New
New
Year 7
Background to the Crusades: the Seljuk Empire
I can describe the position of the Seljuk Empire in the 11th century.
New
New
Year 7
Background to the Crusades: the Seljuk Empire
I can describe the position of the Seljuk Empire in the 11th century.
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Lesson details
Key learning points
- Islamic caliphates existed in the Middle East during this period.
- The Seljuk Empire was a powerful Islamic state in the 11th century.
- Desert and steppe nomads fought in a similar style, which was effective against sedentary civilisations.
- By the 11th century, the Seljuk Empire was expanding into Byzantium's territory.
Keywords
Islam - Islam is the religion of Muslims
Caliphate - a caliphate is an Islamic state ruled by a single religious and political leader
Nomad - a nomad is a person who has no permanent home but moves from one place to another
Pastoral - pastoral refers to the raising of cattle and other grazing animals
Common misconception
The medieval Islamic world was a single entity.
The Islamic Empire started as a single entity, but by the 11th century had fragmented into several competing nations.
For the revision wheel exercise, encourage students to prioritise the use of symbols rather than words as the abstract thought required for this task will cause them to think more carefully about the task.
Teacher tip
Content guidance
- Depiction or discussion of discriminatory behaviour
- Depiction or discussion of violence or suffering
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on
Open Government Licence version 3.0
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
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Starter quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
was the form of Christianity practised in the Byzantine Empire.
Q2.
The destruction of holy images is known as .
Q3.
Starting with the earliest, sort the following events into the order in which they happened. Use numbers to show the correct order.
Q4.
Why was Justinian I known as ‘the emperor who never sleeps’?
He struggled to sleep at night.
He enjoyed attending parties.
Q5.
Which two of the following weakened the Byzantine Empire from within?
invasions by Germanic tribes
loss of territory in wars
Q6.
Which group posed a new major threat to the Byzantine Empire in the 11th century?
Arabic Muslims
Germanic tribes
Slavic tribes
Exit quiz
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6 Questions
Q1.
An Islamic state ruled by a single religious and political leader is known as a .
Q2.
This keyword is a person who has no permanent home but moves from one place to another.
Q3.
To which religion did the Seljuk Turks convert in 985 CE?
Christianity
Judaism
Q4.
Which of the following were similarities between the fighting style of desert and steppe nomads?
They fought with their cattle.
They fought only in warmer conditions.
Q5.
Into which area was the Seljuk Empire expanding by the 11th century?
The Western Roman Empire
Umayyad Caliphate
Persian Empire
Q6.
Which battle in 1071 opened the way for the Seljuks to advance into Byzantine lands?
Battle of Civetot
Battle of Hattin
Additional material
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