The son of Queen Rusudan by her Seljuk husband, Ghias ad-din, David was crowned at Kutaisi, as joint sovereign by his mother in 1230.

He was retained for three years at the Mongol court in Karakorum, until he was able to attend the enthronement of Guyuk Khan with his cousin David VII in August 1246.

[2] The Ilkhanate soon put an end to this revolt after a few short, bloody battles, while David VI managed to take refuge in western Georgia.

Despite this, Abaqa attempted to overthrow David with the help of the renegade lord of Racha Kakhaber Kakhaberisdze, and sent two expeditions against Imereti in the 1270s.

Nevertheless, David VI Narin succeeded in retaining his independence and attempted to restore Georgian influence in the Empire of Trebizond.

For this purpose, he marched to Trebizond during Emperor John II Comnenus’ absence at Constantinople in April 1282; and although he failed to take the city, the Georgians occupied several provinces.