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thyreos

Byzantine Battles

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Abydos, 989
Ad Decimum, 533
Ad Salices, 377
Adramyttium, 1205
Adrianople, 324
Adrianople, 378
Adrianople, 813
Adrianople, 1254
Adrianople, 1369
Ajnadayn, 634
Akroinos, 740
Aleppo, 637
Aleppo, 962
Aleppo, 969
Alexandretta, 971
Altava, 578
Alexandria, 641
Amida, 502-503
Amida, 359
Amida, 973
Amorium, 838
Anchialus, 708
Anchialus, 763
Anchialus, 917
Andrassus, 960
Ani, 1064
Anthidon, 634
Antioch, 540
Antioch, 611
Antioch, 969
Antioch on Meander, 1211
Anzen, 838
Apadna, 503
Apamea, 998
Apros, 1305
Apulia, 1155
Aquae Saravenae, 979
Araxes, 589
Arcadiopolis, 970
Arcadiopolis, 1194
Ariminum, 538
Arzamon, 586
Attalia, 1207
Aurasium, 540
Auximus, 539
Azaz, 1030
Babylon, Egypt, 640
Balathista, 1014
Bapheus, 1302
Bargylus, 634
Bari, 1068-1071
Bathys Ryax, 872
Berat, 1281
Veroï, 1122
Balarathos, 591
Bar, 1042
Berzitia, 774
Bitola, 1015
Ganzaka, 591
Bosporus, 1352
Boulgarophygon, 896
Bourgaon, 535
Brindisi, 1156
Brocade, 634
Bursa, 1317-1326
Busta Gallorum, 552
Calavrye, 1079
Callinicum, 531
Campus Ardiensis, 316
Cannae, 1018
Cape Bon, 468
Carthage, 468
Carthage, 698
Cephalonia, 880
Kefalonia, 880
Lipares, 880
Stelai, 880
Castrogiovanni, 859
Chariopolis, 1051
Chersonesus, 447
Chrysopolis, 324
Cibalae, 316
Cillium, 544
Constantinople, 626
Constantinople, 674-678
Constantinople, 717-718
Constantinople, 941
Constantinople, 1047
Constantinople, 1187
Constantinople, 1204
Constantinople, 1235
Constantinople, 1260
Constantinople, 1261
Constantinople, 1422
Constantinople, 1453
Cotyaeum, 492
Crasus, 804
Crete, 824
Crete, 828
Crete, 961
Ctesiphon, 363
Damascus, 634
Damietta, 853
Daras, 530
Daras, 573
Dathin, 634
Dazimon, 838
Demetrias, 1274
Demotika, 1352
Devina, 1279
Diakene, 1050
Diampoli, 1049
Didymoteichon, 1352
Dimitritsi, 1185
Dorostalon, 971
Dranginai, 1040
Dyrrachium, 1018
Dyrrachium, 1081
Caesarea, 1073
Echinades, 1427
Edessa, 1031
Ekato Vounoi, 1050
Emessa, 635-636
Faventia, 542
Fields of Cato, 548
Firaz, 634
Frigidus, 394
Gallipoli, 1354
Gallipoli, 1366
Hades, 1057
Heliopolis, 640
Hellespont, 324
Heraclea, 806
Hieromyax, 636
Hyelion - Leimocheir,1177
Iron Bridge, 637
Ieromyax, 636
Jerusalem, 614
Jerusalem, 637
Kaisareia, 1073
Kalavrye, 1079
Kapetron, 1049
Katasyrtai, 917
Kleidion, 1014
Klokotnitsa, 1230
Kopidnadon, 788
Koundouros, 1205
Krasos, 804
