<>
thyreos

Byzantine Battles

<>
Abydos, 989
Ad Decimum, 533
Ad Salices, 377
Adramyttium, 1205
Adrianople, 324
Adrianople, 378
Adrianople, 813
Adrianople, 1254
Adrianople, 1369
Ajnadayn, 634
Akroinos, 740
Aleppo, 637
Aleppo, 962
Aleppo, 969
Alexandretta, 971
Altava, 578
Alexandria, 641
Amida, 502-503
Amida, 359
Amida, 973
Amorium, 838
Anchialus, 708
Anchialus, 763
Anchialus, 917
Andrassus, 960
Ani, 1064
Anthidon, 634
Antioch, 540
Antioch, 611
Antioch, 969
Antioch on Meander, 1211
Anzen, 838
Apadna, 503
Apamea, 998
Apros, 1305
Apulia, 1155
Aquae Saravenae, 979
Araxes, 589
Arcadiopolis, 970
Arcadiopolis, 1194
Ariminum, 538
Arzamon, 586
Attalia, 1207
Aurasium, 540
Auximus, 539
Azaz, 1030
Babylon, Egypt, 640
Balathista, 1014
Bapheus, 1302
Bargylus, 634
Bari, 1068-1071
Bathys Ryax, 872
Berat, 1281
Veroï, 1122
Balarathos, 591
Bar, 1042
Berzitia, 774
Bitola, 1015
Ganzaka, 591
Bosporus, 1352
Boulgarophygon, 896
Bourgaon, 535
Brindisi, 1156
Brocade, 634
Bursa, 1317-1326
Busta Gallorum, 552
Calavrye, 1079
Callinicum, 531
Campus Ardiensis, 316
Cannae, 1018
Cape Bon, 468
Carthage, 468
Carthage, 698
Cephalonia, 880
Kefalonia, 880
Lipares, 880
Stelai, 880
Castrogiovanni, 859
Chariopolis, 1051
Chersonesus, 447
Chrysopolis, 324
Cibalae, 316
Cillium, 544
Constantinople, 626
Constantinople, 674-678
Constantinople, 717-718
Constantinople, 941
Constantinople, 1047
Constantinople, 1187
Constantinople, 1204
Constantinople, 1235
Constantinople, 1260
Constantinople, 1261
Constantinople, 1422
Constantinople, 1453
Cotyaeum, 492
Crasus, 804
Crete, 824
Crete, 828
Crete, 961
Ctesiphon, 363
Damascus, 634
Damietta, 853
Dara, 530
Dara, 573
Dathin, 634
Dazimon, 838
Demetrias, 1274
Demotika, 1352
Devina, 1279
Diakene, 1050
Diampoli, 1049
Didymoteichon, 1352
Dimitritsi, 1185
Dorostalon, 971
Dranginai, 1040
Dyrrachium, 1018
Dyrrachium, 1081
Caesarea, 1073
Echinades, 1427
Edessa, 1031
Ekato Vounoi, 1050
Emessa, 635-636
Faventia, 542
Fields of Cato, 548
Firaz, 634
Frigidus, 394
Gallipoli, 1354
Gallipoli, 1366
Hades, 1057
Heliopolis, 640
Hellespont, 324
Heraclea, 806
Hieromyax, 636
Hyelion - Leimocheir,1177
Iron Bridge, 637
Ieromyax, 636
Jerusalem, 614
Jerusalem, 637
Kaisareia, 1073
Kalavrye, 1079
Kapetron, 1049
Katasyrtai, 917
Kleidion, 1014
Klokotnitsa, 1230
Kopidnadon, 788
Koundouros, 1205
Krasos, 804
Lalakaon, 863
Larissa, 1084
Lemnos, 1025
Levounion, 1091
Makryplagi, 1264
Mammes, 534
Manzikert, 1071
Maogamalcha, 363
