The Seljuq Turks defeat the Byzantine army at the Battle of Manzikert, and soon gain control of most of Anatolia.
The Battle of Manzikert or Malazgirt was fought between the Byzantine Empire and the Seljuk Empire on 26 August 1071 near Manzikert, Iberia. The decisive defeat of the Byzantine army and the capture of the emperor Romanos IV Diogenes played an important role in undermining Byzantine authority in Anatolia and Armenia, and allowed for the gradual Turkification of Anatolia.
Many Turks, travelling westward during the 11th century, saw the victory at Manzikert as an entrance to Asia Minor.
Watch: Battle of Manzikert 1071 - Byzantine - Seljuq Wars Documentary
From the Kings and Generals channel.
Sources and further reading: Wikipedia — Battle of Manzikert, Seljuk dynasty, Byzantine army, Anatolia (CC BY-SA). Images: Wikimedia Commons.
