An Opinion on the Name of Sanjar / Sandjar

Abstract

Studies of Seljukid History in Turkey started during the last period of Ottoman rule and continued progressively since the 1950s. However, some issues regarding this period have not been resolved yet. One of these issues is the usage preference of the name Sanjar/Sandjar. The name of the last sultan of the Great Seljuk was reflected differently in the usage preferences of historians. Just as a matter of fact, some historians used the name Sanjar, while others preferred Sandjar. There also are researchers who use both. Nevertheless, the spelling of the name is (sic) in all Arabic and Persian sources that we have been able to examine. Sources highlight two pieces of information about the naming. According to the first of these, Sultan Malik-Shah named his son Sanjar, who was born near Sinjar, influenced by the name of this city; and according to the other view, a naming derived from the verb sancmak, which means to stab in Turkish vernacular. According to one interpretation, the name that was originally Sandjar was transformed into Sanjar by final-obstruent devoicing, and consequently, the form of Sanjar had been used all along the subsequent investigations. This study intends to further evaluate the name Sanjar/Sandjar, and lay emphasis on a new opinion.