Suleyman bin Qutulmush

Suleyman bin Qutulmush (Turkish: I. Süleyman Şah; Arabic: سليمان بن قتلمش) was a Turkish military commander from the Seljuk dynasty who established control over central and western Anatolia in the late eleventh century. He is considered the founder of the line of succession that historians call the Sultanate of Rum, with its initial capital in the city of Nicaea (Iznik) in western Anatolia.

His father Qutulmush was a member of the Seljuk family who had competed with Alp Arslan for overall rule of the Great Seljuk sultanate, a contest that Qutulmush lost. For this reason, Suleyman and his brothers left the central seat of Seljuk power and crossed into Byzantine territory in Anatolia, where they built an autonomous domain not directly subordinate to Isfahan or Baghdad.

The State of Anatolia after Manzikert

Following the battle of Manzikert in 1071, Byzantine defensive capacity in Anatolia weakened, and the empire in Constantinople became embroiled in civil wars over succession. Turkish bands, including those led by Suleyman, moved freely into the interior. Competing Byzantine commanders often hired Turkish soldiers as mercenaries, a practice that eased Suleyman's ability to bring cities and cultivated lands under his authority. In this way he made Nicaea his administrative centre, establishing in western Anatolia a permanent Turkish settlement under his rule.

Agreements with Byzantium

Suleyman reached agreements with Byzantine emperors, particularly Alexios I Komnenos, who accepted the reality of Turkish-held territory and wished to stabilize the frontier to guard against other threats. These agreements gave Suleyman the freedom to move his forces eastward and southeastward, where he competed with other Turkish and Arab emirs.

Antioch and His Death

In 1084–1085 Suleyman moved forces toward northern Syria and took control of Antioch, which had previously been under Byzantine administration. This conquest brought him into conflict with Tutush, the brother of Sultan Malik Shah, who ruled Damascus. The two commanders fought near Aleppo in 1086, where Suleyman died. After his death, northern Syria passed from his line's control, and Anatolia was soon held by various other emirs and Seljuk officers.

Legacy

His son Kilij Arslan I later recovered control of Nicaea and rebuilt the Sultanate of Rum, which endured in Anatolia for centuries until it fell to the administration based in Konya. Suleyman is thus regarded as the initiating figure of the Turkish settlement of Anatolia, establishing the foundation for the demographic, linguistic, and religious transformations of the region.