The governorship of Armenia included not only Armenia proper, but also Azerbaijan and the Diyar Bakr in the Jazira,[1] the latter being the main settlement area of the Shayban and Isa's own homeland.[9] Soon after his appointment, Isa (called "Yise, son of Šeh" by Armenian sources) was approached by the Uthmanids and the Kaysites, local dynasties of Arab emirs established around Lake Van, who were threatened by the rise of the Christian Armenian ruler Ashot I Artsruni, prince of Vaspurakan. Ashot was preparing to besiege the Uthmanid fortress of Amiwk, when Isa assembled a league of the emirs of Armenia, and with 15,000 men came to Vaspurakan.