Battle of the Zompos Bridge

Battle of Zombos Bridge
	Part of the Byzantine-Norman Wars
	; Seal of the rebellious Italo-Norman mercenary, Roussel de Bailleul
Date	1073 CE
Location	Zombos Bridge was on the Sangarios River, near Amorium, which is in the Anatolian Peninsula
Result	Franco-Norman victory
Belligerents
Rebellious Franco-Norman mercenaries	Byzantine Empire
Commanders and leaders
Roussel de Bailleul	John Doukas; Andronikos Doukas; Nikephoros Botaneiates
Strength
3,000 soldiers, most of whom were knights	12,000 soldiers including: 1,500 Varangian Guard; 500 Frankish Knights;
Casualties and losses
A small part of the Franco-Norman army	Many were casualties and prisoners of war, including John Doukas and Andronikos Doukas

The Battle of the Zombos Bridge or Zompos Bridge was fought between the Byzantine Empire and a group of rebellious Norman mercenaries under their Italo-Norman leader, Roussel de Bailleul in the year of 1073., near a bridge on the banks of the Sangarios River. The bridge was in the Phrygia region of Anatolia, near Amorium, the capital of the Anatolic Theme. The decisive defeat of the Byzantine army would further undermine Byzantine authority in Anatolia and Armenia, especially as the defeat came after the shattering defeat by the emerging Seljuk Turks at the Battle of Manzikert. The defeat would allow a power vacuum in Asia Minor, one which the Turks would exploit, with Suleiman ibn Qutalmish, leading a band of Seljuk Turks, conquering vast swathes of the Central Anatolia region, especially its Central Anatolian steppe which was now vulnerable due to the crushing defeat of the Byzantines and allowed for the gradual Turkification of Anatolia.