David III of Tao, the Georgian Bagratid…

David III of Tao, the Georgian Bagratid lord of the Armenian-Iberian borderlands, having given crucial assistance to Basil II against the rebel commander Bardas Skleros in 979, had been granted parts of the Armeno-Georgian marchlands that centered on Thither Tao / Tayk, as well as several northern districts of western Armenia, including Theodosioupolis (Karin; now Erzurum, Turkey), Basean, Hark’, Apahunik’, Mardali (Mardaghi), Khaldoyarich, and Ch’ormayari.

However, David’s rebuff of Basil in Bardas Phokas’ revolt of 987 had evoked Constantinople’s distrust of the Caucasian rulers.

After the failure of the revolt, David had been forced to make Basil II the legatee of his extensive possessions.

Irregular groups of Turkmen warriors (also called Oguz, Ghuzz, or Oghuz), originally from Central Asia, have begun to move into Azerbaijan and to encroach upon the Armenian polities of Vaspurakan, …