The sultan Alp Arslan, motivated by the killing of his peaceful soldiers and the vengeful reactions of his men, interrupted his march, returned in great anger to Ani and started to besiege the city. During the siege both the governor and the imperial representative wished to exercise full control, confusing the defence. The sultan captured the city together with the surrounding area. The inhabitants were massacred, apart from those officials who survived the massacre and took refuge in the citadel. But these had to surrender because of a lack of food supplies