Battle of Manzikert
(1071) Battle near the town of Manzikert (present-day Malazgirt, Turk.), in which the Seljuq Turks (
see Seljuq dynasty) under Sultan
Alp-Arslan defeated the Byzantines under
Romanus IV Diogenes. Romanus had assembled a large army to confront the Turks and end their forays into Byzantine-ruled Anatolia. His troops included Turkmen mercenaries who deserted to the enemy the night before the battle; the Turks destroyed the Byzantine army and took Romanus prisoner. The battle was followed by the Seljuq conquest of most of Anatolia.
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