Maranga, 363
Marcellae, 756
Marcellae, 792
Marcianopolis, 377
Mardia, 316
Marj-ud-Deebaj, 634
Marta, 547
Masts, 655
Martyropolis, 588
Mavropotamos, 844
Mediolanum, 539
Melanthius, 559
Melantias, 559
Melitene, 576
Membresa, 536
Mercurii Promontorium, 468
Messina, 843
Milano, 539
Milvian Bridge, 312
Mons Seleucus, 353
Monte Siricolo, 1041
Montepeloso, 1041
Montemaggiore, 1041
Morava, 1191
Mount Lactarius, 553
Mucellium, 542
Mursa Major, 351
Mutah, 629
Myriokephalon, 1176
Naples, 536
Neopatras, 1274
Nicaea, 1077
Nicaea, 1097
Nicaea, 1328-1331
Nicomedia, 782
Nicomedia, 1337
Nikiou, 646
Nineveh, 627
Nisibis, 338
Nisibis, 350
Noviodunum, 369
Olivento, 1041
Ongal, 680
Ophlimos, 622
Orontes, 994
Osimo, 539
Ostrovo, 1043
Palakazio, 1021
Palermo, 830-831
Pancalia, 978
Pegae, 922
Pelacanon, 1329
Pelagonia, 1259
Petra, 549
Petra, 551
Petroe, 1057
Perkri, 1034
Pharsalus, 1277
Philadelphia, 1390
Philomelion, 1117
Phoenix, 655
Pirisabora, 363
Pliska, 811
Poimanenon, 1224
Poson, 863
Preslava, 1053
Prinitza, 1263
Prusa, 1326
Rhodes, 1249
Rhodes, 1309
Rhyndacus, 1211
Rimini, 538
Rishki Pass, 759
Rome, 537-538
Rome, 545 - 546
Rometta, 964
Rometta, 1038
Rousokastro, 1332
Rus Raid, 860
Rus Raid, 941
Rus Raid, 1025
Rus Raid, 1043
Samarra, 363
Sardis, 743
Satala, 530
Save, 388
Saxa Rubra, 312
Scalas Veteres, 537
Sebastia, 1070
Sebastopolis, 692
Sedica, 809
Sena Gallica, 551
Setina, 1017
Shirimni, 1021
Singara, 344
Sirmium, 441
Sirmium, 580-582
Sirmium, 1167
Siscia, 388
Skafida, 1304
Solachon, 586
Spercheios, 997
Strumica, 1014
Strymon, 1185
Sufetula, 647
Svindax, 1022
Syllaeum, 677
Syracuse, 827-828
Syracuse, 877-878
Taginae, 552
Taormina, 902
Tarsus, 965
Thacia, 545
Thannourios, 528
Thasos, 829
Thessalonica, 586
Thessalonica, 615
Thessalonica, 617
Thessalonica, 676-678
Thessalonica, 904
Thessalonica, 995
Thessalonica, 1014
Thessalonica, 1040
Thessalonica, 1185
Thessalonica, 1224
Thessalonica, 1264
Thessalonica, 1430
Thomas the Slav, 821-823
Tornikios, 1047
Trajan’s Gate, 986
Tricameron, 533
Troina, 1040
Tryavna, 1190
Utus, 447
Vasiliki Livada, 1050
Veregava, 759
Versinikia, 813
Vescera, 682
Vesuvius, 553
Vid, 447
Viminacium, 599
Volturnus, 554
Wadi al-Arabah, 634
Yarmuk, 636
Zombos, 1074
Zygos pass, 1053
   4 th   century
   5 th   century
   6 th   century
   7 th   century
   8 th   century
   9 th   century
  10 th   century
  11 th   century
  12 th   century
  13 th   century
  14 th   century
  15 th   century

