According to the Old Book of Tang, his father served as a chief under the leadership of Sheli Yuanying, the military governor of Yunzhong - a subdivision of the Chanyu Protectorate.
The Chinese sources then expand on this detailing that, following his enthronement, Ilterish Qaghan appointed his younger brothers Mochuo as a shad, and Duoxifu as a yabghu respectively.
Half a year later, due to the poor climatic conditions in their headquarters, the Turks began plundering the northern borders of the Bing Prefecture.
Between the June and July of 683, the Turks began attacking the Lan Prefecture which would result in a defeat at the hands of the assistant general Yang Xuanji who routed Ilterish Qaghan's forces.
However, due to the incessant attacks on the prefecture, Emperor Gaozong and the Tang court decided to degrade the region to a lesser military institution.
The Toquz Oghuz tribes, primarily Uyghurs, which had surrendered to the Tang during the expedition were resettled around the citadel of Tongcheng in the Anbei Protectorate.
[11] In 31 August 684, Ilterish Qaghan and Ashide Yuanzhen began an attack against the Shuo Prefecture, under the protection of general Cheng Wuting.
Neither Ilterish Qaghan or Ashide Yuanzhen are mentioned in the Chinese accounts of this battle, suggesting that the main body of the Turk army was dispatched to the north of the Gobi.
According to the Tonyukuk inscription, the Turk army under Ilterish Qaghan had managed to campaign deep into Tang territory, reaching the regions of Shandong and Taluy.
Between 12 September and 11 October 687 the Tang general managed to intercept and defeat the Turks during their attack on the Shuo Prefecture, completely routing Ilterish Qaghan's forces.
The tripartite alliance aimed to dispatch troops to the Altai Mountains and from there expand into the territories of the Turks, and destroy the newly formed polity.
Consequently, his son Inel Qaghan and his brother Mochuo (under the title of Tardush Shad) were appointed as the nominal heads of the army, while actual command of the campaign was transferred to Tonyukuk.
Tonyukuk led the Turk army across the Irtysh and engaged the Türgesh, who were supported by a retinue of Tang soldiers, in battle at the Yarïsh Plain, defeating them completely.
Possibly describing the result of this battle, Chinese sources note that between 7 November and 5 December 690, over 60,000 On Oq surrendered to the Tang court, settling within its borders.
My father's army was like wolves, their enemies were like sheep..."[20] Kutlu, Kutluk, İlter and İlteriş are common masculine Turkish given names, which are used in memory of Ilterish Qaghan.