The Revolt of Melissenos

1080: In the Autumn, another rebellion, by another Nicephorus!

Nicephorus Melissenos, the brother-in-law of Alexios, rebelled.

The Seljuk emir Sulayman, who operated inside Anatolia, was supposedly a vassal to the empire with the duty to quell the other Turkmen in the land.

Melissenos allied with Sulayman to control the Opsikion and Bucellarion provinces, however in reality it was Sulayman who controlled the Bucellarion and most of the Opsikion provinces. In usch a situation, it seems Sulayman's vassalage to the empire was brief.

The city of Nicea was given to Sulayman as a reward.

Melissenos requested to divide control of the empire with Alexios (who had also rebelled against the emperor) but Alexios refused this suggestion.

While these rebellions were going on, the strategic port of Cyzicus (Kyzikos) on the Sea of Marmara, fell to the Seljuks of Sulayman.