Siege of Iconium (1069)

The siege of Iconium (Greek: Μάχη του Ικονίου, Turkish: Konya Muharebesi) was an unsuccessful attempt by the Turkish Seljuk Empire to capture the Byzantine city of Iconium, modern day Konya. After the Seljuk sacking of Ani and Caesarea in 1063 and 1067, respectively (some sources suggest as early as 1064), the Byzantine army in the East found itself in too poor a shape to resist the advance of the Turks. Had it not been for the efforts of the emperor Romanos IV Diogenes the Byzantine Empire could have suffered a disaster on the scale of Manzikert sooner. From Syria, a successful counter-attack drove the Turks back. After the attack on Iconium was repelled, Romanos IV launched his second campaign.^[1] Further campaigning was met with some success by Romanos, despite the ill nature of his army, which had been poorly led since the death of Basil II in 1025.

The victory offered only a short respite; the Byzantine forces were routed at Manzikert in 1071, and in the midst of civil conflict that ensued, Iconium fell to the Turks. The city saw a brief return to Christendom during the First Crusade, possibly under Byzantine rule, but the Turks counter-attacked at the Crusade of 1101 to recapture it. The city would form the capital of Byzantium's most dangerous opponent.

On 18 May 1190, Iconium was briefly regained for Christianity a final time by the forces of Frederick I, Holy Roman Emperor who captured the city during the Third Crusade. However, the Crusading army continued on after sacking the city, allowing the Seljuks to retake it.