THE OGHUZ TURKS OF ANATOLIA

Abstract

The migration and settlement of Oghuz groups, who were also known as
Turkmens in Anatolia, were closely related with the political and demographic
developments in the Great Seljuk Empire. But in order to understand these
developments better, it would be reasonable to dwell first a little on the conditions
under which the Oghuz groups lived before migrating to Anatolia, and look to the
reasons behind their inclination towards Anatolia. The Oghuz groups, who
constituted an important part of the Göktürk and Uygur states, lived along the
banks of the Sır Darya River and on the steppes lying to the north of this river in
the first half of the tenth century1
. Those were nomadic people, and they made a
living out of stock breeding, so they needed summer pastures and winter quarters
on which they had to raise their animals and survive through cold winter days
comfortably. In addition to them, there were sedentary Oghuz groups. In those
days, the sedentary Oghuz groups were called "yatuk"2 which means lazy. This
indicates that leading a nomadic life was more favorable then.