Aq Sunqur al-Hajib

Abu Said Aq Sunqur al-Hajib (full name: Qasim ad-Dawla Aksungur al-Hajib) was the Seljuk governor of Aleppo under Sultan Malik Shah I. He was beheaded in 1094 following accusations of treason by Tutush I, the Seljuk Turkish ruler of Damascus.

Aq-Sunqur was the father of Imad ad-Din Zengi, the founder of the Zengid dynasty.

Biography Governor of Aleppo Aq Sunqur was one of the Turcoman beys that were assigned in 1084 by Sultan Malik-Shah I to aid Fakhr ad-Dawla ibn Jahir in the capture of the Uqaylid realm. Malik-Shah then made Aq-Sunqur the governor of Aleppo in 1086.

Aq Sunqur subsequently ruled for eight years. Because of the many conflicts between the rulers and princes of the regions, conditions within the city were difficult. A combination of high taxes and goods prices led to an increase in crime.

Aq-Sunqur began reforming by fixing the security situation in Aleppo and its environs. He activated the Hudud in Islam, repelling thieves and bandits and stamping out corruption. He increased the use of the police to secure civilian rights. He used the police authority to protect people rather than to control them. Aq-Sunqur created the "principle of collective responsibility" for every village or sector, which meant that if a village was raided by thieves, the whole village shared the responsibility of defending it.

Ibn Kathir and Ali ibn al-Athir wrote about him and found that he had a good reputation.