Battle of Versinikia
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Versinikia was fought in 813 between the Byzantine Empire
and the Bulgarian Empire
, near the city of Adrianople (Edirne) in contemporary Turkey
.
Despite being vastly outnumbered the Bulgarians
were victorious, resulting in the dethroning of Michael I Rangabe
(811-813) by Leo V the Armenian
. The battle was a major success and further strengthened the Bulgaria
n position after their decisive victory over Nicephorus I two years earlier. In fact, after the battle they de facto
took control of the whole of Eastern Thrace (until the Treaty of 815
) with the exception of a few castles that remained in Byzantine control. For the first time in the Bulgarian history
, the way to Constantinople
was opened. Unfortunately for them, the great Khan
Krum died in the height of the preparation for the final siege of the Byzantine capital on 13 April 814.
in 811, the Byzantine Empire found itself in a really difficult situation. Nicephorus' son (and legitimate heir) Staurakios
, who was seriously wounded in the battle, was deposed in the autumn of the same year, after a palace coup d’état. Michael I Rangabe, curopalates
(supervisor of the palace) during the reign of Nicephorus I, was proclaimed emperor.
Bulgaria, which also suffered heavy losses and great material damage during Nicephorus' campaign, also had to reorganize its army and resources and was not able to advance until next year. The Bulgarian attacks were concentrated mainly in Thrace
but also along the valley of Strymōn (Struma
) river. Many towns were seized and their population was sent far to the north in Bulgaria across the Danube
. The attack created such panic among the Byzantine population that several towns were emptied even without being attacked by the Bulgarians. The attempts of Michael I to resist were fruitless - he organized an army but soon after he set off from Constantinople he had to go back due to a conspiracy.
In the meantime the Bulgarians continued to strike Thrace but in the autumn of 812 they were offered peace. The Bulgarian delegation was led by Dobromir but the Byzantine Emperor refused to conclude peace due to "his foul advisors' suggestions" as Theophanes
says. However the real reason was most probably Item 3 in the Treaty of 716
which says "The refugees [emigrants, deserters] from both sides shall be mutually surrendered, if they are plotting against the authorities." That item was important for the Byzantines during the 8th century because the authority of their Emperors was weakened but, after the crisis in Bulgaria in the mid 8th century, it became inconvenient for them. In response to the refusal the Bulgarians besieged Mesembria (Nessebar). They had excellent siege machines built by an Arab
emigrant and soon captured the town where they found 36 copper
siphons used to throw the famous Greek fire
and a large quantity of gold and silver.
The Byzantines again summoned an enormous army gathered from all themes of their Empire including the guards of the Syrian passes. Due to an unrest in the army, the campaign was delayed but finally they set off from Constantinople in May. The departure was a celebration and the population of the city including the Empress accompanied the troops outside the city wall. They even gave presents to the military commanders and invoked them to guard the Emperor and fight for the Christians.
The Byzantine army marched to the north but did not take any actions to take back Mesembria. On 4 May there was a solar eclipse
which frightened the Byzantine soldiers and lowered their morale. They encamped in the vicinity of Adrianople where the army looted and robbed its own country. In May Khan Krum also headed to Adrianople. In June both armies set their camps close to each other near the small fortress Versinikia to the north of Adrianople. Historical account (John Skylitzes in Synopsis Historion, etc.) stated that the Byzantine
army was 10 times (some historians stated even 20 times) bigger than the Bulgarian hosts. That was probably overestimated but undoubtedly the Byzantine army was significantly larger than the Bulgarian. Therefore, the Bulgarians
kept on a defensive position. Despite the numerical, logistic and strategic superiority the Byzantine army did not confront the adversary. Both armies got tense and anxious having waited in full armor for 13 days in the hot summer of Thrace. At the end the nerves of the Byzantine commanders failed the test of nerve and stamina
. Some of them were eager to attack and on 22 June the strategos
of Macedonia John Aplakes addressed Michael and said: "How much are we going to wait and die? I will attack first in the name of God and you will follow me bravely. And victory shall be ours because we are ten times more than them [the Bulgarians]."
