Winter in the land of Rum : Komnenian defenses against the Turks in Western Anatolia
Author(s)
Advisor
Gates, CharlesDate
2015Publisher
Bilkent University
Language
English
Type
ThesisItem Usage Stats
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Abstract
Castles constitute the most abundant group of Byzantine remains in Anatolia,
and offer historians and archaeologists the opportunity to more fully understand both
Byzantine settlement patterns and defensive systems through the ages. However, due
to their inaccessibility, lack of distinctive construction techniques, and an absence of
evidence for secure dating these monuments have often been neglected by
Byzantinists. At the same time, historical sources of the eleventh and twelfth
centuries make it clear that the Komnenian emperors Alexios, John, and Manuel all
engaged in extensive fortification activities. This thesis seeks to critically unite the
historical and archaeological evidence for Komnenian fortifications, with the goal of
further understanding the Komnenian defensive strategy and evaluating its results.
Following a historical overview of Turkish settlement in Anatolia and the Byzantine
response, forty Komnenian castles are surveyed, half of them historically attested and
the other half assigned to the period based on historical likelihood and, where possible, stylistic similarities with known Komnenian fortifications. The conclusion
argues that while the Komneni were generally successful in dealing with the Selçuks
diplomatically, they were unable to solve the problem of the nomadic Türkmen,
against whom their fortification program was overwhelmingly directed.
Keywords
Western AnatoliaByzantine
Anatolian Selçuks
Türkmen
Alexios
John
Manuel Komnenos
Kılıç Arslan
Castle
Fortifications
Defense Strategy
Settlement