During the last years of Shah Rukh's reign, Sultan Muhammad raised a revolt in the western provinces of the Timurid Empire.

Shah Rukh was able to stop the revolt and capture many of its supporters in 1446, but Sultan Muhammad took refuge in Luristan.

Together with his half-brother Abul-Qasim Babur Mirza of Khurasan and uncle Ulugh Beg of Transoxiana, he became one of the three most powerful rulers of the splintering empire.

Sultan Muhammad, eager to expand his domain, soon started a war with Mirza Abul-Qasim Babur and invaded Khurasan.

Mirza Abul-Qasim Babur then took over Sultan Muhammad's territories, but soon lost them to the Qara Qoyunlu Turkmen under Jahan Shah.