1071 AD:
Romanos IV Diogenes was desperate for a great victory over the Seljuk Turks to solidify his rule as emperor. Well, technically, he was co-emperor with his predecessors' sons, but the 'rightful' emperor, Michael Doukas, took after his father. For years, Romanos had tried to evict the Turks from Armenia, even at the expense of Bari in Southern Italy. Now, he sent an embassy to Alp Arslan offering to renew the treaty they had signed two years ago. The sultan readily agreed, for he saw the Shiite Fatimids of Egypt as the greater foe, and marched towards Aleppo. Unfortunately for him, this was all part of Romanos' plan to march into Armenia and reclaim the lands lost under Constantine X before the Turks had time to respond. Romanos thought long and hard about who to bring with him. This was his last chance. Either he won his great victory and kept his throne or he would lose everything - his army, his throne, his wife and sons, possibly even his life - to the Doukai. Initially, he planned to bring Andronikos Doukas* , son of Caesar John, with him to keep an eye on him, but then he realised he needed someone whom he could trust completely. He ended up choosing the general Nikephoros Botaneiates (POD) ** , who had not only proven himself on the battlefield, but was Romanos' oldest and closest friend.
The march from Constantinople to Theodosiopolis took nearly 5 months, during which he was forced to dismiss his 500 Frankish and Norman mercenaries, a minor dent in his 70,000-strong army. At Theodosiopolis, most of his generals urged him to continue the march, while Nikephoros Bryennios advised that they fortify their position. While Romanos respected Bryennios and might have followed his advice under different circumstances, the soldiers didn't have their patience, and he was determined to settle the Eastern question once and for all. Soon, the entire army was marching towards Manzikert***, which quickly fell on August 23rd.
The next day, some foraging parties under Bryennios discovered the main Seljuk army under Alp Arslan. On August 25th, after Romanos had rejected peace overtures, some of his Turkic mercenaries defected to the Seljuks. Undeterred, the Romans assembled into a proper battle formation the next day - the left wing under Nikephoros Bryennios, the right wing under Theodore Alyates, the rear under Nikephoros Botaneiates and the emperor and Joseph Tarchaneiotes in the center. The Turks were organised in a crescent formation, similar to Hannibal at Cannae, with the centre moving backwards while the wings slowly encircled the enemy. Under hails of arrows, the Romans captured Arslan's camp by the end of the afternoon, but the left and right wings almost crumbled when individual units broke ranks and tried to force the Seljuks into pitched battle. The horse-archers simply retreated.
With the Seljuks avoiding battle and his wings in trouble, Romanos took a desperate gamble. Bryennios was performing well, so he sent Nikephoros Botaneiates and the rear guard to back him up, hoping that the left wing would push forward, and sent Tarchaneiotes to back up Theodore Alyates and rally the Armenians. Seeing the center of the Roman line thinning, Alp Arslan personally charged, hoping to capture or kill the emperor. Just as he approached, the Varangian Guard came to the defense of their emperor and cut down Arslan's horse. Word began to spread that the Sultan had fallen just as the Roman left wing began to inch forward, turning into a full-scale rout for the Turkish army.
A quarter of his army had been injured or killed, but Romanos had finally gained his great victory. He would come home, parade Arslan before the people of Constantinople and persuade him to return Armenia before setting him free or executing him. But first, the emperor needed a drink, a bath and a good night's sleep.
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POD: IOTL, Romanos put Andronikos Doukas in charge of the rear guard, and he fled the battlefield in the confusion of the battle, turning Manzikert from a winnable battle into a rout.
*: Father of Eirene Doukaina, wife of Alexios I Komnenos.
**: OTL Nikephoros III.
***: IOTL, he sent half his force under Joseph Tarchaneiotes to take Khilat. They failed and though Joseph survived, Romanos' army was weakened even more.
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Still waiting for the CK2 patch, but for now, goodbye Belisarius, hello Romanos IV Diogenes. All comments are welcome!
