In 838, a Byzantine emperor narrowly escaped capture after a crushing defeat at Anzen
When the forces of the Abbasid Caliphate shattered the Byzantine army at the Battle of Anzen, Emperor Theophilos found himself trapped and nearly captured in a desperate struggle for survival.
In July 838, the Byzantine Empire faced a catastrophic defeat at the Battle of Anzen in modern-day Turkey. Emperor Theophilos personally led his troops against the Abbasid Caliphate, but a sudden desertion by his Persian allies and a torrential rainstorm that disabled his archers' bows turned the tide.
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