EXCERPTS FROM THE CHRONICLE OF MATTHEW OF EDESSA^[1]

Matthew of Edessa was an early-twelfth-century historian from Armenia. In his Chronicle he gives an account of the conflicts between the Seljuk Turks and the Byzantines. These excerpts point to how Christians living in the Middle East viewed the coming of the Seljuk Turks. It is partly in response to these invasions that the Byzantine Emperors would eventually call on the Papacy to send military aid. 

When 467 of the Armenian Era arrived [A.D. 1018-1019], divine anger was unleashed against all Christian peoples and worshippers of the Holy Cross. For there awoke a dragon with death-bringing breath and fire, which struck at believers in the Holy Trinity. In this year the foundations of the apostles and the prophets were shaken, for winged snakes arrived and wanted to penetrate all the lands of the believers in Christ. This was the first emergence of these bloodthirsty beasts. During those days, the barbarous infidel people called [Seljuk] Turks massed troops and reached as far as Vaspurakan district in the land of the Annenians, which they entered, and put to the sword the believers in Christ.

News of what had occurred reached King Senek’erim. His senior son, Dawit’ , mustered troops from the azats and went against the Turks’ army. They violently clashed with each other in a frightful battle. Until then, [the Annenians] had never seen the Turkish cavalry, which now appeared to them as a strange [phenomenon] archers with [long] hair, like women. The Annenian troops were not then accustomed to or prepared for anows and, unsheathing their swords, attacked the foreigners valiantly, killing many of them. However, the foreigners struck and wounded with their anows many Annenian troops. . . .

In the year 519 of the Annenian Era [A.D. 1070-1071], a comet appeared in the heavens. It was seen by many, who said: “This is the same omen that appeared previously — and was followed by bloodshed.” Then, once again, it appeared one night [with such brightness] that it seemed as though all the stars in the heavens were pouring down on the earth. All peoples and nations were frightened, shivering and trembling with dread because of the terrible omen. . . .

In this same year, Sultan Alp-Arslan, the brother [nephew] of Sultan Tughril, arose like a river and moved with a countless multitude. Like a lowering black cloud full of impiety, he arrived in the land of the Armenians, bringing along great destruction and bloodshed. He descended on Manazkert/Manzikert and took that city in a single day because of the absence of the city’s Byzantine garrison troops. Those Byzantine guards had fled. [Alp-Arslan] wrought destruction in the city due to the insult sustained by his brother [uncle] Tughril during the previous [assault on the city], [an insult] which had not been avenged before his death. . . .

Now when the emperor of the Byzantines, Diogenes, heard news of that [divine] wrath, he growled like a lion and ordered the entire multitude of his troops to assemble. Edicts were issued and heralds [were dispatched] [gl97] throughout all the western lands. It was a large muster and an awesome multitude [drawn from] all the lands of the Goths, all the nation of Bulghars, and all the distant islands, and from Cappadocia and all Bithynia, from Cilicia and Antioch, Trabizond, and those left of the brave military from the entire House of the Annenians. [The emperor] also brought other troops of foreigners from Khuzistan. [Indeed,] Diogenes assembled an enormous multitude, as many [troops] as the sands of the sea. This occurred in 520 of the Armenian Era [A.D. 1071-1072]. . . .

