The Empire of Nicaea, ruled by Theodore I, defeated the Seljuk Turks of the Sultanate of Rum. After the Latin seizure of Constantinople in 1204, a new Eastern Roman state was formed in Anatolia.
Theodore I Laskaris was crowned emperor, and the Seljuk Sultan gave asylum to the former Emperor Alexios III.
Under the pretext of putting Alexios III. on the throne again, Sultan Kaikosru I. invaded the Nicean territory. The sultan faced Emperor Theodore I in single combat and lost, thus meeting his death.
Some 2,000 Nicean Eastern Romans (800 of whom were Latin mercenaries) faced some 11,000-20,000 Seljuk Turks.
The illustration captures an epic moment. Sultan Kaikosru, I felt sure of victory with the 20,000 men, but he chose his location poorly, which prevented him from exploiting his advantage in numbers well. Laskaris ordered an attack, and the 800 Latin horse riders under his command were charged but exhausted by the Seljuk defence.
The Turks fought back, and the emperor's Latin units fled or were massacred. Only the emperor Theodore I. Laskaris and the core of him resisted, determined to die with honour fighting.
The sultan saw the emperor and went for him, carrying his horse and carrying a mace, he dealt a huge blow to the helmet and threw him off his horse. The emperor reacted and got up, wounded the legs of his rival's horse with his paramerion (curved sword) and the sultan fell to the ground being beheaded by an imperial soldier or by the emperor himself, who put his head on a spear.
The Turkish army panicked and incredibly lost the battle.
READ MORE: Smyrna: The History of Asia Minor's Greatest Greek City.
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