1073AD; First Half: - The cities and regions of Ardz-er-Rum (Erzerum), Sebastya, Harpert came under the control of the Oghuz Turks and other Muslim soldiery, who penetrated the upper Euphrates, the upper Taurus and soon across the Taurus regions.

The eunuch Prime Minister, Nikephoritzes, had Caesar John Ducas exiled to the Opsikion province, as the new emperor, Michael VII, became a his puppet.

The Military class of Anatolia became fearful of the Turkish incursions into Anatolia and organised an army to drive them out of the upper Halys valley.

This army was put under the command of Issac Comnenus, and ended up being defeated, mainly due to the Norman mercenaries deserting (under Roussel de Baileul, the same man who deserted en-route to Ahlat in 1071).

Issac was captured but later ransomed.

The Normans seemed to take desertion as part of the life of being a mercenary yet it meant disaster upon disaster for the Byzantines who hired them.