Neokaisareia pillaged by Turks, infuriating Romanos IV, who had turned south
Unit appears in:
ROMANOS IV (1068-1071)
1068-1069: First campaign of Romanos IV against Turks
1068
Summary:
Romanos' move to the south encouraged the northern Turkish army to pillage Neokaisareia, infuriating the emperor. He feared he would be accused of being unable to defend the empire despite being at hand on campaign. Thus he turned north again
Dates:
1068
Emperor Romanos IV Diogenes (
Romanos 4
)
Pursued the enemy (Turks who pillaged Neokaisareia) with his cavalry through the high mountains of Tephrike intending to attack from the side, and thus exhausted his army who were unable to accomplish anything memorable although the Turks were nearby (:)
καὶ τοῖς ἐχθροῖς ἐπιτεθῆναι κατὰ τὸ ἐγκάρσιον ἐπειγόμενος Attaleiates: History 106.5-11 / 80.18-23
Troubled by the news that the Turks had raided Neokaisareia and fearing that he would be accused of being unable to defend the empire despite being on campaign, he immediately took his forces and followed the enemy through impassable paths (:)
ἀπὸ ῥυτῆρος κατόπιν ἤλαυνε Attaleiates: History 105.15-22 / 80.7-12
Greatly upset by the news of Neokaisareia's pillaging by the Turks despite his being on campaign, he took his forces and advanced through difficult paths, reached Sebasteia and sent forth the army baggage and infantry with his stepson
Andronikos 62
(:)
Skylitzes Continuatus 127.1-7
News of the Turks' sack of Neokaisareia made him despondent and, taking the more mobile of the army, he departed by difficult routes and across mountains in haste to anticipate the enemy (:)
Zonaras 18.11.12