In August 1071 AD, the Byzantine Empire suffered a devastating defeat at the hands of the Seljuk Turks at the Battle of Manzikert, a pivotal moment in medieval history.
The Byzantine army fell into disarray, and Emperor Romanos IV Diogenes made a desperate attempt to rally the Roman centre, hoping to buy time for his scattered forces to regroup or retreat. Accompanied by loyal bodyguards and hardy Armenian infantry, he made a valiant last stand on a nearby rocky outcrop or small hill.
Accounts of Romanos' final moments vary among Byzantine and Muslim chroniclers. Nikephoros Bryennios the Younger praised the emperor’s courage, recounting how he "unsheathed his sword and charged at his enemies, killing many and putting others to flight."
Michael Attaleiates similarly lauded Romanos, describing his prolonged and vigorous defence. Matthew of Edessa highlighted the betrayal Romanos faced, with some sources suggesting that Roman reserves deliberately withheld support during the battle.
While the details of his valour might be exaggerated, there is little doubt that Romanos fought courageously alongside his men.
The circumstances of Romanos’ capture are also muddled, with Muslim chroniclers emphasising the humility of his defeat. Many accounts agree that a lowly Turkish Ghulam captured the emperor, a possible symbolic narrative of the proud humbled by fate.
It is widely reported that Romanos’ horse was killed by an arrow, and Michael Attaleiates adds that the emperor suffered a sword wound before his capture. Chroniclers al-Bundari and Ibn al-Adim emphasise the low status of the soldier who seized Romanos, while Nishapuri claims the Ghulam was of Greek origin.
Rashid al-Din offers a more dramatic version, suggesting that the emperor was found hiding under a cart. Despite the contradictions, Romanos's capture marked a humiliating end to the battle and a turning point for the Byzantine Empire.
The article was first published by Mamta Shakya.
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