Seljuk/Mstislav the Brave. Roman could take part in the capture of the Armenian capital Ani (1064), in the conquest of Georgian lands in 1068 and lead the allied army of Alp Arslan and Suleiman, his second cousin Oleg Svyatoslavich, in the Battle of Manzikert (1071).
The Russian chronicles mention the battle of Nezhatina Niva/Field (1078), where several Tmutarakan Princes participated in the battle, some of whom died – Boris and Gleb. The localization of the Nezhatina Niva is unknown. The author believes that the battle could have taken place in Asia Minor. Part of the chronicles of Russ and the Princes of Tmutarakan were included in the annals of the Seljuk’s and vice versa. It is possible that the internecine wars of the Russ Princes in 1078-1079 and 1097-1100 are duplicates of the wars and conquests of the Seljuk’s during the formation of the Konya/Sultanate of Rum and the Sultanate in Iran.
We will summarize the data obtained on the Princes and Sultans of the Sultanate of Rum in Table No. 2.

We will summarize three versions of the data on the Seljuk Princes and Sultans in Table No. 3.

Conclusions of our research: The author's hypothesis about the origin of the Seljuk Dynasty from among the Russian Princes of Tmutarakan, descendants of St. Vladimir, was fully confirmed. The forefathers of the Seljuk’s were St. Vladimir and Yaroslav the Wise. Sultan Suleiman is identified with Oleg I of Chernihiv (Oleg Svyatoslavich), and Sultan Alp Arslan is identified with Roman Svyatoslavich Handsome. In the XI century, Princes of Tmutarakan controlled vast territories of Khazaria, Caucasus, Central Asia, Asia Minor and Iran. By the end of the XI century, with the adoption of Islam, the Seljuk’s formed Empires independent of Russ. The correctness of the author's hypothesis can be confirmed by testing the DNA of the Y-chromosome of the relics of the first Seljuk Sultans, which should belong to Haplogroup N1.

Pr. Dr. Valeriy Viktorovich Kubarev. 24.05–12.06.2023.

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Monument to the Sultan of Rum Suleiman,
he is Prince Oleg Svyatoslavovich.

Image of Sultan Alp-Arslan, he is
Prince Roman Svyatoslavich the Handsome.

Below we provide photographs of the sculptures of the first Sultans of the Suljuks in the representation of the Turkmens, who appropriated the rights of kinship with the Seljuks. The greatness and pathos of the self-consciousness of the Turkic peoples is impressive when the facts say otherwise.