After Gaykhatu's murder and
Baydu's enthronement, Ghazan marched against new ilkhan in 1295, accusing him of unjust murder of his uncle. Kutlushah commanded left wing of Ghazan's army and defeated Baydu, finally capturing him in
Nakhchivan. After Ghazan's enthronement, he was given hand of
Arghun's daughter Öljai Timur Khatun on 30 May 1296. He grew closer to Ghazan and asked for investigation on Nawruz, suspecting of his treason.
Anatolian campaigns A series of revolts were erupted in
Anatolia after
Taghachar's execution in 1296. First one was by Baltu (from
Jalair tribe), who captured Taghachar and turned him over to Ghazan. Ghazan appointed Kutlushah to lead three tumens towards Anatolia to crush him. After Baltu's defeat and subsequent flight, his accomplice
Mesud II surrendered himself to Kutlushah. After receiving his submission, Kutlushah left for
Herat to crush Nawruz in 1297 and executed him, meanwhile a new insurrection occurred by Kutlushah's subordinate, Sulamish in 1298. Kutlushah was forced to come back from Arran and won a victory against him, on 27 April 1299 near
Erzinjan, causing Sulamish to flee to
Mamluk Egypt.
Georgian campaigns Kutlushah had an important role in the
Kingdom of Georgia, where he owned lands, and his family was well known. He was often used as an intermediary and ambassador to negotiate with King
David VIII who consistently opposed Mongol rule. When David VIII required reassurances from the Mongols, in the shape of promises and hostages, Kutlushah provided his own son Shiba'uchi together with the sons of other Mongol princes, and brought the Ghazan's ring. These reassurances help establish more confident relations between the Georgians and the Mongols, as the Georgians were key in maintaining the northern defenses of the
Il-Khan realm against the
Golden Horde. In 1298 and 1300, Kutlushah led the repression against popular revolts in the lands of David VIII. He was involved in an incident, where Ghazan's vizier Sadr al-Din Zanjani incited him to act against
Rashid-al-Din. However, after Qutlughshah's report, Zanjani was arrested and executed by Qutluqshah himself on 30 April 1298 with this brother Qutb al-Din by cutting him in half., to accompany Kutlushah on the 1303 attack on Damascus.
Syrian campaigns In 1300 Ghazan had promised a major invasion of
Syria. However, he ended up sending a smaller force in February 1301, under Kutlushah. The force of approximately 60,000, did little else than engage in some raids around Syria. Kutlushah stationed 20,000 horsemen in the
Jordan valley to protect Damas, where a Mongol governor was stationed. Soon however, they had to withdraw. According to the medieval historian
Templar of Tyre: Kutlushah was given another princess of royal house on 7 August 1301, this time El Qutlugh Khatun, daughter of
Gaykhatu, following death of Öljai Timur. Kutlushah also led the 1303 Mongol offensive into
Syria, with a strong force of about 80,000, plus troops from the
Armenians. However Kutlushah, along with another Mongol general
Mulay, were defeated with the Armenians at Homs on March 30, 1303, and at the decisive
Battle of Shaqhab, south of Damas, on April 21, 1303. Their invasion, decisively repelled by the Egyptian
Mamluks, is considered to be the last major Mongol invasion of Syria. According to the Mamluk historian
Al-Maqrizi, Kutlushah barely escaped the death penalty for his defeat. Instead, he received the humiliation of being spat upon by all the people present at his judgement, and his generals all received baton strokes as a punishment. Kutlushah was then exiled to the region of
Gilan. == Under Öljaitü ==