Aspis

Battle of Manzikert

(Malazgirt)
year:

1071

19 August 1071
Decisive victory of the Seljuk Turks with disastrous consequences ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
enemy:
Seljuk Turks
location:
Modern Malazgirt, north of Lake Van in eastern Asia Minor
 accuracy: ●●●●●
battle type:
Pitched Battle
war:
Seljuk Wars
modern country:
Turkey
  The Byzantines(emperor:  Romanos IV Diogenes) The Enemies
Commander: Emperor Romanos IV Alp Arslan
Forces: 35,000 30,000
Losses: 4000 to 8000, 4000 prisoners

Background story:
The Byzantines first came into contact with the Seljuk Turks during the reign of Constantine IX, in 1046, when the Seljuks invaded Armenia. Constantine IX secured a truce which lasted until 1064, when Seljuks conquered Ani, the Armenian capital. In 1067 they took Caesarea, an event that woke the Byzantine empire to the threat of the Seljuk Turks and led to the ascension of Romanos IV Diogenes –a seasoned military commander– to the throne.
Romanos, after a few speedy military reforms, campaigned against the Seljuks in 1068-1069, with limited success. In the spring of 1071, he campaigned again in Anatolia. Accompanying Romanos was Andronikos Doukas, a political rival. The army was a mosaic and included a part of the Varangian Guard and a number of Georgian, Armenian and Syrian forces of dubious quality and loyalty. Also many mercenaries: Frankish, and Norman heavy cavalry and Turkish light cavalry. The total force was 40,000 to 70,000. Only 10,000 of them were Byzantine regular army.
Romanos marched towards Lake Van aiming to recapture Manzikert and the nearby fortress of Chalata (Armenian “Khliat”). Sultan Alp Arslan was in the area with 30,000 cavalry, but Romanos had no idea, as he did not bother to send out scouts.
Romanos split his army and sent a large unit (possibly around 20,000) to take Khliat, while the rest of the army marched to Manzikert. It is a mystery what happened to that detachment. It was either destroyed or retreated without notice to Romanos, in an act of deliberate betrayal.
Romanos took Manzikert but then his forces met the Seljuk army. The unexpected contact and the ensuing skirmishes disorganized the Byzantines and Romanos ordered an immediate withdrawal toward Manzikert to regroup. His mercenary light cavalry (mostly Turkic), believing that the emperor had been defeated, promptly deserted, leaving Romanos with fewer than 35,000 men for the final battle

The Battle:
Manzikert
Alp Arslan humiliating Romanos IV
On what the Greeks would later call “the dreadful day,” the Seljuk army was in a crescent formation, while the Byzantine army arrayed in squared phalanx. Romanos was at the center of the front line, while Andronikos Doukas led the reserve forces in the rear. Almost all Seljuks were mounted, and most were horse archers. Contrary to their enemy, the Seljuks were an homogenous group, devoted to their leader.
Seljuk archers attacked the Byzantines as they approached; the center of their crescent continually moved backwards while the wings moved to surround the enemy.
In the beginning, the Byzantines made progress. They held off the arrow attacks and captured Arslan's camp by the end of the afternoon. However, with the Seljuks avoiding battle, by dusk, Romanos ordered a retreat. The Seljuks began to harass the withdrawal and Romanos decided to turn back and counterattack. But his army was already disarrayed. Doukas, being his antagonist, deliberately ignored the emperor and left instead of covering the emperor's retreat.
With the Byzantines thoroughly confused, the Seljuks seized the opportunity and attacked with a fresh force. The right wing collapsed and the remnants of the Byzantine center, including the Varangian Guard, were encircled and destroyed.
Romanos was injured and taken prisoner.

Noteworthy:
Romanos was brought before Alp Arslan, who could not believe that the covered in dirt and blood man was the Emperor. In a symbolic act, the Sultan put his boot on the emperor’s neck but he was otherwise gentle and released him within a week, after Romanos signed a humiliating treaty.
However he was dethroned and blinded by the reigning Doukas family and soon after that died.

Aftermath:
Although not a massacre, it was the most decisive disaster in Byzantine history. A chain of events followed which led to the loss of Empire's Anatolian heartland and to the gradual Turkification of it. Byzantine authority in the East never recovered.