STATE STRUCTURE IN SIYASETNAME

Abstract

Nizamü’l-mülk has written the Siyasetname in accordance with the order of Melikşah to reveal the mistakes and deficiencies
in the administration and to take precautions accordingly and to apply the Turkish customs and traditions as well as the
experiences of the past government systems. In his work, Nizamü’l-mülk first gives information about a subject and then tells
hadiths and stories to support it.
Just like other political treatises, the building block of the work emphasizes justice. The basis of the state is seen as justice.
Where there is no justice, neither the sovereign, the people nor the state remain. Therefore the first and the primary duty of the
sovereign should be to ensure the justice. The sovereign who must do all this is responsible only to almighty God (Hak Teala).
The social structure defined in the Siyasetname consists of various classes that use special titles and nicknames. In the work,
the power of the state depends on the welfare and happiness of the people. Again, it is argued here that it is necessary for the
strong state and the powerful sultan to have a permanent and salaried army of many different races.
In this study, the state structure and the form of administration which has been established in the Nizamü’l-mülk’s Siyasetname
will be examined.