Background
He succeeded his father Gagik I of Ani (989–1020) being the king"s elder son and legal heir to the throne.
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Joao Hovhannes-Smbat III of Armenia
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Career
But following a compromise agreement between the two feuding brothers, he agreed to withdraw his rebel forces from Ani and let the legal heir Hovhannes-Smbat III to return to power continuing as Hovhannes-Smbat III of Ani on limited areas around the capital, whereas Ashot (known as Ashot IV) would be enthroned a concurrent king and rule in further Armenian provinces closer to Persia and Georgia. Hovhannes-Smbat III of Ani"s rule continued (1020–1040) and that of Ashot IV (1021–1039). Despite the agreed compromise, conflicts, sometimes military, continued between the two brother kings thus greatly weakening the Armenian Bagratid kingdom.
During the reign of Smbat III, there were other rebellions against him.
David ran these liberated regions independently from Hovhannes-Smbat King of Ani"s jurisdiction and being a subject of the Byzantine Empire, when he died, his entire controlled territory was occupied by Byzantine emperor Basil II"s forces.
