georgian iii iii great iii iii known georgian prince family historic region georgian armenian murder byzantine title bestowed david best known crucial assistance dynasty civil war unique role political unification georgian patronage christian culture learning david joined friend revolt byzantine emperor defeated agreed lands empire death able secure heir opportunity ruler unified georgian kingdom history david younger son representative branch line dynasty held sway province historic georgian armenian border known turkey extinction original line alliance byzantine_empire succeeded brother duke policy flexible diplomacy began assembling larger state order enact ambitious plans david secure independence byzantine_empire reach greatest height emperor byzantines eastern neighbors fragmented armenian georgian rarely threatened empire directly particular interest constantinople controlled strategic international trade routes ran domains byzantines annexed armenian posed potential danger known integrity empire threat scale rebellion led broke following series successful battles rebels swept threatened constantinople urgency situation young emperor requested aid david promptly responded sent rate cavalry troops command reinforce recently defeated loyal byzantine general contributing decisive loyalist victory battle near march david reward lifetime rule key imperial territories eastern known contemporary georgian sources upper lands greece consisting chiefly northwestern armenian lands city present day turkey occasion granted high byzantine court title rewarded commander funding georgian orthodox monastery populated chiefly greek monks day known formidable acquisitions david influential ruler enabling interfere disputes georgia armenia medieval georgian authors greatest kings eleventh century armenian chronicler describes mighty man builder world honorable lover poor definition peace day prophecy states vine tree control highly important commercial centers major trading routes running southwestern eastern david invested revenues extensive building projects constructing towns forts churches promoting georgian monastic communities cultural activities georgia abroad issue succession having children david adopted young prince heir throne request energetic georgian nobleman fortunate destined sit furthermore mother sister childless king iii potential heir realm making plan creation georgian state david occupied foster son repulsed troops easternmost georgian kingdom recently occupied western sector rock city years later david secured crown displacing iii good fortunes changed anxious extensive possessions hereditary domain joined long time friend rebellion emperor rebels defeated forces dispatched strong force john punish david submit reconciled emperor granted title return promise death lands previously placed sovereignty revert byzantine_empire problem arose year planned expedition non duke lower persuaded foster son intended attack kill david crushed army led natural father march medieval georgian chronicler relates went david fell feet swore going david believed released peace years death reconciliation emperor david led series successful raids muslim lake van georgia grandfather armenia allied david recaptured raided important stronghold dynasty twice defeated second time decisively near david murdered nobles early according mixed poison communion good thursday given drink causing man choke death interested promises earlier emperor georgian chronicles maintain david died armenian muslim accounts suggest died gives date death march closely armenian chronicler says david died easter day year armenian calendar march armenian puts date wars succession time eastern provinces empire plain following campaign dynasty syria hearing death marched north eastward claim lands david promised emperor local georgian armenian nobility submitted resistance notable incident occurred quarrel georgian soldier hay developed major fight involving taking lives thirty georgian high ranking nobles foster son met unable prevent annexation realm recognize new borders reward imperial title despite setback able king georgian unified monarchy result possible largely efforts david modern scholar puts appropriately ranks high list georgian history disagreement modern scholars david ceded byzantines lands granted reward assistance rebel acquired endowed david lifetime reasonable assume conceded entire realm adjacent armenian counties lake van extent domain georgian kings easily reconcile loss territories leading series conflicts byzantine_empire eleventh century
David III of Tao