Alexios leads a sizable imperial army deep into the Anatolian interior in the campaign of Philomelion.
Anna Komnene, the primary source for the campaign, implies that the Seljuq capital of Iconium was the goal of the expedition, but evidently Alexios abandoned this plan and contented himself with staging a conspicuous show of force and evacuating the native Christian population from the Turkish dominated areas his army passed through.
The imperial forces are to employ a new battle formation of Alexios' devising, the parataxis.
Anna Komnene's description of this formation is so imprecise as to be useless.
However, from her account of the army in action, it is obvious that the parataxis was a defensive formation, a hollow square with the baggage in the center, infantry on the outside and cavalry in-between, from whence they could mount attacks.
This is an ideal formation for tackling the fluid Turkish battle tactics, reliant on swarm attacks by horse-archers.
A similar formation will later be employed by Richard I of England at the Battle of Arsuf.
The imperial army moves through Santabaris, sending detachments via Polybotos and Kedros, and, after dispersing Turkish resistance, takes Philomelion by assault.
Parties of scouts are then sent out to round up the local Christian population for evacuation to areas under firm imperial control.
Alexios becomes aware that a substantial Seljuq army is approaching from the north and begins his retreat to his own territory.
His army resumes its defensive formation with the civilians accompanying the baggage in the center.
The Turks, under an officer called Manalugh, are initially baffled by the imperial formation and do not attack with any vigor.
However, the following day Sultan Malik Shah arrives and the imperial army is attacked in earnest.
The Turks mount a simultaneous attack on the van and rear of the army.
The imperial cavalry makes two counterattacks: the first seems to have been unsuccessful, with Alexios' son Andronikos being killed.
A further counterattack is more fortunate, led by Nikephoros Bryennios the Younger (Anna Komnene's husband and Alexios' son-in-law) the leader of the imperial right wing, it breaks that part of the Turkish force led in person by the Sultan, which then turns to flight.
Malik Shah narrowly escapes capture.
The Seljuqs then make a night attack, but the imperial dispositions again frustrate them.
The following day, Malik Shah again attacks, his troops completely surrounding the Byzantine army on all sides.
The Turks are once more repulsed with loss, having achieved nothing.
The next day Malik-Shah sends to Alexios with proposals for peace.
Alexios and Malik Shah meet, Alexios throwing his own costly cloak around the sultan's shoulders.
A peace involving an undertaking by Malik Shah to stop Turkish raiding and an admission by the sultan of some measure of, largely theoretical, dependence on the emperor is made.
Anna Komnene records that the peace treaty involved an undertaking by Malik Shah to evacuate Anatolia, but this is unlikely in the extreme and must represent hyperbole on her part.
The campaign is remarkable for the high level of discipline shown by the imperial army.
Alexios has demonstrated that he can march his army with impunity through Turkish dominated territory.
