Battle of Manzikert

Quick Facts: Who was Battle of Manzikert?

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Battle of Manzikert

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The decisive 1071 battle where the Seljuk Empire defeated the Byzantine forces.

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2Day Chrono-Wiki & Primary Historical Archives

Origins & Early Life

The Battle of Manzikert or Malazgirt was fought between the Byzantine Empire and the Seljuk Empire on 26 August 1071 near Manzikert, Iberia (modern Malazgirt in Muş Province, eastern Turkey). The decisive defeat of the Byzantine army and the capture of the emperor Romanos IV Diogenes played an important role in undermining Byzantine authority in Anatolia and Armenia, and allowed for the gradual Turkification of Anatolia. Many Turks, travelling westward during the 11th century, saw the victory at Manzikert as an entrance to Asia Minor. The brunt of the battle was borne by the Byzantine army's professional soldiers from the eastern and western tagmata, as large numbers of mercenaries and Anatolian levies fled early and survived the battle. The fallout from Manzikert was disastrous for the Byzantines, resulting in civil conflicts and an economic crisis that severely weakened the Byzantine Empire's ability to defend its borders adequately.

Career & Major Achievements

This led to the mass movement of Turks into central Anatolia – by 1080, an area of 78,000 square kilometres (30,000 sq mi) had been gained by the Seljuk Turks. It took three decades of internal strife before Alexius I (1081–1118) restored stability to Byzantium. Historian Thomas Asbridge says: "In 1071, the Seljuqs crushed an imperial army at the Battle of Manzikert (in eastern Asia Minor), and though historians no longer consider this to have been an utterly cataclysmic reversal for the Greeks, it still was a stinging setback." It was the only time a Byzantine emperor became the prisoner of a Muslim commander, and the first time since Valerian that a Roman emperor was captured alive by an enemy force. Although the Byzantine Empire had remained strong and powerful in the early Middle Ages, it began to decline under the reign of the militarily incompetent Constantine IX Monomachos and again under Constantine X Doukas – a brief two-year period of reform under Isaac I Komnenos merely delayed the decay of the Byzantine army. About 1053, Constantine IX disbanded what the 11th century Byzantine historian John Skylitzes called the "Iberian Army", which consisted of 50,000 men.

Enduring Legacy & Impact

Skylitzes' contemporaries, the former officials Michael Attaleiates and Kekaumenos, agree that by demobilizing these soldiers, Constantine did catastrophic harm to the empire's eastern defenses. Constantine made a truce with the Seljuks that lasted until 1064, when a large Seljuk army under Alp Arslan attacked the theme of Iberia and took Ani; after a siege of 25 days, they captured the city. In 1068, Romanos IV Diogenes took power and, after some military reforms, conducted two major campaigns to combat the Seljuks and their Mirdasid allies. He retook the city of Hierapolis in 1068 and chased after Turkoman armies that were raiding across Anatolia, with limited success, but he was unable to score a decisive victory in 1069. In 1069 or 1070, Manuel Komnenos lead an expedition against the Seljuks, thwarting an attack against Iconium with a counterattack.

Chronological Milestones & Life Events

1. 1053: 1053 Milestone — About 1053, Constantine IX disbanded what the 11th century Byzantine historian John Skylitzes called the "Iberian Army", which consisted of 50,000 men.
2. 1064: 1064 Milestone — Constantine made a truce with the Seljuks that lasted until 1064, when a large Seljuk army under Alp Arslan attacked the theme of Iberia and took Ani; after a siege of 25 days, they captured the city.
3. 1068: 1068 Milestone — In 1068, Romanos IV Diogenes took power and, after some military reforms, conducted two major campaigns to combat the Seljuks and their Mirdasid allies.
4. 1069: 1069 Milestone — In 1069 or 1070, Manuel Komnenos lead an expedition against the Seljuks, thwarting an attack against Iconium with a counterattack.
5. 1071: 1071 Milestone — The Battle of Manzikert or Malazgirt was fought between the Byzantine Empire and the Seljuk Empire on 26 August 1071 near Manzikert, Iberia (modern Malazgirt in Muş Province, eastern Turkey).
6. 1080: 1080 Milestone — This led to the mass movement of Turks into central Anatolia – by 1080, an area of 78,000 square kilometres (30,000 sq mi) had been gained by the Seljuk Turks.
7. 1081: 1081 Milestone — It took three decades of internal strife before Alexius I (1081–1118) restored stability to Byzantium.

Notable Quotes by Battle of Manzikert

“In 1071, the Seljuqs crushed an imperial army at the Battle of Manzikert (in eastern Asia Minor), and though historians no longer consider this to have been an utterly cataclysmic reversal for the Greeks, it still was a stinging setback.”

Historical Fact-Check Quiz: Battle of Manzikert

True or False: “The Byzantine Empire immediately regained all lost territories in Anatolia within one generation following Manzikert.”

Answer (FALSE ❌): It took three decades of internal strife before Alexius I managed to restore stability to the weakened Byzantine Empire.

Contemporary Figures & Related Historical Timelines

• William IX of Aquitaine — Historical peer (Born in 1071) (1071): Poet-Duke of Aquitaine, famed as the earliest troubadour.
• Ibn Tumart — Historical peer (Born in 1080) (1080): Founder of the Almohad movement, a pivotal religious and political leader in North Africa.
• Suger — Historical peer (Born in 1080) (1080): 12th-century French abbot, statesman, and pivotal figure in the genesis of Gothic art.
• Louis VI of France — Historical peer (Born in 1081) (1081): King of the Franks, known for centralizing royal power and fighting 'robber barons'.
• Alexios I Komnenos — Historical peer (Died in 1118) (1118): Byzantine Emperor who initiated the Komnenian restoration and sparked the First Crusade.
• Baldwin I of Jerusalem — Historical peer (Died in 1118) (1118): Founder of the County of Edessa and King of Jerusalem during the First Crusade.
• Emperor Shirakawa — Historical peer (Born in 1053) (1053): 72nd Emperor of Japan; pioneered the influential system of cloistered rule.
• Ibn Hazm — Historical peer (Died in 1064) (1064): Leading Andalusi polymath, jurist, and scholar of the Zahiri school.
• Emperor Go-Reizei — Historical peer (Died in 1068) (1068): 70th Emperor of Japan; reigned from 1045 to 1068, known as 'Later Emperor Reizei'.
• Emperor Taizu of Jin — Historical peer (Born in 1068) (1068): Founder of the Jurchen-led Jin Dynasty, a major power in northern China.

Frequently Asked Questions about Battle of Manzikert