This Day in History: 0000-08-26

26 Aug – Seljuk Turks defeated Byzantines under Romanos IV after Pecheneg and Cuman Turkic mercenaries deserted and Romanos’ rival Doukas failed to support him at the Battle of Manzikert (1071). This destroyed Byzantine power in the heartland of Anatolia and began the terminal decline of the Empire.
26 Aug – English under Edward III defeat French under Philip VI in the Battle of Crecy, highlighting the superiority of the English longbow over the crossbow (1346).