Süleyman Şah (fictional character)

In the first season, Süleyman Şah is depicted as the long-serving Bey of the Kayı tribe, struggling to combat the tribe's poverty and dealing with the ambition of his blood brother Kurdoğlu and son Gündoğdu. Due to these issues, he sends his son, Ertuğrul, to ask for land from the Emir of Aleppo. This is made almost impossible when the Kayı are put in a series of problems with the Templars after Ertuğrul saves Şehzade Numan, Halime Sultan, and Şehzade Yiğit, with Süleyman Şah's tribe being persecuted and Ertuğrul being imprisoned by the manipulated Emir, although Ertuğrul later shows him the truth. A problem also arises with Kurdoğlu, after he seeks his blood brother's Beylik with the help of the Templars and Süleyman's daughter-in-law Selcan Hatun, who wants revenge from Süleyman Şah as he killed her treacherous father, Alptekin Bey. Selcan's husband Gündoğdu also becomes jealous of his brother Ertuğrul as he is respected as the tribe hero but gradually calms down, and helps his father Süleyman Şah defeat Kurdoğlu's tricks and secures his father's Beylik. After Kurdoğlu briefly overthrows Süleyman and attempts to murder him, he is captured and beheaded by Ertuğrul, who later successfully defeats the Templars and captures their castle on his father's orders, and Selcan repents. This is followed by Süleyman Şah's death and the tribe's migration to Erzurum as part of Süleyman Şah's will before he died, whilst Süleyman nominates Ertuğrul as the tribe's Alpbaşı (transl. Chief Alp) in his will.

Süleyman Şah has a moderate influence on the plot of the second season, despite having died. The nomination of Korkut Bey's son Tuğtekin as Chief Alp overrides his will for Ertuğrul to take that position, angering Ertuğrul. He later appears in Ertuğrul's dreams during his visit to Bithynia, foretelling the greatness of Ertuğrul's future son Osman. He also appears in Ertuğrul's dreams as his first posthumous grandson Gündüz is born, giving him advice on fatherhood, whilst he appears in his widow Hayme's dreams, first assuring her whilst she is wounded, and later telling her to migrate with Ertuğrul to the west. Sungurtekin, having returned to the tribe, also expresses regret over not being able to reunite with his father, whilst Deli Demir and Hayme also express regret over no longer being under his rule. Eventually, Ertuğrul names his sons 'Gündüz', 'Savcı' and 'Osman' as per Süleyman Şah's will, whilst Gündoğdu and Selcan name their son 'Süleyman' in memory of him. In the fifth season, Süleyman Şah appears in his grandson Osman's dreams, giving him advice in Ertuğrul's marquee. In the sequel series Kuruluş: Osman, Süleyman's son Dündar is shown to be residing in his father's marquee, whilst Süleyman Şah again appears in Osman's dreams, telling him to 'wake up' to his surroundings. Eventually, Süleyman's sons Ertuğrul and Dündar inherit the boil disease that he died from, whilst Ertuğrul also dies due to this disease.