Siege of Ani (1064)

In 1064, a large Seljuk army under Alp Arslan attacked Ani; After a 25-day siege, they captured the city.[2] Ani was a solid and crowded city as well as a stronghold of the Christians of the time.[3] It was very difficult to conquer Ani, which was surrounded by formidable walls.[4] The castles were beaten with catapults and the Seljuk soldiers entered and put the entire Byzantine army to the sword. So much so that some of the soldiers could not enter the city due to the abundance of corpses. The Seljuk soldiers captured many times more than the ones they killed and sold them as slaves or used them as targets.[5][6]

Siege of Ani
Part of Byzantine–Seljuq wars

Ani walls.
Date16 August 1064
Location
Ani, Kars (Modern day)
Result Seljuk victory.[1]
Belligerents
Byzantine Empire Seljuk Empire
Commanders and leaders
Pangratios Alp Arslan
Casualties and losses
Heavy Unknown

References
  1. Road to Manzikert: Byzantine and Islamic Warfare, 527–1071 , Brian Todd Carey, Joshua B. Allfree, John Cairns - 2012
  2. Baynes, TS, ed. (1878), "Anni" , Encyclopædia Britannica, 2 (9th ed.), New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, p. 72
  3. al-Athīr, Ibn (1231). Al-Kāmil fi'l-ta⁠ʾrīkh [The Complete History]. pp. 51–52.
  4. The Proof of Mateos from Urfa and the Zeyli of Father Grigor, p.120;
  5. Müneccimbaşı, Câmiu'd-Düvel: History of Seljuks I, p.75
  6. The Addendum of Matthew of Edessa, p.120

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