BG's big list of Byzantine PODs

Not sure it was that bad.

But this, on the other hand, is:

As a result of these negotiations, the Byzantine army was to be allowed to retreat unmolested on condition that Manuel destroy his forts and evacuate the garrisons at Dorylaeum and Sublaeum on the Byzantine-Seljuk border.[30] However, despite Kilij Arslan's protestations of good faith, the retreat of the Byzantine army was harassed by the attacks of Turcoman tribesmen (over whom Kilij Arslan probably had very little control). This, taken with an earlier failure by the sultan to keep his side of a treaty signed in 1162, gave Manuel an excuse to avoid observing the terms of this new arrangement in their entirety. He therefore demolished the fortifications of the less important fortress of Sublaeum and left Dorylaeum intact.[31]

Instead of weakening the Seljuk hold on the region, the Byzantine ability to deal with the Seljuks has been weakened. Having suffered heavy casualties - even if the Seljuks do as well - for worse-than-nothing is not good.

But if there was a competent successor, its not a disaster, and if there isn't, that's going to lead to OTL's events. The Byzantines are in too weak a position to afford incompetence without dire consequences. Even a win at Myriokephalon will mean little if the Byzantines aren't able to avoid the grotesquely misnamed Angeloi.​
 
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