Sultan Tugrul Bey had commissioned the Seljuk princes
with the charge of the conquest of several regions. One of these princes, Musa Yabgu's
son, Hasan was totally defeated against the Byzantine near the river of Great Bab (1048).
Tugrul Bey assigned Ibrahim Yinal and Kutalmis with the post to take revenge of this
defeat through the holy wars in Anatolia. Seljuk army in the command of these two princes
defeated the Byzantine army in Hasankale and took Liparit, one of the Georgian princesses
as prisoner (18th September 1049). This army returned to Tugrul Bey with abundant spoils.
The Byzantine Empire had to make an agreement with Seljuk State in the east due to the
raids of Pecenek people that were another Turkish tribe that posed a dangerous threat for
its lands in the west. Furthermore, the Byzantine wanted to save Liparit who was taken
prisoner. As a result, it was resolved that the mosque that had been built in Istanbul and
ruined in that period should be restored and the prayers delivered in the name of Fatimi
State should be delivered in the name of Baghdad Abbasi Caliph and Tugrul Bey. The
Byzantine did not accept the proposal for the payment of tax to Seljuk State. Due to the emergence of some civil problems such
as the interregnum struggles for the throne, Seljuk State did not arrange raids to
Anatolia for a specific period. Then, we have observed that Sultan Tugrul organised
expeditions to Anatolia in person. Sultan Tugrul captured the castles of Bargiri and Ercis
in the north of Van Lake and he besieged Manzikert, but could not invade it. Meanwhile,
the Seljuks came to Anatolia in three branches from the east and the north-east, and
various Seljuk emirs continued their raids and marauds. These raids laid the foundation
for the future conquests and they had provided great benefits in the annihilation of the
resistance of the Byzantine.
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