Seljuk Dynasty

State · 990–1039 CE · at its largest around 1034 CE

The early Seljuks, an Oghuz Turkic clan of Central Asia who converted to Islam and, under Tughril and Chaghri, defeated the Ghaznavids at Dandanaqan in 1040.

On its lands while it lasted

Silk Road (c. 130 BCE – c. 1450 CE): A network of overland caravan routes linking China with Central Asia, Persia and the Mediterranean, along which silk, spices, horses, religions, technologies and diseases travelled for more than 1,500 years.
Samanid Empire (819–999 CE): Persian dynasty ruling from Bukhara whose court fostered a revival of the Persian language and literature within the Islamic world.
Al-Biruni (c. 973 CE – 1050 CE): Scholar from Khwarazm who wrote on astronomy, mathematics and geography and produced a detailed study of India after travelling with Mahmud of Ghazni.
Shahnameh (1010 CE): Ferdowsi completed the Shahnameh ('Book of Kings'), an epic of about 50,000 couplets on the history and legends of Iran, a cornerstone of Persian literature.