The renowned vizier of the Seljuqid Dynasty, Ibn Ishaq Tousi

Compiled by: Syed Ali Shahbaz
On 10th of the Islamic month of Ramadhan in 485 AH, the renowned vizier of the Seljuqid Dynasty, Abu Ali Hassan Ibn Ali Ibn Ishaq Tousi, known by his title Khwaja Nizam ul-Mulk, was assassinated near Nahavand en route from Isfahan to Baghdad at the age of 75. Born in the northeastern Iranian city of Tous, he initially served the Ghaznavid sultans as chief administrator of Khorasan Province.
Four years later with the rise of the Seljuqs, he served as vizier during the reigns of Alp Arslan and Malik Shah I. In addition to his administrative duties, he established a number of schools of higher education in several cities, which were named after him as Nizamiyyah Schools and turned out to be models of universities that were established in Europe. Nizam ul-Mulk is also widely known for his voluminous treatise on kingship titled "Siyasat-Nama" or "Siyar al-Molouk"(The Book of Government).
Although it is claimed that he was stabbed by a member of the Assassins (corruption of Hashshashin) sent by his former friend, Hassan-e Sabbah of Alamut, his son-in-law Muqatel bin Atiyyah, who was eyewitness to a polemical debate, says he was assassinated in the same year as Malik Shah I, after a debate between Sunni and Shi'ite scholars, which resulted in converting him and the Seljuq sultan to the school of the Prophet's Ahl al-Bayt.