Romanos IV Diogenes was desperate for a great victory over the Seljuk Turks to solidify his rule as emperor. Well, technically, he was co-emperor with his predecessors' sons, but the 'rightful' emperor, Michael Doukas, took after his father. For years, Romanos had tried to evict the Turks from Armenia, even at the expense of Bari in Southern Italy. Now, he sent an embassy to Alp Arslan offering to renew the treaty they had signed two years ago. The sultan readily agreed, for he saw the Shiite Fatimids of Egypt as the greater foe, and marched towards Aleppo. Unfortunately for him, this was all part of Romanos' plan to march into Armenia and reclaim the lands lost under Constantine X before the Turks had time to respond. Romanos thought long and hard about who to bring with him. This was his last chance. Either he won his great victory and kept his throne or he would lose everything - his army, his throne, his wife and sons, possibly even his life - to the Doukai. Initially, he planned to bring Andronikos Doukas* , son of Caesar John, with him to keep an eye on him, but then he realised he needed someone whom he could trust completely. He ended up choosing the general Nikephoros Botaneiates (POD) ** , who had not only proven himself on the battlefield, but was Romanos' oldest and closest friend.
The march from Constantinople to Theodosiopolis took nearly 5 months, during which he was forced to dismiss his 500 Frankish and Norman mercenaries, a minor dent in his 70,000-strong army. At Theodosiopolis, most of his generals urged him to continue the march, while Nikephoros Bryennios advised that they fortify their position. While Romanos respected Bryennios and might have followed his advice under different circumstances, the soldiers didn't have their patience, and he was determined to settle the Eastern question once and for all. Soon, the entire army was marching towards Manzikert***, which quickly fell on August 23rd.
The next day, some foraging parties under Bryennios discovered the main Seljuk army under Alp Arslan. On August 25th, after Romanos had rejected peace overtures, some of his Turkic mercenaries defected to the Seljuks. Undeterred, the Romans assembled into a proper battle formation the next day - the left wing under Nikephoros Bryennios, the right wing under Theodore Alyates, the rear under Nikephoros Botaneiates and the emperor and Joseph Tarchaneiotes in the center. The Turks were organised in a crescent formation, similar to Hannibal at Cannae, with the centre moving backwards while the wings slowly encircled the enemy. Under hails of arrows, the Romans captured Arslan's camp by the end of the afternoon, but the left and right wings almost crumbled when individual units broke ranks and tried to force the Seljuks into pitched battle. The horse-archers simply retreated.
With the Seljuks avoiding battle and his wings in trouble, Romanos took a desperate gamble. Bryennios was performing well, so he sent Nikephoros Botaneiates and the rear guard to back him up, hoping that the left wing would push forward, and sent Tarchaneiotes to back up Theodore Alyates and rally the Armenians. Seeing the center of the Roman line thinning, Alp Arslan personally charged, hoping to capture or kill the emperor. Just as he approached, the Varangian Guard came to the defense of their emperor and cut down Arslan's horse. Word began to spread that the Sultan had fallen just as the Roman left wing began to inch forward, turning into a full-scale rout for the Turkish army.
A quarter of his army had been injured or killed, but Romanos had finally gained his great victory. He would come home, parade Arslan before the people of Constantinople and persuade him to return Armenia before setting him free or executing him. But first, the emperor needed a drink, a bath and a good night's sleep.
__________________________________________________
POD: IOTL, Romanos put Andronikos Doukas in charge of the rear guard, and he fled the battlefield in the confusion of the battle, turning Manzikert from a winnable battle into a rout.
*: Father of Eirene Doukaina, wife of Alexios I Komnenos.
**: OTL Nikephoros III.
***: IOTL, he sent half his force under Joseph Tarchaneiotes to take Khilat. They failed and though Joseph survived, Romanos' army was weakened even more.
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Still waiting for the CK2 patch, but for now, goodbye Belisarius, hello Romanos IV Diogenes. All comments are welcome!