Victory in the battle of Levounion against Pechenegs and Seljuks was the single most decisive victory achieved by a Byzantine army for more than half a century. The battle marks a turning point in Byzantine history; the empire had reached the nadir of its fortunes in the last twenty years, and Levounion signalled to the world that now at last the empire was on the road to recovery. The Pechenegs had been utterly destroyed, and the empire's European possessions were now secure. Alexios had proved himself as the saviour of Byzantium in its hour of need, and a new spirit of hope began to arise in the war-weary Byzantines...
However the victory was achieved after Emperor Alexius I bribed the Cumans to defect and join his army bringing 40000 warriors to the Imperial army...
WI Cumans refused the offer and fight against the Emperor? Byzantine army was numered about 21000 and was hugely outnumbered (even after the Cumans joined Byzantines were outnumbered compared to the 80000 Pechenegs and Seljuks)
How is a potential Byzantine defeat altering History? Any thoughts?
However the victory was achieved after Emperor Alexius I bribed the Cumans to defect and join his army bringing 40000 warriors to the Imperial army...
WI Cumans refused the offer and fight against the Emperor? Byzantine army was numered about 21000 and was hugely outnumbered (even after the Cumans joined Byzantines were outnumbered compared to the 80000 Pechenegs and Seljuks)
How is a potential Byzantine defeat altering History? Any thoughts?