The First Crusade was a wildly unlikely success, only made possible by the fragmentation of the Seljuk Empire, the unity of purpose of the crusaders and the military genius of Bohemond. Equally, Romanus Diogenes’ epic struggle to stem the Seljuk onslaught has been largely forgotten. In particular, the Battle of Manzikert is clouded with misunderstanding caused by the diatribes of Michael Psellus.
