Byzantine Battles: Battle of Caesarea

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15 th century

Battle of Caesarea	year: 1073
Defeat of a Byzantine army by a Seljuk force	★ ★ ★ ★ ★

enemy: Seljuk Turks	location: Somewhere near Kaisareia, modern Kayseri	accuracy: ●●●●●
battle type: Night Battle	war: Seljuk Wars	modern country: Turkey

	▼ The Byzantines(emperor: Michael VII Doukas)	▼ The Enemies
Commander:	Isaac Komnenos	Unknown
Forces:
Losses:

Background story:

After the historical defeat by the Seljuk Turks at Manzikert in August 1071, a chaotic situation prevailed in the Byzantine Empire. Manzikert's great loser Romanos IV Diogenes was dethroned and blinded. Michael II Doukas, who until then was by name only co-emperor, ascended the throne.
The new Byzantine administration made the mistake (as it turned out) of not respecting the peace treaty agreed between Romanos and Sultan Alp Arslan. This decision gave the right to various Turkoman and Seljuk hordes to continue – and intensify – the looting in the Byzantine territories of Asia Minor. Most of these invaders were not controlled by the sultan, and they began to look forward to the prospect of a permanent settlement in the defenseless territories of Anatolia.
To deal with this ever-deteriorating situation, the Byzantines decided in 1073 to send an army to Asia Minor. Isaac Komnenos (nephew of the late emperor with the same name) was appointed commander. This army was quite strong. Its elite unit was a cavalry force of 400 Frankish mercenaries headed by the Norman Roussel de Bailleul, called Urselios or Rouselios by Byzantine sources. Isaac's younger brother Alexios Komnenos (who later became emperor) also took part in the campaign.

When the imperial army reached the area of Caesarea (or, according to others, of Konya - quite further west), a serious incident occurred between the Franks and the Byzantines, when Isaac punished a Frank soldier for a disciplinary offense. Urselios took this as an insult and at night he took his men and deserted the Byzantine army. (His activity later shows that this episode was probably premeditated.)

The Battle:

Seljuk warriors

When Isaac was informed of the flight of the 400 Franks, he thought for a moment of sending a detachment led by his brother Alexios to pursue them. But then information arrived that a Turkish force was approaching.
Isaac left Alexios with a small guard to guard the Byzantine camp and he himself moved to the border of Cappadocia to meet the Turks.
Details of the battle are not known. Isaac, wanting to surprise, attacked at night, but apparently underestimated his opponents and found himself surrounded. The Turks disbanded his army and he was wounded and taken prisoner. Alexios with a few men tried to intervene and help his brother, but he could not do anything and almost captured himself.
He then retreated to the camp where the Seljuks attacked after a while. Alexios could not restrain his fleeing men and he barely escaped captivity again. Alone, accompanied by a single soldier, he managed to reach Ankara through the mountains.

Aftermath:

Isaac was released with a ransom paid by his wealthy friends. They met again with Alexios in Ankara, and both of them, after adventures, as Minor Asia was full of Turks, managed to reach Constantinople. The destruction of the expeditionary corps left the borders unprotected and multiplied the problems that arose after Manzikert.
Ursel started a 3-year insurgency that caused very serious problems. All this while the Seljuks were flooding Anatolia.