The battle was short: in the morning of the same day the Byzantines attacked and the squad of Aplakes engaged the Bulgarians first. It managed to inflict some casualties to the Bulgarians but since the very beginning most of the Byzantines were so frightened that they did not even engage their enemy. The Byzantines could not withstand even the first Bulgarian counter-attack and when Khan Krum advanced with the Bulgarian heavy cavalry against the left flank of Byzantines they immediately ran away. The Anatolia
n squad was the first to flee followed by the entire army. The soldiers of Aplakes were left behind and most of them perished, including their commander. The battle took place in a valley and when the Bulgarians saw the retreating enemy which was in the higher positions they at first suspected a trap. In fact they also did not expect to achieve success so quickly and at first did not chase them. But when the Bulgarians were certain that the enemy is fleeing in panic their heavy cavalry rushed after the Byzantines. Many of them perished during the flight, others hid in different fortresses which were taken by the Bulgarians one by one and the rest managed to reach Constantinople. The chief commanders of Byzantine army, including the Emperor Michael I Rangabe
and Leo the Armenian, were the first to abandon the battlefield. The Bulgarians took the Byzantine camp and a rich prize including gold and weaponry.
Later Byzantine chronographers Genesius and Theophanes Continuatus accused Leo the Armenian as primarily responsible for the defeat, claiming that he deliberately ordered the flight of the units that were still not engaged in the battle. This view is accepted by a large number of scholars (J.B. Bury, Steven Runciman
, George Ostrogorsky
, R.J.H. Jenkins, Warren Treadgold et al.) , while others (Vasil Zlatarski
and a number of Greek scholars) reject Leo's responsibility, pointing to an alternative story Genesius and Theophanes Continuatus also included in their texts.
an opportunity to launch attacks in the vicinity of the Byzantine capital itself. It also sealed the fate of Michael I Rangabe who was forced to abdicate and withdraw to a monastery
. The Byzantine throne was taken by Leo V the Armenian
(813-820) who was distinguished from his predecessor as a strong-charactered and energetic man. He immediately took hasty precautions for the defense of Constantinople because he expected a Bulgarian assault.
The way to Constantionople was clear and the Bulgarian army headed straight to the city without facing any resistance. There were still several fortresses in Thrace which remained in Byzantine hands, particularly Adrianople which was besieged by Krum's brother. On 17 July 813 Krum himself reached the walls of Constantinople and set his camp without hindrance. Within the sight of the citizens of Constantinople, Krum who was also the high priest made a sacrifice to the Bulgar
god Tangra
, performed some pagan rituals, then the Bulgarians built trenches along the whole length of the city's walls and then suddenly Krum offered peace.
Leo V agreed to negotiations but he intended to treacherously kill Khan Krum and eliminate the threat over the Byzantine Empire. During the negotiations, the Byzantines fired arrows on the Bulgarian delegation killing some of them, including the kavkhan
or other high official, but Krum himself remained intact.
Infuriated by the treachery of the Byzantines, Krum ordered all churches, monasteries and palaces outside Constantinople to be destroyed, the captured Byzantines were slain and the riches from the palaces were sent to Bulgaria on carts. After that all enemy fortresses in the surroundings of Constantinople and Marmara Sea were seized and razed to the ground. The castles and settlements in the interior of Eastern Thrace were looted and the whole region devastated. Then Krum returned to Adrianople and strengthened the besieging forces. With the help of mangonel
s and battering ram
s he forced the city to surrender. The Bulgarians captured 10,000 people who were resettled in Bulgaria across the Danube
. Further 50,000 from other settlements in Thrace were deported there. During the winter Krum returned to Bulgaria and launched serious preparation for the final assault on Constantinople. The siege machines had to be transported to Constantinople by 5,000 iron-covered carts hauled by 10,000 oxes. However, he died during the height of the preparations on 13 April 814.
in whose surrounding was discovered an ancient Bulgarian inscription from the reign of Khan Krum. It is about the division of the Bulgarian army during the campaign in 813 - the left flank under kavkhan
Irtais was concentrated on the coast at Anchialus (Pomorie
) and Sozopol
and the right flank's headquarters were in the area of Beroe (Stara Zagora
) under the command of the ichirgu-boil
Tuk. The center under the personal command of Krum was probably located in the area of contemporary town of Elhovo
which is close to Malamirovo. It likely that the Byzantine army took position along the Derventski Heights which are situated on the contemporary Bulgarian-Turkish
border.
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
and the Bulgarian Empire
First Bulgarian Empire
The First Bulgarian Empire was a medieval Bulgarian state founded in the north-eastern Balkans in c. 680 by the Bulgars, uniting with seven South Slavic tribes...
, near the city of Adrianople (Edirne) in contemporary Turkey
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
.
Despite being vastly outnumbered the Bulgarians
Bulgarians
The Bulgarians are a South Slavic nation and ethnic group native to Bulgaria and neighbouring regions. Emigration has resulted in immigrant communities in a number of other countries.-History and ethnogenesis:...
were victorious, resulting in the dethroning of Michael I Rangabe
Michael I Rangabe
Michael I Rangabes was Byzantine Emperor from 811 to 813.Michael was the son of the patrician Theophylaktos Rangabes, the admiral of the Aegean fleet...
