History Learner
Well-known member
While listening to an episode of the History of Byzantium podcast the other day, I was intrigued by a rather interesting idea put forth by the host: We don't know for sure what the original intent of John II's final campaign was. Ostensibly, the Emperor was seeking to finally settle the issue of Antioch for the Empire, by forcing the subjection of the Latin rulers there to Imperial Roman rule. If such was the case, certainly the start to the endeavor was rather odd, in that the Emperor spent most of 1142 destroying Turkish fortifications scattered around the lakes on the approaches to Konya. The sudden focus shift to Antioch only seems to come about after the Emperor's son and heir Alexios dies, followed shortly by his second eldest son, Andronikos. Perhaps, as the podcast suggests, the death of his two sons was the real cause of the campaign's focus change, as John saw it as necessary to settle accounts with the wayward Principality to better secure the now much more concerning succession to his rule. Ironically, this change of course would also remove the exact circumstances that led to his own death, thus increasing the length of his own reign.
Now, whether that's true or not, let's assume it is and that the Emperor's two eldest sons don't die and thus he remains focused on attacking the Sultanate of Rum. Having cleared a line of attack on Konya, the strategic situation is certainly more than fitting for such. In December of 1141, the Danishmend Emir has died, resulting in his realm descending into a three way civil war between his sons and brothers, the Sultan of Konya Mus'ud sought to take advantage of by claiming territory from the divided Danishmends. John II, having thus cleared the way for an advance by taking the aforementioned forts and with a substantial siege train already attached to his army, was in a perfect position to retake Konya for the Empire and deal a serious blow to the Seljuk Sultanate.
I, for my own opinion, see this as arguably the best opportunity the Romans had to achieve such a result in the 12th Century in one go. Such a victory wouldn't have been decisive, but it would've weakened the Turks to such an extent that John II, with his methodical approach, could've capitalized on it to make serious further gains over the last years of his life. Gaining-and maintaining-serious gains on the Anatolian plateau would've seriously reduced Turkic raids into core Roman territory, and created a virtuous cycle of continuously weakening the Sultanate by reducing its territory and thus strengthening the Romans. John II most likely will die before this can be completed, most likely around 1150 or so given he was already 55 in 1143, but it seems likely the death blow for the Sultanate could be achieved by Alexios in tandem with the coming Second Crusade. At that point, the only organized Turkish power of serious note in Anatolia would be the prior mentioned Danishmends, who would like the capacity to threaten the Romans as the Sultanate of Rum did. Thus, the entirety of Byzantium's history is changed, with the most likely long term result being a survival.
What say you, denizens of the forum?
Now, whether that's true or not, let's assume it is and that the Emperor's two eldest sons don't die and thus he remains focused on attacking the Sultanate of Rum. Having cleared a line of attack on Konya, the strategic situation is certainly more than fitting for such. In December of 1141, the Danishmend Emir has died, resulting in his realm descending into a three way civil war between his sons and brothers, the Sultan of Konya Mus'ud sought to take advantage of by claiming territory from the divided Danishmends. John II, having thus cleared the way for an advance by taking the aforementioned forts and with a substantial siege train already attached to his army, was in a perfect position to retake Konya for the Empire and deal a serious blow to the Seljuk Sultanate.
I, for my own opinion, see this as arguably the best opportunity the Romans had to achieve such a result in the 12th Century in one go. Such a victory wouldn't have been decisive, but it would've weakened the Turks to such an extent that John II, with his methodical approach, could've capitalized on it to make serious further gains over the last years of his life. Gaining-and maintaining-serious gains on the Anatolian plateau would've seriously reduced Turkic raids into core Roman territory, and created a virtuous cycle of continuously weakening the Sultanate by reducing its territory and thus strengthening the Romans. John II most likely will die before this can be completed, most likely around 1150 or so given he was already 55 in 1143, but it seems likely the death blow for the Sultanate could be achieved by Alexios in tandem with the coming Second Crusade. At that point, the only organized Turkish power of serious note in Anatolia would be the prior mentioned Danishmends, who would like the capacity to threaten the Romans as the Sultanate of Rum did. Thus, the entirety of Byzantium's history is changed, with the most likely long term result being a survival.
What say you, denizens of the forum?
