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Suleiman Shah I ibn Qutalmish (Old Anatolian Turkish: سُلَیمانشاہ بن قُتَلمِش; Azerbaijani: Qutalmışoğlu Süleymanşah; Turkish: Kutalmışoğlu Süleyman Şah; Turkmen: Gutulmyş Süleýman Şah; Persian: سلیمان بن قتلمش) founded an independent Seljuk Turkish state in Anatolia and ruled as Seljuk Sultan of Rûm from 1077 until his death in 1086.^[1]

Suleiman was the son of Qutalmish, who had struggled unsuccessfully against his cousin Alp Arslan for the throne of the Great Seljuk Empire. When Qutalmish died in 1064, Suleiman fled with his three brothers into the Taurus Mountains and there sought refuge with Turkoman tribes living beyond the borders of the empire. Alp Arslan responded by launching a series of punitive expeditions against them. Of the four brothers, Suleiman alone with his brother Mansur survived the raids and was able to consolidate his leadership of the Turkomans living in the Taurus Mountains.^[2]

According to the chronicler Al-Azimi, Suleiman captured Nicaea in 1075. Based on this date, some historians accepted that the Anatolian Seljuk State was founded on this date, and others between 1078-1081. Thereupon, sultan Malik-Shah I recognized him as a ruler of Rum, while the Abbasid caliph Al-Qa’im sent him a firman (edict) and a khalat for his success. There is no single record of him minting coins and delivering a khutbah (sermon) in his own name. For this reason, it can be said that he was still subject to the Great Seljuk Empire. As a matter of fact, there are clear statements in various sources about his subjection to Malik-Shah I.^[3]

In 1078, the Byzantine emperor Michael VII sought the help of Suleiman against Nicephorus Botaneiates, the commander of the Anatolic Theme, who had challenged the emperor for the throne. Suleiman intercepted Botaneiates’ small force between Cotyaeum and Nicaea, whereupon the usurper persuaded Suleiman and Mansur^[4] to join his rebellion by offering him incentives superior to those of the emperor.^[5] Nicephorus’ bid for power was successful, and in return for their support, Suleiman’s Turkmen were allowed to settle on the Asiatic side of the Bosphorus, near Constantinople itself. Two years later, Suleiman lent his support to another pretender, Nicephorus Melissenus.^[6] It was the latter Nicephorus who opened the gates of Nicaea to the Turkmen, allowing Suleiman to establish a permanent base.^[7] All Bithynia was soon under Suleiman’s control, a circumstance which allowed him to restrict communication between Constantinople and the former Byzantine subjects in Anatolia.

In 1084, Suleiman left Nicaea, leaving his kinsman Abu’l Qasim in charge. That same year, he captured Antakya from the Byzantine governor, Philaretos Brachamios.^[8] Following Suleiman’s capture of Antakya, the Uqaylid Muslim ibn Quraysh demanded tribute.^[9] Suleiman refused, which was followed by border raids by both sides.^[9] In 1085, Muslim ibn Quraysh marched an army to besiege Antakya, Suleiman intercepted him and defeated Muslim after the latter’s army suffered the defection of Turkmen under the command of Cubuk bey.^[9]

In 1086, Suleiman, seeking to expand his dominion, placed Aleppo under siege and demanded its surrender.^[10] The emir of Aleppo sent a message to Tutush I, the Seljuk ruler of Syria, stating he would hand the city over to him.^[10] Suleiman, hearing of the approach of Tutush’s forces, raised the siege and marched to meet him.^[10] In the battle of Ain Salm near Aleppo, Suleiman attacked Tutush but his forces fled before Tutush’s army under Artuk Bey and Suleiman was killed.^{[a][13][14][15][16]}

Malik-Shah marched to Antakya, where Suleiman’s vizier surrendered both the city and Suleiman’s son, Kilij Arslan I.^[9] Malik Shah transferred Kilij to Isfahan as a hostage.

Upon the death of Malik-Shah I, Kilij Arslan I re-established the Sultanate of Rûm.

Info taken from both English and Turkish pages. This is a list of wars fought by Suleiman ibn Qutalmish.
  Seljuk victory

