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The Battle of Manzikert took place on August 26, 1071, between the Byzantine Empire and the Seljuk Turks, resulting in a decisive victory for the Turks, which paved the way for their expansion into Anatolia.
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The defeat severely weakened Byzantine control over the region and led to the eventual decline of the Byzantine Empire, marking a significant shift in power in the Near East.
Historians consider the Battle of Manzikert a crucial cause for the subsequent fall of the Byzantine Empire because it not only destabilized Byzantine authority in Anatolia but also opened the door for Turkish settlement, fundamentally altering the demographic and political landscape of the region.