His defeat of the Armenian princes had enabled the Sulaym Arabs to surge into the area of Apahunik', which included the city of Manzikert.

In place of the ostikans, in 885 the caliph al-Mu'tamid (870–892) sent a crown to the Bagratid prince Ashot I, thereby restoring the Kingdom of Armenia.

When Smbat I fell into difficulties early in his reign Abu'l-Ward's grandsons revolted against his authority but were defeated in battle.

He was a very active statesman and under him the Kaysites became very influential in Armenia, being rivaled only by the Bagratids, the Artsrunis of Vaspurakan and the princes of Syunik.

During this period of joint rule the Kaysite domains were expanded, with the conquest of Berkri from the Arab Uthmanids in the early 10th century.

[4] Some time in the early 10th century the eldest brother, Abu Sawada, died and was succeeded by his son 'Abd al-Rahim.

This took place before 952, since this was when the Byzantine Emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus completed his work De Administrando Imperio which covers many of these events.

The Hamdanid amir then led an army into Armenia, captured Nadja's brothers and secured his rule over the former territories of the Kaysites.

Their power was much weaker in the surrounding rural areas, which generally remained under the control of local (Christian) leaders.

[15] Given that the Muslims formed a minority within the Kaysite amirate, the Armenian Christians were given a degree of autonomy when it came to dealing with their own private affairs.

Abu'l-Ward [I], considering them a threat to his rule, slaughtered a large number of them and executed their leader Smbat Zarehawanc'i.

[19] Militarily, the Kaysites benefited from a regular influx of ghazi warriors on their way to fight the holy war against the Byzantine Empire.

After Sayf al-Daula's death in 967 the fate of the Kaysite lands is unknown for a time, although they were probably in the hands of local rulers.

The Artsruni king of Vaspurakan attempted to take the remaining Kaysite lands, including Berkri, Manzikert and Ahlat, though without much success.

Its leader, Badh ibn Dustak, took advantage of a civil war within the Byzantine Empire and the weakness of the Hamdanids and created a powerful principality stretching from Manzikert to Mosul.

Badh's successes proved to be temporary, however, and when he was killed in 990 while attempting to retake Mosul the Marwanid amirate quickly shrank.