Upon succeeding his father, he took the title Sultan al-Dawla wa 'Izz al-Milla ("Power of the Dynasty and Glory of the Community").

[1] Travelling to his father's capital in Shiraz, he did seek for the traditional investiture by the Abbasid caliph, but instead had the required materials sent to him.

Qawam al-Dawla, taking advantage of his brother's presence in the west, invaded Fars with the support of the Ghaznavids.

[2] After a long series of negotiations, Sultan al-Dawla recognized his brother as "King of Iraq", in exchange for the latter's submission as a vassal.

The concept of the senior amir temporarily died; each region of the Buyid state was now ruled independently of one another.