Functional relations and Bethe Ansatz for the XXZ chain

There is an approach due to Bazhanov and Reshetikhin for solving integrable RSOS models which consists of solving the functional relations which result from the truncation of the fusion hierarchy. We demonstrate that this is also an effective means of solving integrable vertex models. Indeed, we use this method to recover the known Bethe Ansatz solutions of both the closed and open XXZ quantum spin chains with U(1) symmetry. Moreover, since this method does not rely on the existence of a pseudovacuum state, we also use this method to solve a special case of the open XXZ chain with nondiagonal boundary terms.