Seljuk Judaistic Empire

What if the Tengriist Turks ( iam aware that they are not one united people) convert like the Chasars ( but more than only a aristocratic upper class) to Judaism on their way west and merge Tengrii and Jawe ? What if Tengriist traditions and Judaistic ones merge into a vaguely Jewish religion with the Torah as holy script ? Maybe also ties to Jewish Arabs , which influence them further ( OTL Turkish Tengriist mercenaries in early Muslim Arab armies ?)
 
What if the Tengriist Turks ( iam aware that they are not one united people) convert like the Chasars ( but more than only a aristocratic upper class) to Judaism on their way west and merge Tengrii and Jawe ? What if Tengriist traditions and Judaistic ones merge into a vaguely Jewish religion with the Torah as holy script ? Maybe also ties to Jewish Arabs , which influence them further ( OTL Turkish Tengriist mercenaries in early Muslim Arab armies ?)
Any thoughts ?
 
Such a state is unlikely to ever be called Seljuk.

Secondly, this is only probable in a world with no Islam. Only then do you maybe have a situation where the Jewish religion might take off amongst a small proportion of the Turks - but again probably no more than an elite upper caste. Traditional religion is quite strong, after all. Faiths that can blend with it, as Buddhism did to a great extent or Islam did to a lesser one, will do far better than Judaism, which isn't much of a missionary religion anyways.

In a no Islam world, the steppe would remain a chaotic blending of Manichaean, Buddhist, shamanist, and Nestorian thought. One of those groups would probably win out - my money would be on Buddhists and various shamanistic traditions. Judaism is just too much of a wildcard.
 
The legendary founder of the dynasty, Seljuk, was likely not Muslim at birth. He is reputed to have converted only in 985, an unknown amount of time after his birth but nearly three decades before death. His four sons originally had Judaeo-Christian Biblical names. He is rumored to have come from Khazaria, where he served in their army.

-Religion other than Islam
-Served in Jewish state
-Named kids with names possibly Christian or Jewish

I don't see how this is hard at all. You just have to find a way to prevent his conversion.
 
Perhaps having the Ghaznavids beat the Seljuks away from Central Asia early in the 1000's could force the Seljuks into Khazaria, where they learn of the prosperous jewish state that existed there before it was conquered by Sviatoslav.
But even then, i find it hard for the Seljuks to convert to judaism en masse.
 
Actually, this brings up an interesting idea I've had for some time.

So, let's say a Steppe Nomadic tribe converts to Judaism (hell, let's make is the Khazars for lack of a better group, or even a Turkic group) and then manages to conquer the Middle East. They take Jerusalem in the war.

Now, there is the political and the religious dimensions to this this situation.

1). Would Jerusalem become you capitol? From my understanding, Jerusalem during this time is not on any major trade routs and wouldn't make a great capitol, bit the religious dimensions mean it would get high priority.

2). So, let's look at the religious aspects. We have a great Jewish ruler liberate Jerusalem and (most likely) rebuild the temple, as well as invite the scattered Jews back. Well, my friends, we just have ourselves a Messiah! How does Judaism develop with an actual Messiah apparently showing up and fulfilling the prophecies? Especially if the new Empire collapses after a generation or two (although, let's say, with a rump Jewish state surviving in Israel)
 
If Seljuk never converts to Islam, and no other divergences occur, then Seljuk doesn't make an empire in the near east. You need earlier changes for a middle eastern empire to emerge that isn't Muslim or Christian (and if it's from the steppe in the tenth century it won't be Christian).

Dan's idea is fascinsting though. I assume Judaism would be very divided on how to handle that sort of thing. A Turkic Jewish group might also have relatively little in common with Judaism as practiced in Jerusalem at whatever time it gets taken over - further splintering the response.
 
If Seljuk never converts to Islam, and no other divergences occur, then Seljuk doesn't make an empire in the near east. You need earlier changes for a middle eastern empire to emerge that isn't Muslim or Christian (and if it's from the steppe in the tenth century it won't be Christian).

Dan's idea is fascinsting though. I assume Judaism would be very divided on how to handle that sort of thing. A Turkic Jewish group might also have relatively little in common with Judaism as practiced in Jerusalem at whatever time it gets taken over - further splintering the response.
Maybe longer surviving Himyarite Kingdom in Arabia and a Jewish Ethiopia would lay a better foundation for a Turkish inheritance of Jewish culture and maybe an Empire with Jerusalem included. Should edit the title to Turks instead of Seljuks though.
 
Jewish Turks would never be able to conquer Persia, so you'd see a Turkish empire with far less Persianate influence.
 
Maybe longer surviving Himyarite Kingdom in Arabia and a Jewish Ethiopia would lay a better foundation for a Turkish inheritance of Jewish culture and maybe an Empire with Jerusalem included. Should edit the title to Turks instead of Seljuks though.

Well, maybe you could see it migrate to the Turks from the Khazars. As others have noted, the Steppe and the Silk Road was a teeming symphony of competing religions during this time. It's not far fetched to see a small group adopt Judaism and then, for it to be adopted by others if the original tribe is successful.
 
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