War Against the Yezda

Some forty years before Mavrikios Gavras gained the throne and became Avtokrator of Videssos, Yezda tribesmen sacked Mashiz and managed to seize all of Makuran. They continued to raid and expanded through Vaspurakan to challenge the Empire. Mavrikios was one of a long line of dissatisfied western noblemen who tried for the red but the first to gain control by dividing the various bureaucratic factions in the capital and getting some to support him.

In the first two years of Mavrikios' rule, he managed to blunt the Yezda expansion eastward, fighting them to a standstill on the borders. In his third year, Mavrikios' position was challenged and he could not leave the City to campaign for fear of an usurper taking the throne. Hence, the western provinces suffered raids and other torments. In the fourth year, Mavrikios consolidated his power, and raised enough treasure to hired sufficient mercenaries to finally crush Yezd.