Ertan Arslan

Khagan Ertan Arslan, commonly known as Ertan the Terror of Sarysu (Turkish: Sarisuyun Dehseti Ertan Turgutoglu Han). Was a nomadic Turkic ruler of the Arslan Khaganate from 888 to 923. Unlike his father, his Kurultay was an uncontested one, resulting in a near unanimous acceptance of him as Khagan at the age of 27.

An acomplished and capable military leader in his youth, he was able to build a reputation as a competent commander in his early career, leading his fathers forces and even sitting on his fathers council. This reputation meant that other clans wouldn't challenge his rule in the same way they challenged his predecessors.

His military aptitude, which developed through his reign led to massive expansions in the territory of the Khaganate, including the seizure of a large portion of the Caspian Steppe. His focus on westward expansion laid the groundwork for his successors campaigns against the Abbasid successor states and ultimately the Byzantine Empire, which led to the Turkic settlement of Anatolia.

He is also notable as the first of the Arslan Dynasty to embrace Islam, doing so in 918. He was also the first member of the family to undertake the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca. His conversion late in his life led to many suspecting he had only done so to allow his successors more legitimacy in their dealings with Muslim neighbours. Contemporaries suspected that he continued to practise many Tengriist rituals and rites, though others suggest he was a sincere and devout converter to Islam.

Early Life
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Military Career
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Early Reign
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Expansion of Tributaries
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Conversion to Islam and Death
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Personality
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Legacy
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