Upon Baysunghur's premature death in 1433, Ala al-Dawla, then sixteen years old, inherited his father's position as amir-e diwan, as well as his post as governor of Mazandaran, a strategic position and important in the empires defence against Uzbek tribes.[4][2] However, the prince's focus appears to have been more on the affairs of the royal court rather than his official posting.[5] The following year, he participated in his grandfather's third campaign in Azerbaijan against the Qara Qoyunlu.[2] When Shah Rukh fell ill in 1444, Gawhar Shad, anticipating his death, pushed the powerful Amir Firuzshah to support Ala al-Dawla's succession to the throne, angering the other princes.