FLAG AND SANZHAK ĠN SELJUK

Abstract

Flags have had great importance for the states and other flag-owning institutions and establishments. Flags had significant meanings in the ancient times in which symbols were especially carried great significance. Flags represented the states and the rulers legitimated their rule by their flags. Turks, since their emergence in history, have cared to use flags because of the influence of either the mythological beliefs they had or states they had a relation with. Before their adoption of Islam, Turks used flags in accordance with their old beliefs. After adopting Islam, they started to use Islamic symbols in their flags. Seljuks had a similar attitude and used flags with Islamic motifs. In the initial periods of their rule, they used symbols from their pre-statehood past but after their recognition by the Abbasid, they used symbols in their flags indicating this state of recognition.