Roussel de Bailleul resolved to attack the Turkish army sent against him at the instigation of Michael VII and Nikephoritzes, despite the advice of the kaisar Ioannes Doukas in favour of prudence. He was told to wait and find out how many the enemy were, but spurned this as insufferable delay. He managed to rout and disperse a small contingent of Turks near Metabole (a much larger army was to appear later)