Alliance with the Sultan, the signing away of Armenia.

1074: The second half of the year;

Emperor Michael VII, as usual under the machinations of the Prime Minister Nikephoritzes, signed a treaty with the Seljuk Sultan Malik Shah.

In the treaty the Sultan is recognised as the ruler of all lands across the Taurus mountains.

Even though Turkmen control many areas of within Anatolia, they are beyond the rule of the Sultan .

In return the Sultan is requested to lead an army to defeat and capture Roussel and John Ducas.

The sheer desperation and lack of manpower is clear to see now.

This merely enriched the Sultan, by money or from prestige.

The Islamic world in the ealry days had respected the empire, now it was a joke and an easy target.

However the Sultan honoured the agreement and led his army into Anatolia to hunt out the Normans and their leader, Roussel.

Near Mount Sophon (in classical times known as Salon) and defeats the Normans and General Botaneiates who had allied with them.

Roussel escaped to the city of Amasya in the Armenikon province.

The Sultan and his army then move on to raid the Sangarius valley and the Anatolikon province to hunt out the remaining rebels.

What happened to Botaneiates is not known though he was doing fine a few years later back in his old command in the Anatolikon province.

John Ducas is ransomed by Michael but then sent into exiled again.