Kilij Arslan IV

Kilij Arslan IV (Old Anatolian Turkish: قِلِج اَرسلان) or Rukn ad-Dīn Qilij Arslān ibn Kaykhusraw (Turkish: Rükneddin Kılıçarslan, Persian: رکن الدین قلیچ ارسلان بن کیخسرو) was twice the Seljuk Sultan of Rûm from 1249 to 1254 and later from 1257 to 1266.

However, a jarlig issued by Güyük Khan confirmed him as sultan over his elder brother, Kaykaus II in 1248. But this jarlig would quickly be worthless after Güyük's death in the same year. Later, Arslan's supporters killed Shams al-Din Isfahani, a supporter of his brother, Kaykaus II (a rival to the throne). The death of Isfahani's successor in 1254, Jalāl-al-Din Qaraṭāy, left a power vacuum which was filled by competition by supporters of the two brothers. Kaykaus II would emerge the victor in 1257 with support from the Empire of Nicaea, but would be later defeated in 1262, as Arslan was supported by the Ilkhanate.

In the 1260s, Mu'in al-Din Parwana redistributed Seljuk crown lands among his followers. He did this to secure his position but would be met with protests from Arslan. This eventually led to Arslan's execution in 1265 by Parwana.

Sources

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