Romanus IV Biography

Convicted of conspiracy to seize the throne from the sons of Constantine X Doukas

While waiting for his execution he was summoned into the presence of the Empress Regent, Eudokia Makrembolitissa, whom he so fascinated that she granted him a free pardon and married him on January 1, 1068

While waiting for his execution he was summoned into the presence of the Empress Regent, Eudokia Makrembolitissa, whom he so fascinated that she granted him a free pardon and married him on January 1, 1068. Convicted of conspiracy to seize the throne from the sons of Constantine X Doukas

Romanos IV reforms the military and entrusts Manuel Comnenus (nephew of Isaac I Comnenus) to lead an expedition against the Seljuks

Carries out three successful campaigns against the Seljuk Turks, whom he drove beyond the Euphrates in 1068-1069

Succeeds as Emperor of the Eastern Roman Empire, becomes the senior Emperor alongside Michael VII, Konstantios Doukas, and Andronikos Doukas

While waiting for his execution he was summoned into the presence of the Empress Regent, Eudokia Makrembolitissa, whom he so fascinated that she granted him a free pardon and married him on January 1, 1068

While waiting for his execution he was summoned into the presence of the Empress Regent, Eudokia Makrembolitissa, whom he so fascinated that she granted him a free pardon and married him on January 1, 1068

The Caesar John Doukas and Michael Psellos relegated Eudokia to a monastery and easily prevailed upon Michael VII to declare Romanos IV deposed. Attacked and defeated by Constantine and Andronikos Doukas, the sons of the Caesar John Doukas

Besieged by Andronikos Doukas in a fortress in Cilicia, Romanos surrendered after promising to resign his claims to the throne and enter a monastery

Released by Alp Arslan in exchange for a Treaty and the promise of a hefty ransom

Romanuss blinding is carried out so brutally that he soon died because of the injury and subsequent infection

Besieged by Andronikos Doukas in a fortress in Cilicia, Romanos surrendered after promising to resign his claims to the throne and enter a monastery

Romanuss blinding is carried out so brutally that he soon died because of the injury and subsequent infection. Brought back to Constantinople, Romanos is blinded (June 29, 1072) and sent into exile to the island of Proti

Romanos is unaware of the loss of Tarchaneiotes and continues to Manzikert, which he easily captures

The Armenian general Basilaces was sent out with some cavalry, as Romanos did not believe this was Arslans full army; the cavalry was destroyed and Basilaces taken prisoner. Romanos draws up his troops into formation and sends the left wing out under Bryennios, who was almost surrounded by the Turks and is forced to retreat once more

Romanos rejects a Seljuk peace embassy as he wanted to settle the Turkish problem with a decisive military victory and understood that raising another army would be both difficult and expensive

Isolated from the bulk of his army, which turns to flight, believing that the Emperor had been killed, the withdrawal of the Byzantine army allows the Seljuk Sultan Alp Arslan to capture Romanos IV

Doukas escapes from the Battle of Manzikert and marches back to Constantinople where he leads a coup against Romanos and proclaimed Michael VII as basileus

The decisive defeat of the Byzantine army at the Battle of Manzikert undermines Byzantine control of Anatolia and Armenia and allows for the gradual Turkification of Anatolia

The fallout from Manzikert was disastrous for the Byzantines, resulting in civil conflicts and an economic crisis that severely weakened the Byzantine Empire's ability to adequately defend its borders

Romanos IV launches a large scale expedition against the Seljuk stronghold of Manzikert