Battle of Manzikert: Seljuk victory reshapes Anatolia

The Battle of Manzikert, fought on August 26, 1071, resulted in a decisive victory for the Seljuk Turks over the Byzantine Empire. Led by Sultan Alp Arslan, the Seljuk forces utilized tactical maneuvers, including horse archers and hit-and-run tactics, to surround and break the Byzantine army.

The defeat led to the capture of Byzantine Emperor Roman IV Diogenes and the significant loss of Byzantine territory. This military turning point opened Anatolia to Turkish settlement and repopulation, eventually leading to the establishment of the Sultanate of Rum. The loss of half of the empire's arable land and human resources left the Byzantine borders indefensible, fundamentally altering the geopolitical landscape of the Middle East and the Balkans for centuries.