952 years Anniversary of The Battle of Manzikert
Exactly 952 years ago in this month, in the year 1071 CE, events began which eventually culminated in one of the most historic and decisive battles in human history in general, and Islamic history in particular.
The Battle of Manzikert was fought between roughly 50,000 Byzantium soldiers on the one side, under Emperor Romanos IV, and around 25,000 soldiers on the Muslim side, under Sultan Alp Arsalan of the Seljuks. The plains of Manzikert is in the very eastern part of what is today Turkey, but back then was known as Anatolia.
Due to a very ingenious strategy employed by Alp Arsalan, along with internal fightings and bickering amongst the Romans, the Muslims won a decisive victory. The Roman Emperor himself was taken prisoner, thus making it the only time in world history when a Roman Emperor was imprisoned and made a prisoner of war under a Muslim leadership. Romanos was eventually released and returned to Constantinople, where, due to internal civil wars, he was overthrown and died a miserable death shortly thereafter.
This Battle was decisive for many reasons, in particular:
– It paved the way for the conquest of Anatolia (later to be called Turkey), and the establishment of the power of the Seljuq dynasty
– It was a precursor in every manner to the Ottoman empire – the Seljuqs were the first Turkish Muslim superpower that left their lands in Central Asia and started heading Westwards.
– It signaled the beginning of the end of the Byzantine empire
– It boosted the morale of the Seljuqs (and the entire Muslim world)
Note: The actual battle was fought in August 1071, but emissaries were exchanged and events began in February that directly led up to the Battle. This is an early Christian depiction of the soldiers. Via Yasir Qadhi
