Comnenan Byzantine Army of the 11th Century
The Byzantine army (post the disastrous defeat by the Turks at Manzikert 1071) still retained some tagmatic cavalry units from Macedonia, Thrace and Thessaly and two guard units the Exkoubita and Vestiaritai. The infantry core was the Varangian Guard consisting mostly of Anglo-Saxons who left England after the Norman invasion. The bulk of the army were mercenaries including Turkish horse archers and Armenian foot together with levy foot spearmen, archers and slingers.
This was the army that fought against the Normans at Dyrrachion in 1081.
Despite the defeat at Dyrrachion this was a period of Byzantine revival. Pechenegs and Cumans raided south of the Danube, the Bulgars revolted and the Seljuks reached the Asiatic gates of Constantinople. Alexius skilfully made peace with the Seljuks enabling him concentrate on the Balkans. The campaign began badly with the Bulgarians allied with Pechenegs and Cumans defeating Alexius at Silistra in 1086. However, he recovered suppressing the Bulgar revolt and defeated the Pechenegs at Leburnion 1091.
This was the army that fought against the Normans at Dyrrachion in 1081.
Despite the defeat at Dyrrachion this was a period of Byzantine revival. Pechenegs and Cumans raided south of the Danube, the Bulgars revolted and the Seljuks reached the Asiatic gates of Constantinople. Alexius skilfully made peace with the Seljuks enabling him concentrate on the Balkans. The campaign began badly with the Bulgarians allied with Pechenegs and Cumans defeating Alexius at Silistra in 1086. However, he recovered suppressing the Bulgar revolt and defeated the Pechenegs at Leburnion 1091.
