The Byzantine Empire's Most Serious Loss

[Neos Dionysos]

wasnt it like Andronicus Ducas? who basically lost the battle because he jsut withdrew from the battle with the reserves or something?

 

 

Andronicus Ducas had considerable hatred towards Romanus Diogenes. The family of Ducas had lost control over the Byzantine Imperium when Romanus took the throne for himself. Thus when the Emperor was lost in the fray, Andronicus deliberately added to the confusion by saying that the Emperor was dead, and that the day had been lost.

 

Had he not been so selfish, the Byzantines could've held the day.

 

Well, it's not really selfishness... it's more... "I'll make you pay for what you did." mentality. And IIRC I think that Romanus had killed, (or exhiled), Ducas' brother so... there's your motive.

[Manuel I Comnenus]

wasnt it like Andronicus Ducas? who basically lost the battle because he jsut withdrew from the battle with the reserves or something?

 

 

Andronicus Ducas had considerable hatred towards Romanus Diogenes. The family of Ducas had lost control over the Byzantine Imperium when Romanus took the throne for himself. Thus when the Emperor was lost in the fray, Andronicus deliberately added to the confusion by saying that the Emperor was dead, and that the day had been lost.

 

Had he not been so selfish, the Byzantines could've held the day.

 

Well, it's not really selfishness... it's more... "I'll make you pay for what you did." mentality. And IIRC I think that Romanus had killed, (or exhiled), Ducas' brother so... there's your motive.

 

I'm not sure if Romanus had killed his brother, I do know for a fact that Romanus took the throne away from the Ducas family by having himself crowned Emperor. But still, to place personal matters before the matters of the state and the infidel... I'd call that selfish.