Responding to pointless provocation, Alp Arslan besieged & sacked Ani despite its natural strength

Summary:
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 
Dates:
1064 
Alp Arslan, Seljuk Sultan (Alp Arslan 51)
  • Offended by the killing of his soldiers (passing peacefully through Roman territory) and excited by his troops who did not wish to leave such an act go unpunished, he returned in great anger to Ani, made preparations and started to besiege the city (:) θυμοῦ πνέων καὶ ἰταμότητος Attaleiates: History 81.6-11 / 61.16-20
  • When his rear guard was attacked by the troops of Pankratios 101 from Ani while crossing with his army Roman territory without causing any harm, he interrupted his advance, turned back to the city, and captured it together with the surrounding area (:) Skylitzes Continuatus 113.15-22
  • Following the capture of Ani (when discord among its defenders caused them to flee unexpectedly) he captured many districts and returned home with immeasurable plunder (in the year 513 (1064-1065):) Aristakes 136.22-23 (124)
  • Entered Armenia with innumerable armed troops spreading terror and fear, trampling many lands, and approached Ani where he pitched his camp and tried to force its iron gates, but realizing the fortifications were too strong he decided to withdraw (in the year 513 (1064-1065):) Aristakes 135.4-12 (120-1)
  • On arriving before Ani and seeing that it was a fortified town surrounded by the river Araxes on three sides and by a deep river on the fourth side, he besieged it, using mangonels until he captured it (:) سار الى مدينة آني فرآها مدينة حصينة شديدة الامتناع ثلاثة أرباعها على نهر آرس والربع الآخر على نهر عميق ... فحاصرها ونصب المجانيق عليها حتى أخذها Ibn Shaddad 324
servant of Konstantinos X Doukas sent to Ani (Anonymus 5061)
  • Fled to the acropolis together with Pankratios 101 and those officials who survived the massacre following the capture of Ani by the sultan (Alp Arslan 51), but had to surrender because of a lack of food supplies (:) καὶ τῇ σπάνει τῶν ἀναγκαίων τρυχόμενοι Attaleiates: History 82.8-16 / 62.8-14
  • During the siege of Ani by the sultan (Alp Arslan 51) he wished to exercise full control and thus argued with Pankratios 101 who also claimed all power for himself (:) τὸ πᾶν μεθέλκειν εἰς ἑαυτό Attaleiates: History 81.18-19 / 61.25-26
Pankratios (Bagrat?), Armenian doux of Ani (Pankratios 101)
  • During the siege of Ani by the sultan (Alp Arslan 51: Alp Arslan) he claimed all power for himself, arguing with the emperor's envoy (Anonymus 5061) who also wished to exercise full control (:) εἰς ἑαυτὸν τὸ κράτος ἀντισφαιρίζειν Attaleiates: History 81.18-19 / 61.25-26
  • Sent to Ani as doux he promised to administer the local troops but when some of the latter attacked the sultan (Alp Arslan 51)'s rear guard, which was passing through without causing any harm, the sultan captured the city (:) Skylitzes Continuatus 113.13-22
  • Fled to the acropolis together with the emperor's envoy (Anonymus 5061) and those officials who survived the massacre following the capture of Ani by the sultan (Alp Arslan 51: Alp Arslan), but had to surrender because of a lack of food supplies (:) μητ ᾿ ἐπισιτησμὸν ἔχοντες Attaleiates: History 82.8-16 / 62.8-14