1071 CEReputable sourceWell documented
The Battle of Manzikert
On the timeline · around 1071 CE ·
What happened
At Manzikert in eastern Anatolia in 1071, the Byzantine army was crushed by the Seljuk Turks and the emperor Romanos IV himself was captured. In the chaos and civil war that followed, the Turks overran Anatolia — the empire's heartland and its main source of soldiers and revenue.
Why it matters
Manzikert was one of the most catastrophic defeats in Byzantine history, permanently costing the empire most of Anatolia. The Byzantine appeal to the West for help against the Turks would soon help trigger the Crusades.
Sources
- World History Encyclopedia. Battle of Manzikert · Reputable source
Related timelines
- The Crusades → — The defeat that helped spark the Crusades