 The main battle line was shielded by a screen of horse archers – Turks and Cumans – and some western mercenary knights, who had made up the vanguard of the army.The centre, which had constituted the rearguard on the march, was commanded by Kontostephanos himself, and consisted of the imperial guards units, including the Varangians and "Hetaireiai", units of Italian mercenaries from Lombardy (probably lancers) and a unit of 500 armoured Serbian allied infantry.Unusually, Kontostephanos also had the emperor's companions (the "oikeoi" or household troops) under his command.