Byzantine Weaknesses (1070-99) Flashcards
Defeat at Manzikert and its direct consequences: What happened at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071?
Romanos IV led a campaign against the Seljuk Turks but was betrayed and captured by Alp Arslan.
Defeat at Manzikert and its direct consequences: What were the consequences of the defeat at Manzikert?
The defeat shattered Byzantine prestige and exposed central Anatolia to Turkish migration and conquest.
Defeat at Manzikert and its direct consequences: What was the impact of the loss at Manzikert on Byzantine control?
Byzantium could no longer protect or control its eastern frontier, leading to Turkish warbands occupying territory.
Defeat at Manzikert and its direct consequences: What territories fell to Turkish control after Manzikert?
Nicaea (c.1080), Antioch (1085), and Nicomedia (1091) fell to Turkish control.
Defeat at Manzikert and its direct consequences: What actions did Turkish emir Caka of Smyrna take?
He built a navy, raided Byzantine islands, and coordinated with the Pechenegs to threaten Constantinople.
Defeat at Manzikert and its direct consequences: What was the state of Byzantium by the early 1090s?
Byzantium had lost almost the whole of Anatolia, its economic heartland and core military recruitment zone.
Defeat at Manzikert and its direct consequences: Were all interactions with the Turks hostile after Manzikert?
Not all were hostile; Suleiman ibn Qutulmish allied with Alexius I in 1081 and provided 7000 troops at the Battle of Larissa in 1083.
External threats exacerbated by post-Manzikert weakness: What happened to the last Byzantine outpost in southern Italy in 1071?
Bari fell to Robert Guiscard, symbolizing complete Latin dominance in the region.
External threats exacerbated by post-Manzikert weakness: What was the outcome of Guiscard’s invasion of Epirus in 1081?
He defeated Alexius I at Dyrrhachium and seized Corfu, threatening Thessalonica.
External threats exacerbated by post-Manzikert weakness: How did Alexius I respond to Norman threats?
He forced a Norman retreat in 1084 after aligning with Venetians and Henry IV of Germany.
External threats exacerbated by post-Manzikert weakness: What actions did the Pechenegs take during the 1080s?
They repeatedly raided Byzantine Thrace and nearly besieged Constantinople in 1090-91.
External threats exacerbated by post-Manzikert weakness: What was the significance of the Battle of Lebounion in 1091?
Alexius I, with help from the Cumans, crushed the Pechenegs in a critical victory.
Internal instability and decline following Manzikert: What triggered the decade of civil war following Manzikert?
The deposition of Romanos IV triggered a decade of civil war, with Michael VII (1071–78) being overthrown by Nikephoros III (1078–81), who was then toppled by Alexius I in 1081.
Internal instability and decline following Manzikert: What was the effect of civil wars on the Byzantine Empire?
Civil wars distracted the empire from external threats and undermined central control over provinces.
Internal instability and decline following Manzikert: What economic crisis occurred under Michael VII?
Under Michael VII, the currency collapsed, with the gold content of coins falling from 70% to 10%, triggering inflation and undermining army pay.
Internal instability and decline following Manzikert: What was the significance of Alexius’ 1082 treaty with Venice?
The treaty granted tax exemption (kommerkion) to Venice, securing naval support but giving Venetians a commercial monopoly, weakening local Byzantine merchants.
Internal instability and decline following Manzikert: What economic measure did Alexius introduce in 1092?
In 1092, Alexius introduced the Hyperpyron, which helped stabilize the economy after years of damage.
Internal instability and decline following Manzikert: What examples illustrate separatism and fragmentation in the empire?
Roussel of Bailleul carved out an independent lordship in Amaseia (1073), and Phileretos set up a breakaway state in Cilicia and took Antioch (1078).
Internal instability and decline following Manzikert: What actions did Alexius I take to reverse fragmentation?
Alexius I managed to defeat Roussel (1075) and retake Antioch, probably on his behalf (1085), restoring some political stability.
Internal instability and decline following Manzikert: What was the outcome of Alexius I’s efforts after 1081?
After 1081, Alexius I restored political stability and began to rebuild central authority, though this took time and followed serious imperial decline.