(811-813) by Leo V the Armenian
Leo V the Armenian
Leo V the Armenian was emperor of the Byzantine Empire from 813 to 820. A senior general, he forced his predecessor, Michael I Rangabe, to abdicate and assumed the throne. He ended the decade-long war with the Bulgars, and initiated the second period of Byzantine Iconoclasm...
. The battle was a major success and further strengthened the Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n position after their decisive victory over Nicephorus I two years earlier. In fact, after the battle they de facto
De facto
De facto is a Latin expression that means "concerning fact." In law, it often means "in practice but not necessarily ordained by law" or "in practice or actuality, but not officially established." It is commonly used in contrast to de jure when referring to matters of law, governance, or...
took control of the whole of Eastern Thrace (until the Treaty of 815
Treaty of 815
The Treaty of 815 was a 30-year peace agreement signed in Constantinople between the Bulgarian Khan Omurtag and the Byzantine Emperor Leo V the Armenian.- Background :...
) with the exception of a few castles that remained in Byzantine control. For the first time in the Bulgarian history
History of Bulgaria
The history of Bulgaria spans from the first settlements on the lands of modern Bulgaria to its formation as a nation-state and includes the history of the Bulgarian people and their origin. The first traces of human presence on what is today Bulgaria date from 44,000 BC...
, the way to Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
was opened. Unfortunately for them, the great Khan
Khan (title)
Khan is an originally Altaic and subsequently Central Asian title for a sovereign or military ruler, widely used by medieval nomadic Turko-Mongol tribes living to the north of China. 'Khan' is also seen as a title in the Xianbei confederation for their chief between 283 and 289...
Krum died in the height of the preparation for the final siege of the Byzantine capital on 13 April 814.
Prelude
After the great victory over the Byzantine army of emperor Nicephorus I in the battle of PliskaBattle of Pliska
The Battle of Pliska or Battle of Vărbitsa Pass was a series of battles between troops, gathered from all parts of the Byzantine Empire, led by the Emperor Nicephorus I Genik, and Bulgaria, governed by Khan Krum...
in 811, the Byzantine Empire found itself in a really difficult situation. Nicephorus' son (and legitimate heir) Staurakios
Staurakios
Staurakios or Stauracius was Byzantine emperor from July 26 to October 2, 811 in succession to his father, Nikephoros I, who had fallen at the Battle of Pliska...
, who was seriously wounded in the battle, was deposed in the autumn of the same year, after a palace coup d’état. Michael I Rangabe, curopalates
Curopalates
Kouropalatēs, Latinized as curopalates or curopalata and Anglicized as curopalate, was a Byzantine court title, one of the highest from the time of Emperor Justinian I to that of the Komnenoi in the 12th century...
(supervisor of the palace) during the reign of Nicephorus I, was proclaimed emperor.
Bulgaria, which also suffered heavy losses and great material damage during Nicephorus' campaign, also had to reorganize its army and resources and was not able to advance until next year. The Bulgarian attacks were concentrated mainly in Thrace
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
but also along the valley of Strymōn (Struma
Struma River
The Struma or Strymónas is a river in Bulgaria and Greece. Its ancient name was Strymōn . Its catchment area is 10,800 km²...
) river. Many towns were seized and their population was sent far to the north in Bulgaria across the Danube
Bulgarian lands across the Danube
In the Middle Ages the Bulgarian Empire controlled vast areas to the north of the river Danube from its establishment in 681 to its fall in 1396. These lands were called by contemporary Byzantine historians Bulgaria across the Danube...
. The attack created such panic among the Byzantine population that several towns were emptied even without being attacked by the Bulgarians. The attempts of Michael I to resist were fruitless - he organized an army but soon after he set off from Constantinople he had to go back due to a conspiracy.
In the meantime the Bulgarians continued to strike Thrace but in the autumn of 812 they were offered peace. The Bulgarian delegation was led by Dobromir but the Byzantine Emperor refused to conclude peace due to "his foul advisors' suggestions" as Theophanes
Theophanes the Confessor
Saint Theophanes Confessor was a member of the Byzantine aristocracy, who became a monk and chronicler. He is venerated on March 12 in the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox Church .-Biography:Theophanes was born in Constantinople of wealthy and noble iconodule parents: Isaac,...
says. However the real reason was most probably Item 3 in the Treaty of 716
Treaty of 716
The Treaty of 716 was an agreement between Bulgaria and the Byzantine Empire. It was signed by the son of the ruling Bulgarian Khan Tervel, Kormesiy and the Byzantine Emperor Theodosios III.- Background :...