  Seljuk defeat

  Another result

Conflict	Rum and allies	Opponent(s)	Results	Sultan	Seljuk losses
				Malik-Shah’s Anatolian Campaign (1078)	Sultanate of Rum Suleiman ibn Qutalmish[17] Turkoman tribesmen. Seljuk Empire Malik-Shah I Emir Porsuk.	Sultanate of Rum Suleiman ibn Qutalmish[18] Emir Mansur Turkoman mercenaries. Byzantine Empire Nikephoros III Botaneiates	Other results Fierce battles take place between Kutalmışoğul Emir Mansur and Emir Porsuk. Death of Emir Mansur. Suppression of his independence activities. Rise and conquests of Suleiman ibn Qutalmish. Historians suggest that the campaign was to eliminate both the sons of Kutalmış, but only the fate of Emir Mansur could be sealed.	Suleiman ibn Qutalmish	?
Initial conquests of Byzantine lands Conquest of Nicaea and Nicomedia Fall of Bithynia	Sultanate of Rum Turkoman tribesmen. Byzantine pretenders Supported by:- Seljuk Empire Abbasid Caliph	Byzantine Empire	Victory Foundation of the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum in Anatolia. Fall of Nicaea, Nicomedia and Bithynia. Recognition by the Great Seljuks and the Abbasid Caliph.	?
Malik-Shah’s Anatolian Campaign Conquest of Konya, Aksaray and Kayseri. Alleged siege of Constantinople.	Sultanate of Rum Turkoman tribesmen. Seljuk Empire	Byzantine Empire	Victory As per Osman Turan Fall of Konya, Aksaray and Kayseri and other major Anatolian towns. A tax of 1,000,000 gold coins imposed on the Byzantine Empire. Malik-Shah I cedes the conquered territories to Suleiman Shah.	?
Power struggles in the Byzantine Empire Bryennios’ March on Constantinople Botaneiates’ seizure of power	Opposition to the Byzantine Emperor Nikephoros III Botaneiates Botaneiates’ loyalists Theodore Gabras Philaretos Brachamios Trebizond-Antioch Nikephoros Bryennios the Elder Bryennios’ loyalists. Constantine Doukas Nikephoros Basilakes Military Support: Sultanate of Rum Suleiman ibn Qutalmish El-basan (Khrysoskül) Turkoman tribesmen.	Byzantine Empire Michael VII Doukas Michael’s loyalists. Initial Support: Sultanate of Rum  Turkoman tribesmen.	Victory Nikephoros III Botaneiates seizes the throne. As per deals, the borders of the sultanate extend up to the shores of Marmara, Aegean, Mediterranean and the Black Sea.	?
Rebellion of Nikephoros Bryennios and Basilakes Initial tensions. Ambush at Varda River. Battle of Kalavrye	Imperial forces Nikephoros III Botaneiates Botaneiates’ loyalists Alexios I Komnenos Military Support: Sultanate of Rum Turkoman mercenaries.	Rebel forces Nikephoros Bryennios the Elder Bryennios’ loyalists. Nikephoros Basilakes Basilakes’ loyalists.	Victory Nikephoros Basilakes is ambushed and defeated at Varda River. Nikephoros Bryennios is defeated at the Battle of Kalavrye. Revolt suppressed. Turks are given a share in the spoils.	?
Rebellion of Alexios Komnenos (1081)	Rebel forces Alexios I Komnenos Alexios’ loyalists. Maria of Alania Nikephoros Melissenos Melissenos’ loyalists. Military Support: Sultanate of Rum Turkoman mercenaries.	Imperial forces Nikephoros III Botaneiates Botaneiates’ loyalists	Victory Alexios I Komnenos becomes emperor. Nikephoros Melissenos is given the title of Caesar. Byzantium agrees to pay an annual tribute to the Seljuk Sultanate of Rum.	?
Norman invasion of the Byzantine Empire (1081)	Byzantine Empire Alexios I Komnenos Military Support: Sultanate of Rum Turkoman mercenaries.	Norman Invaders Supported by: Tzachas and Pechenegs	Seljuk Profit Sultanate of Rum assists Alexios I Komnenos in his defensive campaigns. Alexios I Komnenos recognizes the borders of Rum up to the Drakon River.	?
Conquest of Tarsus (1083)	Sultanate of Rum Turkoman tribesmen.	Byzantine Empire	Victory Fall of Tarsus, Adana, Anazarba, Masisa and other major Cilician towns.	?
Siege of Antioch (1084–1085)	Sultanate of Rum Turkoman tribesmen. Supported by:- Seljuk Empire	Byzantine Empire Dominions of Philaretos Brachamios	Victory Fall of Antioch, as well as the districts of Harim and Duluk of Aleppo.	?
Battle for Antioch (June 1085)	Sultanate of Rum Turkoman tribesmen. Çubuk Principality Cubuk bey Turkoman defectors	Uqaylid Emirate Muslim ibn Quraysh † Turkoman mercenaries. Çubuk Principality  Cubuk bey	Victory Suleiman ibn Qutalmish becomes the victor of the battle. Death of Muslim ibn Quraysh.	?
Siege of Aleppo (1086)	Sultanate of Rum Turkoman tribesmen.	Emirate of Aleppo Hassan ibn Hibat Allah Al-Hutayti Turkoman mercenaries.	Defeat Siege lifted	?
Conquest of Uqaylid lands (1086)	Sultanate of Rum Suleiman ibn Qutalmish Turkoman loyalists.	Uqaylid Emirate Turkoman mercenaries.	Victory Fall of Ma’arra, Kafartab, Shayzar and Qinnasrin. Suleyman Shah marries Menia Hatun, the widowed wife of Sharaf al-Dawla Muslim.	?
Battle of Ain Salm (1086)	Sultanate of Rum Suleiman ibn Qutalmish † Hasan bin Tahir (POW) Kilij Arslan I (POW) Kulan Arslan (POW) Turkoman tribesmen. Çubuk Principality Cubuk bey  Turkoman loyalists.	Seljuks of Syria and Palestine Tutush I Artuklu Principality Artuk Bey Turkoman mercenaries. Çubuk Principality Cubuk bey Turkoman defectors	Defeat Death of Suleiman ibn Qutalmish. Brief occupation of the Sultanate of Rum by the Tzachas, Elchanes and Poulchanes. Imprisonment of Kilij Arslan I by Malik-Shah I. Loss of Antioch to the Seljuk Empire.	?

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