Then Diogenes arose with all his multitude and went to the East, to the land of the Armenians. He descended on the city of Manzikert, which he captured. The troops of the sultan, who were in the city, fled. [Diogenes] killed those he caught.
News of this reached the sultan [who was] at the city of Aleppo. He turned to the East, for they said that the Byzantine emperor was heading to the land of the Persians with a formidable multitude. Now during the wintertime the sultan had been battling against Aleppo, but had been unable to take it due to the multitude of troops in the city. Even though the entire wall had been punctured with holes, he was in no way able to capture the city. Thus when springtime arrived, and the sultan heard about the coming of Emperor Diogenes, he quit Aleppo and quickly arrived at Edessa. The duke who was in the city prepared horses, mules, and victuals for him. Taking these, the sultan passed unharmed through its borders, arriving in the East, at a mountain called [gl99] Lesun. A countless number of horses and camels died through the speed of his travel, since he drove his troops as though they were fleeing — as he wanted to get to the Persians. At that moment, letters reached the sultan from traitorous Byzantines, from within Diogenes’ anny, urging him: “Don’t flee, for most of our troops are on your side.” When the sultan heard this, he halted. Then the sultan wrote an agreeable letter to Emperor Diogenes, to establish friendship, unity and peace between them, not to forever be hanning one another; but rather, that there should be friendship with Christian people and eternal friendship and unity between Persians and Byzantines. But then Diogenes grew haughty and did not agree to the sultan’s words. Instead, he became even more stirred up to fight. Wicked traitors approached Diogenes and said: “O, Emperor, there is no one who can resist the multitude of your troops. Let them go into the countryside, detachment by detachment and live off the country, so they not be hungry before the day of battle.”
[ 71 ] Then [Diogenes] returned Emir Ktrich to Constantinople and turned Tarxaniat upon Xlat’ , and he sent 30,000 troops to Abkhazia — and in this manner all the troops were dispersed by the emperor. The sultan was informed of all these acts of treachery. When the sultan saw Diogenes’ implacable resolution [g200], he attacked the Byzantine troops. Like a lion’s cub he led all the troops of Khorasan. Now when Diogenes heard that the Persians’ troops were coming against him, he ordered the battle hom sounded and organized all the Byzantines’ troops, detachment by detachment. He designated as military commanders of his troops the Armenian princes Xatap and Vasilak, brave and martial men, and there was fierce fighting for much of that day. The troops of the Byzantines were defeated, and Xatap and Vasilak were killed. All the Byzantine troops fled to the emperor’s camp. When Diogenes saw this, he ordered all his troops to assemble. However, no one came to his summons, since Tarxanat and the other Byzantine troops had gone to Constantinople with their soldiers. When the emperor observed this, he realized the treachery of his own Byzantine nation. Behold, the next day the [expanded] war commenced. At dawn the battle hom was sounded. Heralds circulated around, delivering the orders of Emperor Diogenes, [promising] glory and power, [rule over] cities and districts, so that [his troops] would valiantly fight against the Persian troops.

Then the sultan arrived with awesome preparation to fight against the Byzantine troops. Next, Emperor Diogenes arrived at the place of battle, called Toghatap’, close to Man zik ert. He arranged the Uz and Pecheneg [troops] to his right and left, and other troops at the front [g201] and sides. When the battle became intense, the Uz and Pecheneg [troops defected and] passed over to the sultan’s side. At that point, all the Byzantine troops were defeated and all of them turned to flight. There were countless deaths among the multitude of Byzantine troops. Emperor Diogenes was arrested and they took him, in fetters, before the sultan along with many other Byzantine princes. In addition there were innumerable captives. After a few days the sultan made peace and friendship with the emperor of the Byzantines, and made him his blood brother. [This was confirmed] with oath to God. [The sultan] confirmed with a solemn vow that there would be eternal friendship and unity between Persians and Byzantines.
Then, with great glory, [Sultan Alp-Arslan] sent the emperor back to his throne in Constantinople. [Diogenes] reached Sebastia. But then news reached Diogenes that Ducas’ son, Michael [Michael VII Parapinaces, 1071-1078], had been enthroned. After this, all [Diogenes’] troops deserted him and fled. Diogenes went as a fugitive to the city called Adana. Troops of Emperor Michael massed against him. In this crisis of his, Diogenes donned a monk’s garb and went before the Byzantines’ military commander, who was Ducas’ brother. [Diogenes] said: “You need no longer bother about me, since, hereafter, I wish to live in a monastery with clerics. Let Michael be your emperor, and may God be with him.” On that day the Byzantine nation [g202] crucified God a second time, as had the Jews, for they gouged out the eyes of Diogenes, that royal figure, who died from the severity of the pain. When the sultan heard about this, he wept and lamented the loss of Diogenes, saying: “The nation of Byzantines has no God. Behold, today the oath of friendship and unity sworn between Persians and Byzantines has been voided. Henceforth I shall put to the sword the entire nation of Cross-worshipers and enslave the entire land of the Christians.” Remembering Diogenes, the sultan sighed heavily and regretted matters, as did the entire nation of Persians. Then the sultan spoke to the entire nation of Khorasan, saying: “From now on you all should be like the cubs of lions and the young of eagles. Go through the entire country, day and night, mercilessly killing the nation of Christians and Byzantines.” And then, in great triumph, the sultan returned to the land of the Persians.