AQA · A-Level · History
Course version: 7042 · Version from Sept 2017
The Byzantine Empire c1071: the internal problems of the Byzantine Empire;…
Full specification wording
1A The Age of the Crusades, c1071–1204 – The origins of conflict and the First Crusade, c1071–c1099: The Byzantine Empire c1071: the internal problems of the Byzantine Empire; the impact of defeat in the Battle of Manzikert
By 1071, the Byzantine Empire faced severe internal crises, including a succession of weak emperors following Basil II, debasement of the nomisma currency, and bitter factional struggles between…
Checked against the AQA 7042 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 3 of 6
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
By 1071, the Byzantine Empire faced severe internal crises, including a succession of weak emperors following Basil II, debasement of the nomisma currency, and bitter factional struggles between the civil aristocracy in Constantinople and the military elite in the provinces. This internal decay culminated in the catastrophic defeat at the Battle of Manzikert (1071) against the Seljuk Turks. The impact was devastating: Emperor Romanos IV Diogenes was captured, triggering a brutal civil war that stripped Anatolia of its defences. Consequently, the Seljuks overran Asia Minor, depriving the Empire of its primary source of grain, tax revenue, and military recruits, ultimately forcing Alexios I Komnenos to seek Western aid.
What earns the marks
- Identify specific internal problems, such as the debasement of the currency and the neglect of the thematic (provincial) army system.
- Explain the factional rivalry between the civil bureaucracy and the military aristocracy, which undermined imperial stability and military effectiveness.
- Assess the immediate impact of Manzikert, notably the capture of Romanos IV and the ensuing civil war that left the eastern borders undefended.
- Evaluate the long-term consequences of losing Anatolia to the Seljuk Turks, focusing on the loss of vital agricultural land, tax revenue, and manpower.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Claiming the Seljuk Turks immediately conquered Constantinople after Manzikert.
Put it right: State that the Seljuks conquered Anatolia (Asia Minor), while Constantinople remained secure until 1204.
Viewing the defeat at Manzikert solely as a military failure.
Put it right: Explain that the defeat was exacerbated by internal treachery, such as the betrayal by Andronikos Doukas, reflecting deeper factional divides.
Assuming the Byzantine Empire collapsed entirely in 1071.
Put it right: Emphasise that the Empire survived but was severely weakened, prompting Alexios I to request mercenaries from the West.
Exam tips
- Link the internal political instability directly to the military failure at Manzikert to demonstrate complex causation.
- Use specific terms like 'thematic system' and 'nomisma' to add precise historical detail to your arguments.
- When evaluating the impact of Manzikert, distinguish between the short-term political chaos and the long-term economic and territorial losses.
Try the lesson
The start of the 1A The Age of the Crusades, c1071–1204 – The origins of conflict and the First Crusade, c1071–c1099: The Byzantine Empire c1071: the internal problems of the Byzantine Empire; the impact of defeat in the Battle of Manzikert lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which of the following was a direct consequence of the Byzantine defeat at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071?
Listen
By 1071, the Byzantine Empire faced severe internal crises, including a succession of weak emperors following Basil II, debasement of the nomisma currency, and bitter factional struggles between the civil aristocracy in Constantinople and the military elite in the provinces. This internal decay culminated in the catastrophic defeat at the Battle of Manzikert (1071) against the Seljuk Turks. The impact was devastating: Emperor Romanos IV Diogenes was captured, triggering a brutal civil war that stripped Anatolia of its defences. Consequently, the Seljuks overran Asia Minor, depriving the Empire of its primary source of grain, tax revenue, and military recruits, ultimately forcing Alexios I Komnenos to seek Western aid. A strong answer earns marks for these points. Identify specific internal problems, such as the debasement of the currency and the neglect of the thematic (provincial) army system. Explain the factional rivalry between the civil bureaucracy and the military aristocracy, which undermined imperial stability and military effectiveness. Assess the immediate impact of Manzikert, notably the capture of Romanos IV and the ensuing civil war that left the eastern borders undefended. Evaluate the long-term consequences of losing Anatolia to the Seljuk Turks, focusing on the loss of vital agricultural land, tax revenue, and manpower. A common slip: Claiming the Seljuk Turks immediately conquered Constantinople after Manzikert. Instead, State that the Seljuks conquered Anatolia (Asia Minor), while Constantinople remained secure until 1204. Exam tip: Link the internal political instability directly to the military failure at Manzikert to demonstrate complex causation.
Key words
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Political instability and factionalism
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Military decline and frontier defence
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Economic crisis and resource loss
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The rise of the Seljuk Turks
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See every definition
- Political instability and factionalism
- Bitter factional struggles between the civil aristocracy in Constantinople and the military elite in the provinces, alongside a succession of weak emperors following Basil II.
- Military decline and frontier defence
- Neglect of the thematic (provincial) army system, which undermined military effectiveness and left the eastern borders undefended after Manzikert.
- Economic crisis and resource loss
- Debasement of the nomisma currency, and the loss of Anatolia as the Empire's primary source of grain, tax revenue and military recruits.
- The rise of the Seljuk Turks
- The Seljuks defeated the Byzantines at the Battle of Manzikert in 1071 and subsequently overran Asia Minor.
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