When Gagik II refused to abide by the agreement to hand over Ani and Armenia to the Byzantines, he was attacked by the forces of Konstantinos IX. Michael Iasites, katepano of Iberia, tried a swift attack, but Gagik organised his defences. Later Nikolaos, domestikos of the scholai and parakoimomenos, arrived with superior forces. Nikolaos carried letters from the emperor for the ruler of Dvin Abu'l-Aswar, urging him to attack Gagik's lands. Nikolaos wrote himself too, promising gifts to Abu'l-Aswar. Attacked by Nikolaos and with his territory ravaged by Abu'l-Aswar, Gagik came to an agreement with Nikolaos to hand Ani to the emperor