Common front of eastern enemies brought Manuel from the west to Philadelphia: his threats worked

Summary:
Kilic Arslan II, the Seljuk sultan of Ikonion and Shahan-Shah his brother, Mleh, the ruler of Cilician Armenia and Nur al-Din of Aleppo joined in a common plan to attack Byzantium, bringing Manuel I from the west to Philadelphia to face them. Manuel wrote censoriously to Kilic Arslan, asking why he had suddenly attacked. The reply was that the caliph disapproved of friendship with the Byzantines. With a second embasy Manuel threatened to attack in 15 days. The enemy, terrified, began peace negotiations, allowing Manuel to return to the capital to claim a bloodless victory 
Dates:
1173 
caliph in 1173 (Anonymus 17078)
  • Was said (by Kilic Arslan 52 in a letter) to be angry over too much friendship with the Byzantines (:) Kinnamos 289.19-21
Kilic Arslan II, Seljuk sultan of Ikonion (Kilic Arslan 52)
  • Joined in a common plan to attack Byzantium, bringing Manuel 1 from the west to Philadelphia to face them: in association with Nur al-Din 4001, Melias 17001, Shahan-Shah 17001 (:) Kinnamos 288.5-12
  • When criticised by Manuel 1 for attacking suddenly, he dismissed the envoys and said that the caliph (Anonymus 17078) was angry at his friendship with the Byzantines; threats from a second embassy terrified him, made him discuss peace, and lost him some alli (:) Kinnamos 289.13-290.8
Emperor Manuel I Komnenos (Manuel 1)
  • To divide barbarians, he wrote censoriously from Philadelphia to Kilic Arslan 52 asking why he had suddenly attacked; the reply was that the caliph (Anonymus 17078) disapproved of friendship with the Byzantines (:) Kinnamos 289.13-22
  • Sent a second embassy threatening attack in 15 days; Kilic Arslan 52, terrified, began peace negotiations; many of his allies joined the Byzantines breaking the barbarian plot and letting him return to Constantinople with a bloodless victory (:) Kinnamos 289.22-290.10
Mleh, ruler of Cilician Armenia (Melias 17001)
Nur al-Din al-Malik al-'Adil of Aleppo (Nur al-Din 4001)
Shahan-Shah, brother of Kilic Arslan II (Shahan-Shah 17001)