atabek

atabek

English

Etymology

From an alternate romanization of medieval Turkish atabeg.

Noun

atabek (plural atabeks)

1. (historical) Alternative spelling of atabeg
   • 1780, The Modern Part of an Universal History, Vol. III, Ch. IV, §9, p. 128:

     It has been remarked, that this prince established Saad Ebn Zenki, who had been his governor, lieutenant-general of all his dominions, under the title of atâbek; which signifying Father of the Prince, and being given to the tutors of the Seljûkian princes, became afterwards a title of dignity.

   • 1932, H.A.R. Gibb, The Damascus Chronicle of the Crusades: Extracted and translated from the chronicle of Ibn Al-Qalānisī, p. 24:

     Since the Atābek stood in a paternal relationship to the Saljūqid "king" he enjoyed an authority far above that of the ordinary generals; it seems also to have been the custom for the Atābek to receive in marriage the mother of his charge and to give one of his daughters in marriage to him.

   • 1978, Vladimir Minorsky, The Turks, Iran, and the Caucasus in the Middle Ages, p. 346:

     ...in 511/1118 Tughril was but a child. His first atabek was Shīr-gīr...