Malik Shah I conquered much of northern Syria and the Armenian Highlands where he installed new governors who levied repressive taxes on the Armenian inhabitants. Thus the sufferings endured by the Armenians at the hands of the Seljuks became the impetus for many of the Armenians to seek refuges and sanctuaries in Byzantine Anatolia and Cilicia throughout the second half of the 11th century.

The Seljuk conquest of the Armenian Highlands also had a major impact on the Armenian Kingdom of Cilicia, which was formed by Armenian refugees fleeing the Seljuk invasions. The kingdom emerged as a major power in the region and played a key role in mediating between the Seljuks and other powers, such as the Byzantine Empire and the Crusaders.