Abu Ghanim was the brother of Prince Grigor I of Taron, and was himself the de facto ruler of about one half of the principality.
[1] According to the De administrando imperio of the Byzantine emperor Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos (r. 913–959), Abu Ghanim and his nephews, the "sons of Arkaikas"—"Arkaikas" has been identified with either Ashot II of Taron or his father David[2]—accompanied the Byzantine emissary Constantine Lips to the Byzantine capital, Constantinople, during the reign of Leo VI the Wise (r. 886–912) and received the rank of protospatharios.
[1] The visit was repeated sometime after, variously dated by modern scholars at ca.
The wedding never took place, however, because Abu Ghanim died during a journey to his homeland, before he could return to Constantinople.
[1] Abu Ghanim was apparently already married once, for he is recorded as having one or more underage sons at the time of his death: his only clearly attested son is Tornikes, but there were possibly more, who are named in modern Armenian sources as Vahan and Smbat.