In that year, Marwan II took hold of Tbilisi and much of the neighbouring lands and installed there an Arab emir, who was to be confirmed by the Caliph or, occasionally, by the ostikan of Armīniya.

The Emirate of Tbilisi grew in relative strength under Ishaq ibn Isma'il (833–853), who was powerful enough to quell the energies of the Georgian princes and to contend with the Abbasid authority in the region.

The Abbasids chose not to rebuild the city extensively, and as a result the Muslim prestige and authority in the region began to wane.

In 1032, the Eristavi of Kldekari and Kartli, Liparit Baghvashi and Ivane Abazasdze lured Emir Jafar of Tbilisi from the city and captured him.

It seems that the emir could not have imagined such a development of events, because he went to the meeting with the Georgian nobility without any doubts, especially since he and Bagrat IV marched on Ganja with joint forces.

Ivane Javakhishvili pointed out that after the capture of the fortress of Birtvisi, the king took pity on Emir and again confirmed him as the ruler of Tbilisi, According to Kopaliani, Bagrat came under the influence of Liparit and Ivane's opponent feudal lords, who saw the threat of strengthening Baghvashi in taking over the city, therefore he refused to capture Tbilisi.

Ivane Javakhishvili, based on the preserved information of Ibn al-Athir, connects this hasty decision of the king with the entry of the Seljuks into Armenia and Azerbaijan, while M. Lortkipanidze again blames the princes who are opposed to Liparit for the failure of the attempt to capture Tbilisi, although he also does not rule out the influence of the Seljuk campaigns on the king.

Nevertheless, David's heartbreak soon subsided and he granted the people of Tbilisi many concessions: he released them from the tax of that year and, at the request of the Muslims, he ordered that no one in their area should slaughter a pig.

The king promised the Muslims, Jews, and Armenians of Tbilisi to live safely in the city and to keep their faith intact, so that they could freely continue their peaceful trade activities.