Lalakaon, 863
Larissa, 1084
Lemnos, 1025
Levounion, 1091
Makryplagi, 1264
Mammes, 534
Manzikert, 1071
Maogamalcha, 363
Maranga, 363
Marcellae, 756
Marcellae, 792
Marcianopolis, 377
Mardia, 316
Marj-ud-Deebaj, 634
Marta, 547
Masts, 655
Martyropolis, 588
Mavropotamos, 844
Mediolanum, 539
Melanthius, 559
Melantias, 559
Melitene, 576
Membresa, 536
Mercurii Promontorium, 468
Messina, 843
Milano, 539
Milvian Bridge, 312
Mons Seleucus, 353
Monte Siricolo, 1041
Montepeloso, 1041
Montemaggiore, 1041
Morava, 1191
Mount Lactarius, 553
Mucellium, 542
Mursa Major, 351
Mutah, 629
Myriokephalon, 1176
Naples, 536
Neopatras, 1274
Nicaea, 1077
Nicaea, 1097
Nicaea, 1328-1331
Nicomedia, 782
Nicomedia, 1337
Nikiou, 646
Nineveh, 627
Nisibis, 338
Nisibis, 350
Noviodunum, 369
Olivento, 1041
Ongal, 680
Ophlimos, 622
Orontes, 994
Osimo, 539
Ostrovo, 1043
Palakazio, 1021
Palermo, 830-831
Pancalia, 978
Pegae, 922
Pelacanon, 1329
Pelagonia, 1259
Petra, 549
Petra, 551
Petroe, 1057
Perkri, 1034
Pharsalus, 1277
Philadelphia, 1390
Philomelion, 1117
Phoenix, 655
Pirisabora, 363
Pliska, 811
Poimanenon, 1224
Poson, 863
Preslava, 1053
Prinitza, 1263
Prusa, 1326
Rhodes, 1249
Rhodes, 1309
Rhyndacus, 1211
Rimini, 538
Rishki Pass, 759
Rome, 537-538
Rome, 545 - 546
Rometta, 964
Rometta, 1038
Rousokastro, 1332
Rus Raid, 860
Rus Raid, 941
Rus Raid, 1025
Rus Raid, 1043
Samarra, 363
Sardis, 743
Satala, 530
Save, 388
Saxa Rubra, 312
Scalas Veteres, 537
Sebastia, 1070
Sebastopolis, 692
Sedica, 809
Sena Gallica, 551
Setina, 1017
Shirimni, 1021
Singara, 344
Sirmium, 441
Sirmium, 580-582
Sirmium, 1167
Siscia, 388
Skafida, 1304
Solachon, 586
Spercheios, 997
Strumica, 1014
Strymon, 1185
Sufetula, 647
Svindax, 1022
Syllaeum, 677
Syracuse, 827-828
Syracuse, 877-878
Taginae, 552
Taormina, 902
Tarsus, 965
Thacia, 545
Thannourios, 528
Thasos, 829
Thessalonica, 586
Thessalonica, 615
Thessalonica, 617
Thessalonica, 676-678
Thessalonica, 904
Thessalonica, 995
Thessalonica, 1014
Thessalonica, 1040
Thessalonica, 1185
Thessalonica, 1224
Thessalonica, 1264
Thessalonica, 1430
Thomas the Slav, 821-823
Tornikios, 1047
Trajan’s Gate, 986
Tricameron, 533
Troina, 1040
Tryavna, 1190
Utus, 447
Vasiliki Livada, 1050
Veregava, 759
Versinikia, 813
Vescera, 682
Vesuvius, 553
Vid, 447
Viminacium, 599
Volturnus, 554
Wadi al-Arabah, 634
Yarmuk, 636
Zombos, 1074
Zygos pass, 1053
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Aspis

