Hunting and chess are compared to ruling properly in the asides of a history of this empire called the “Comfort of the Chest.” The rise of this empire is connected to the historiographical concept of the “Sunni Revival” that followed the “Shia Century.” The Book of Government, or Siyasatnama, was written by a statesman of this empire. The atabeg Nizam al-Mulk served this empire, which patronized Omar Khayyam. Shia opposition to this empire led to the foundation of the Order of Assassins. The first beyliks and the Sultanate of Rum emerged in territory newly conquered by this empire after its ruler captured the Emperor Romanos IV in battle. For 10 points, Alp Arslan ruled what Turkish empire that expanded into Anatolia after it defeated the Byzantines at Manzikert? ■END■
ANSWER: Seljuks [or Great Seljuk Empire; accept Seljuk Turks or Seljukids or Seljuk Turkomans or Seljuk Turkomans or Saljuqids] (The first line is Muhammad ibn Ali Rawandi’s Rahat al-Sudur.)
<EC, World History>
= Average correct buzz position