Traulos the Manichaean, with his co-religionists at Beliatoba, saw an opportunity to use the hordes of Pechenegs who now regularly crossed the Danube to realise an old plan: they worked together to ravage Byzantine territory. When Alexios learned of the attacks launched against the empire by this coalition, he sent Gregorios Pakourianos and Nikolaos Branas to oppose them. Pakourianos discovered that the enemy had gathered near Beliatoba, in such huge numbers that (in his view) they could not sensibly be attacked. This conservative approach was undermined by Branas, who demanded an immediate assault. By an imputation of cowardice, Branas got his way and made Pakourianos give the order for battle. In the battle Pakourianos led the middle of the line. But the army was terrified, seeing it was only a fraction of the size of the enemy. Losses were very heavy, including Branas, who suffered a fatal wound. But Pakourianos fought on furiously, making powerful charges, until he rode with great violence into an oak tree and died at once. The army scattered in all directions. Alexios I mourned all the fallen, especially Pakourianos