Romanos IV had already sent Roussel de Bailleul with Frankish and Pecheneg mercenaries to plunder the area of Chliat. Now he detached more than half of the rest of the army under Joseph Tarchaneiotes, including the best of the cavalry, to follow them. Tarchaneiotes opposed the dividing of the army. Romanos, with a smaller force, wanted to capture Mantzikert and then join the others at Chliat. These arrangements, not foolish in themselves, proved disastrous when the sultan appeared unexpectedly at Mantzikert