Sultan Mes'ud had divided his country among his three sons before his death. Kilic Arslan who had taken the capital city of Konya and its environs had become superior to his brothers. Thus, Kilic Arslan was enthroned as the sovereign of Seljuks State instead of his father, but he suffered from the opposition of his brothers. First of all, he got rid of his middle brother that he considered as his rival. His little brother, Sahinshah who was afraid of this situation ran away to the environs of Ankara and Cankiri and he collaborated with Yagi-basan who was the emir of Danismendli principality. The outcome of the struggles for the throne led to the collaboration of the Byzantine, Armenians and Nureddin Mahmud against Kilic Arslan II and they jointly set in motion. Firstly, Sultan made an agreement with Danismendli Yagi-basan, and then, he suppressed the Armenians. Afterwards, he set in motion against Nureddin and captured Ayintab. The power and influence of Kilic Arslan that gradually increased and his victories that he won led his enemies and rivals to establish a stricter collaboration. The Byzantine Emperor, Manuel Komnenos who was in Cilicia with his army made an alliance with Nureddin Mahmud against Kilic Arslan in the year of 1159. While he was returning from his expedition to Cilicia, his army was busted by the raids of Turkmens in the surroundings of Kutahya. These raids led to the severe discord between the sultan and emperor. In the following year, the emperor who organised a military expedition against Turks was fairly beaten by the Turkmens near Eskisehir. Manuel Komnenos asked help from Franks in Syria against the Turks and he also made confidential agreements with Yagi-basan and Sahinshah who dominated in the region of Ankara and Cankiri. Sultan Kilic Arslan went to Istanbul in the year of 1162 in order to make a personal agreement with the emperor whom was the centre of the entire political activities and intrigues. The Emperor Manuel received him with a great ceremony and treated him with respect in accordance with his policy to cause discord among the enemies of the Byzantine. According to the agreement concluded between the two rulers, they would mutually help each other and the Turkmens would not attack with raids against the Byzantine.
When Sultan Kilic Arslan II assures the security of the western borders, he oriented towards the east and advanced upon the Danismendli principality, and captured Elbistan, Derende and the banks of Tohma stream (1165). Meanwhile, Yagi-basan had died and Zu'nnun had replaced him. Kilic Arslan II benefited from this situation and captured Kayseri and the environs of Zamanti. He captured the environs of Ankara and Cankiri from his brother, Sahinshah (1169). Upon the blockade of Malatya by Kilic Arslan, Nureddin Mahmud set in motion. However, there was not any war against these two influential characters. Upon the death of Nureddin Mahmud in the year of 1174, Seljuk sultan had gotten rid of his influential rival. There were not any obstacles in front of him in order to establish the Turkish union in Anatolia. In the following year, he completed the capture of the entire province of Danismendli with the invasion of Sivas, Tokat and Niksar. His rivals could only escape through taking shelter in the Byzantine emperor.