| abstract | - Avshar had invaded the western region of the Videssos empire, ravaging the area touching Vaspurakan and leaving the survivors to starve in the inevitable famine. In Videssos the city, Avtokrator Mavrikios Gavras and his brother, Thorisin led the imperial army across the Cattle Crossing to the west, taking several weeks to get there and stopping at various locations on the journey. Among the soldiers of the imperial army were a contingent of mercenaries known as the Ronams, led by Marcus Scaurus. After taking the town of Khliat, Mavrikios used it as a base of operations. He set a force of about one quarter of the army west under the command of Baanes Onomagoulos to take the town of Maragha. About a day's march from it, Onomagoulos was ambushed and pinned down by a large Yezd force commanded by Avshar. Mavrikios brought the rest of the army west, leaving dependants and the baggage train behind in Khliat, to rescue the trapped force. Ultimately, the two opposing armies met near the town of Maragha, which gave its name to the battle.
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