Public Lecture: Manuscript Discovery – Exploring Seljuk Baghdad and the Abbasid Court

Exploring the political and cultural dynamics between the Seljuk Empire and the Abbasid Caliphate in medieval Baghdad, this lecture features new academic research and a groundbreaking manuscript discovery by two renowned scholars who will shed light on this important historical relationship.

AGYA member Dr. Adam Talib (The American University in Cairo) will introduce a newly discovered manuscript from the Staatsbibliothek archives. This rare document provides a first-hand account of the Abbasid court during the Seljuk period, offering new insights into the daily life, politics, and intricate relations between the Abbasid Caliphate and the Seljuk rulers.

Prof. Dr. Vanessa van Renterghem (INALCO, Paris) will present the latest research on 11th-century Baghdad, focusing on the interactions between the Seljuk rulers and the Abbasid court. Her presentation will explore how these two powerful entities coexisted, influencing each other in a complex balance of power and authority.

Deepening our understanding of the significant relationship between the Seljuks and the Abbasids, this event offers scholars, students, and enthusiasts of Islamic history and manuscript research a rare opportunity to engage with leading experts in the field and discover a newly uncovered historical source that illuminates a central chapter of Islamic history.