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| Amongst the ] tribes, as in Persia, the rank was senior to a ]. | Amongst the ] tribes, as in Persia, the rank was senior to a ]. | ||
| In ], the style ''Atabeg-e-Azam'' was occasionally used as an alternative title for the ]'s ] (''Grand Vizier''), notably in ] for a ] prince, Major-General Shahzada Sultan 'Abdu'l Majid Mirza. | In ], the style ''Atabeg-e-Azam'' was occasionally used as an alternative title for the ]'s ] (''Grand Vizier''), notably in ] for a ] prince, Major-General Shahzada Sultan 'Abdu'l Majid Mirza. | ||
| ==Sources== | ==Sources== | ||
Revision as of 05:41, 18 January 2006
Atabeg or Atabey is a title of nobility of Turkic origin, indicating a governor of a nation or province who was subordinate to a monarch.
The word atabeg means "father of the prince." When a Seljuk prince died, leaving minor heirs, a guardian would be appointed to protect and guide the young princes. These guardians would often marry their ward's widowed mothers, thus assuming a sort of surrogate fatherhood.
The title of Atabeg was common during the Seljuk rule of the Near East starting in the 12th century. It was common in Mesopotamia (Iraq) and Persia (Iran). The most famous Atabeg was perhaps Zengi, who became Atabeg of Mosul in 1128 and soon established himself as an independent ruler of much of northern Mesopotamia and Syria (including Aleppo). After the end of Seljuk rule the title was used only intermittently.
Amongst the Turkmen tribes, as in Persia, the rank was senior to a Khan.
In Persian, the style Atabeg-e-Azam was occasionally used as an alternative title for the Shah's Vazir-e-Azam (Grand Vizier), notably in 1916 for a Qajar prince, Major-General Shahzada Sultan 'Abdu'l Majid Mirza.
Sources
- Amin Maalouf. Crusades Through Arab Eyes, 1984
- Royal Ark - Qajar dynasty in Iran