actual commander, as Arabic and Syriac sources record that he commanded an "army of Arabs and Persians". After winning a few modest successes, the army turned back south. Manuel, who by then had apparently won the confidence of his Arab minders, suggested that he and 'Abbas take a part of the army and raid over the Pass of Hadath into Byzantine Cappadocia. Once across the mountains, he and the other Byzantine captives neutralized Abbas and his escort, took their arms and escaped. Abbas and his companions were left behind unmolested, and allowed to return to Abbasid territory. Domestic of the Schools Theophilos welcomed Manuel with open arms, and named him Domestic of the Schools, commander of the elite (regiment) of the Scholae and de facto commander-in-chief of the entire army. Manuel would remain Theophilos's leading general for the remainder of his reign. Furthermore, as the uncle of Theophilos's wife, the Empress Theodora, his position at court was now unassailable, as shown by the fact that the Emperor later served as godfather for Manuel's children. The Syriac sources even report that Theophilos made Manuel governor of the "inner regions" of the Empire. In 831, Manuel accompanied Theophilos in an expedition against a raid by the Cilician Arabs. The Byzantines caught up with the Arabs near the fort of Charsianon, and inflicted a heavy defeat upon them, killing 1,600 and taking some seven thousand prisoner. Manuel is also recorded as accompanying Theophilos on his great expedition in 837 against the Arab cities of northern Mesopotamia, which led to the sack of Zapetra and Arsamosata. This campaign, however, and the atrocities committed by the Byzantines' former Khurramite troops after the fall of Zapetra, provoked a large-scale retaliatory campaign by Caliph al-Mu'tasim (). Manuel again accompanied the Emperor as his senior general, along with Nasr/Theophobos as commander of a large corps composed of former Khurramite refugees. Manuel participated in the disastrous Battle of Anzen on 22 July 838, where Theophilos confronted the army of general al-Afshin. During that battle, the imperial army broke and fled, and Theophilos with his retinue were surrounded by the Arabs on a hill with some 2,000 Khurramites. When some of the latter reportedly began planning to surrender the Emperor to the Arabs, Manuel seized the Emperor's horse by the bridle and forcibly led him away. With a few other officers, he managed to break through the Arab lines, and