Suleiman is the son of Qutalmish, who had struggled unsuccessfully against his cousin Alp Arslan for the throne of Great Seljuq Empire.

When Kutalmish died in 1064, Suleiman had fled with his three brothers into the Taurus Mountains and there sought refuge with Turkmen tribes living beyond the borders of the empire.

Alp Arslan had responded by launching a series of punitive expeditions against them.

Of the four brothers, Suleiman alone has survived the raids and has been able to consolidate his leadership of the Turkmen.

Suleiman has been appointed governor of the northwestern provinces and assigned to completing the invasion of Anatolia.

An explanation for this choice can only be conjectured from Ibn al-Athir’s account of the battle between Alp-Arslan and Qutalmish, in which he writes that Alp-Arslan wept for the latter's death and greatly mourned the loss of his kinsman.

The emperor Michael VII seeks the help of Suleiman in 1078 against Nikephoros Botaneiates, the commander of the Anatolic Theme, who has challenged the emperor for the throne.

Suleiman intercepts Botaneiates' small force between Cotyaeum and Nicaea, whereupon the usurper persuades Suleiman to join his rebellion by offering him incentives superior to those of the emperor.

Nikephoros' bid for power is successful, and in return for their support Suleiman's Turkmen are allowed to settle on the Asiatic side of the Bosporus, near Constantinople itself.