Capture of Ani

year:

1064

16 August 1064
Siege and capture of the Armenian city Ani by the Seljuk Turks ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
enemy:
Seljuk Turks
location:
At the medieval city Ani, on the present-day Armenian-Turkish border at Kars
 accuracy: ●●●●●
battle type:
City Capture
war:
Seljuk Wars
modern country:
Turkey
  The Byzantines(emperor:   Constantine X Doukas) The Enemies
Commander: Duke Pangratios Sultan Alp Arslan
Forces:
Losses:

Background story:
The city of Ani or Anion, located on the present-day Armenian-Turkish border at Kars at an altitude of 1,464 meters, was the capital of the medieval kingdom of Armenia. It was an important city, known as “the city with 1001 churches”. At its peak, in the 10th century, its population may have reached 700,000 (!), while it was a commercial crossroads and a station on the Silk Road. Moreover, it was a fortress guarding against the invasions of “barbarians” from the East.

In 1045, the kingdom of Greater Armenia was annexed to the Byzantine Empire on the basis of an earlier agreement made during the reign of emperor Basil II. After that, Ani became the capital of the Byzantine duchy of “Iberia and Greater Armenia”. In the following years, the governors of the province (who had the title of “Duke”) were usually Armenian nobles who followed the doctrine of Chalcedon.
In the meantime, around the same time as the annexation of Armenia, problems began with a new horde, the Seljuks, who in 1048 destroyed the Armenian city of Arge. The raids intensified especially after 1055 causing desolation in the northeastern provinces.

In the early 1060s, a certain Pangratios became Duke of Ani. He had asked Emperor Constantine X Dukas for this position with the promise that under his rule the duchy would not burden Byzantium financially. The emperor gladly accepted this arrangement. In order to cope financially, Pangratios imposed taxes, causing dissatisfaction among the population and he was also forced to cut defense spending by reducing the number of soldiers. Soon there was a shortage of supplies due to financial hardship and a very bad climate was created between the locals and the Byzantine administration.
In 1064, the new Seljuk sultan Alp Arslan had just succeeded in consolidating his power and sought to expand the borders of his territory starting from the neighboring rich regions of Armenia and Iberia. He began preparations for a campaign by equipping his army with siege engines, for which he recruited experienced Arab and Persian technicians.

The Battle:
Anion
the remains of the walls of Ani in a 1885 drawing
The strategic objective of the campaign was Ani. The Sultan followed a circular course and first conquered the mountainous areas north of Ani and then went to Georgia where he defeated King Bagrat IV and made him his vassal. Prior to that, another section of the Seljuk army under Vizier Nizam al-Mulk captured Byzantine fortresses in the Araxes Valley and further west.
At the beginning of July 1064, these two Turkish armies converged on Ani. The siege lasted 25 days with continuous attacks by the Turks.

The defenders were in difficult position as they were scarce and unprepared. Moreover, there was a shortage of supplies, the relations between the commanders and the population were bad, and there was personal enmity between Pangratios and the other military commander, Gregory Pakourianos (who was probably the duke of neighboring Theodosioupolis). The only things that could save the city were its strong walls, which, however, were quickly damaged after the undermining done by the Turks with underground tunnels combined with the use of the siege engines.
The city fell on August 16, 1064 when the defenders of the walls left their positions. The Byzantine garrison was fortified for a while on the citadel, but it soon fled as well. The city was looted and the population was slaughtered.
The Arab historian Sibt ibn al-Gawzi, quoting the descriptions of an eyewitness, narrates:
The army entered the city, slaughtered the people, looted, burned, destroyed and enslaved all those who had survived ... The corpses were so many that the roads were blocked and no one could go anywhere without stepping on them. The number of prisoners was not less than 50,000 ... I tried to find a street on which I could walk without stepping on the dead, but it was impossible...

Noteworthy:
The large silver cross of the cathedral of Ani was removed and placed on the doorstep of the Nakhichevan mosque (now an autonomous region of Azerbaijan) so that worshipers entering the mosque could step on it.

Aftermath:
The fall of Ani was a milestone in the conquests of the Seljuks and caused great shock to the Byzantines, while it made an impression on the entire Muslim world. The city was inhabited again but it never became what it was. In 1072 the Seljuks sold Ani to the Sandidids, a Kurdish tribe. In the following centuries, the city changed hands many times until it was abandoned in the 18th century.