The Beylik of Dulkadir was founded by Zayn al-Din Qaraja (r. 1337–53), a Turkmen lord, as a client state of the Mamluk Sultanate, in southern Anatolia and northern Syria.

With the reigns of Shah Suwar's grandfather, Mehmed (r. 1399–1442), and father, Suleiman (r. 1442–54), the Dulkadirids attempted to forge amicable relations both with the Ottoman state and the Mamluk Sultanate by marrying into the royal family.

During the rule of Suleiman's son, Malik Arslan (r. 1454–65), the Dulkadirids were involved in the succession wars within the Karamanids as well as a struggle against Uzun Hasan (r. 1453–78).

Shah Suwar had taken refuge under the Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II (r. 1444–46, 1451–81) who appointed him as the sanjak-bey of Chirmen, located in Thrace.

[3] In that appeal dated back to November 1466, Mehmed II emphasized the affinity he felt towards Egypt and that Shah Suwar was the legitimate ruler of his realm.

A Mamluk-backed Turkmen lord Eslemezoghlu attacked the Dulkadirid forces in order to weaken them until the Mamluk army's arrival but soon sought safety under Pir Ahmed of Karaman.

There, on 4 October 1467, Shah Suwar led an unexpected attack, capturing Berdi Beg and killing several Mamluk commanders, such as Kanibeg Hasan, the governor of Tripoli, as well as Qaraja al-Zahiri and Almas al-Ashrafi, the atabegs of Aleppo and Damascus, respectively.

While a portion of his army ransacked the Kurdish-populated areas toward Aleppo, another group started occupying the cities and fortresses controlled by the Ramadanids in the west.

Taking advantage of the Ottoman campaign against the rival Karamanids, Shah Suwar took Vahka and trusted his brother Yunus Beg with its control.

The Mamluk Sultan Qaitbay (r. 1468–96) consulted the Caliph Al-Mustanjid (r. 1455–79) and four women to finance a campaign against Shah Suwar at a time of economic distress.

In August 1469, they broke the siege by killing 500 Dulkadirid troops as well as capturing Yahya and several other relatives of Shah Suwar and sending them to Aleppo.

In January 1470, Shah Suwar's embassy arrived in Cairo with his conditions for peace, which included the recognition of his sovereignty and the placement of Dulkadirid garrison in Aleppo in exchange for Aintab's transfer to Mamluk rule.

The negotiations were fruitless, and in March 1470, the Dulkadirid prisoners were transported to Cairo, where they would be presented to Qaitbay as a sign of Mamluk victory and were later kept in the city's castle.

Shah Suwar responded to the Mamluk rejection of his terms by retaking Ayas and then Tarsus, Adana, and Sis in June 1470.

Having almost wholly seized the Ramadanid realm, Shah Suwar directed his attacks towards Aleppo, which prompted Qaitbay to reinforce the city's garrison.

Concerns over a joint Dulkadirid and Aq Qoyunlu offensive on Aleppo elicited the preparations for another campaign despite great economic difficulty.

[12] However, the next month, the leader of the Dulkadirid garrison of Aintab, Kanibay handed over the town to the Mamluk forces after withstanding a nine-day siege.

Through the confession of a captive, the Mamluks discovered their location and made an unexpected attack on the Dulkadirid troops who had 28 casualties, among whom were their foremost commanders.

Even though Yashbak accepted the offer, which started the negotiations between the two sides, Shah Suwar refused to leave Sis and Darende to the Mamluks.

Shah Suwar originally intended to recruit the Turkmens in the Amik Valley but had to return to Marash in August upon noticing the Mamluk presence in the area.

[12] According to Ottoman historians such as Aşıkpaşazade, Solakzade, and Hoja Sa'd al-Din, Qaitbay sent many gifts to Mehmed II urging him to stop safeguarding Shah Suwar.

He first laid siege to Ayas, where many Turkmens contributed to the town's capture by switching sides, including Shah Suwar's brothers Hudadad and Selman, both of whom were paid for their service.

After dispatching commander Aynal Ashkar to Adana, Yashbak then moved to the confluence of the Savrun Stream and Ceyhan River, near Kars.

There, on 12 November 1471, Shah Suwar encountered Yashbak and faced a heavy defeat with 320 casualties and 100 captives, fleeing the scene.

When Yashbak instead demanded that he leave his residence, Shah Suwar stipulated the condition that Qaitbay's brother, Timraz, and other Mamluk commanders be taken hostage as a guarantee for his life.

A major parade was prepared for Shah Suwar's arrival in Cairo, which contemporary historian Ibn Iyas recorded in detail:[15] The capital was ornamented with flags according to the Sultan's instructions.

In order to hang Shah Suwar and his brothers, Qaitbay had gotten the fatwas (Islamic legal ruling) of four different qadis (judges).

Ibn Iyas described Shah Suwar as very handsome, medium height, robust, round-faced, pinkish white-complexioned, blue-eyed, and black-bearded.

[18] The following statement in Arabic was engraved on the coins:[19] Obverse: شهسوار بـن سليمان عـز نصره, Shahsuwar bin Suleiman 'azza nasruhu transl.

Shahsuwar, the son of Suleiman, may his victory be glorified.Reverse: ضـرب عـيـنـتاب خـلد ملكه, Duriba Ayntab hullida mulkuhu transl.