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I generally take him as a result of the political stagnation in the Empire rather than the sole cause; the 1030s to the 1080s is just insanely unstable in Byzantium.

Manizkert literally happened as an accident, rather than any sort of serious desire on the part of the Seljuks to occupy Anatolia. The Sultan did it as a means of securing his flank to secure Syria for himself; the runaway success was not expected. Without this decisive battle, there will...