which says "The refugees [emigrants, deserters] from both sides shall be mutually surrendered, if they are plotting against the authorities." That item was important for the Byzantines during the 8th century because the authority of their Emperors was weakened but, after the crisis in Bulgaria in the mid 8th century, it became inconvenient for them. In response to the refusal the Bulgarians besieged Mesembria (Nessebar). They had excellent siege machines built by an Arab
Arab
Arab people, also known as Arabs , are a panethnicity primarily living in the Arab world, which is located in Western Asia and North Africa. They are identified as such on one or more of genealogical, linguistic, or cultural grounds, with tribal affiliations, and intra-tribal relationships playing...
emigrant and soon captured the town where they found 36 copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
siphons used to throw the famous Greek fire
Greek fire
Greek fire was an incendiary weapon used by the Byzantine Empire. The Byzantines typically used it in naval battles to great effect as it could continue burning while floating on water....
and a large quantity of gold and silver.
Preparations for battle
Despite the loss of Mesembria, the Byzantines were unwilling to settle peace. During the winter of 812 - 813 Khan Krum started intense preparations for an attack against Byzantium and Michael I was preparing for defense. In February 813 Bulgarian forces made several investigation raids in Thrace but quickly pulled back after several clashes with the Byzantines. The retreat was considered by the Byzantine Emperor as a victory "according to God's providence" and encouraged him to counter-attack.The Byzantines again summoned an enormous army gathered from all themes of their Empire including the guards of the Syrian passes. Due to an unrest in the army, the campaign was delayed but finally they set off from Constantinople in May. The departure was a celebration and the population of the city including the Empress accompanied the troops outside the city wall. They even gave presents to the military commanders and invoked them to guard the Emperor and fight for the Christians.
The battle
Solar eclipse
As seen from the Earth, a solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Sun and the Earth, and the Moon fully or partially blocks the Sun as viewed from a location on Earth. This can happen only during a new moon, when the Sun and the Moon are in conjunction as seen from Earth. At least...
which frightened the Byzantine soldiers and lowered their morale. They encamped in the vicinity of Adrianople where the army looted and robbed its own country. In May Khan Krum also headed to Adrianople. In June both armies set their camps close to each other near the small fortress Versinikia to the north of Adrianople. Historical account (John Skylitzes in Synopsis Historion, etc.) stated that the Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
army was 10 times (some historians stated even 20 times) bigger than the Bulgarian hosts. That was probably overestimated but undoubtedly the Byzantine army was significantly larger than the Bulgarian. Therefore, the Bulgarians
Bulgarians
The Bulgarians are a South Slavic nation and ethnic group native to Bulgaria and neighbouring regions. Emigration has resulted in immigrant communities in a number of other countries.-History and ethnogenesis:...
kept on a defensive position. Despite the numerical, logistic and strategic superiority the Byzantine army did not confront the adversary. Both armies got tense and anxious having waited in full armor for 13 days in the hot summer of Thrace. At the end the nerves of the Byzantine commanders failed the test of nerve and stamina
Endurance
Endurance is the ability for a human or animal to exert itself and remain active for a long period of time, as well as its ability to resist, withstand, recover from, and have immunity to trauma, wounds, or fatigue. In humans, it is usually used in aerobic or anaerobic exercise...
. Some of them were eager to attack and on 22 June the strategos
Strategos
Strategos, plural strategoi, is used in Greek to mean "general". In the Hellenistic and Byzantine Empires the term was also used to describe a military governor...
of Macedonia John Aplakes addressed Michael and said: "How much are we going to wait and die? I will attack first in the name of God and you will follow me bravely. And victory shall be ours because we are ten times more than them [the Bulgarians]."
The battle was short: in the morning of the same day the Byzantines attacked and the squad of Aplakes engaged the Bulgarians first. It managed to inflict some casualties to the Bulgarians but since the very beginning most of the Byzantines were so frightened that they did not even engage their enemy. The Byzantines could not withstand even the first Bulgarian counter-attack and when Khan Krum advanced with the Bulgarian heavy cavalry against the left flank of Byzantines they immediately ran away. The Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
n squad was the first to flee followed by the entire army. The soldiers of Aplakes were left behind and most of them perished, including their commander. The battle took place in a valley and when the Bulgarians saw the retreating enemy which was in the higher positions they at first suspected a trap. In fact they also did not expect to achieve success so quickly and at first did not chase them. But when the Bulgarians were certain that the enemy is fleeing in panic their heavy cavalry rushed after the Byzantines. Many of them perished during the flight, others hid in different fortresses which were taken by the Bulgarians one by one and the rest managed to reach Constantinople. The chief commanders of Byzantine army, including the Emperor Michael I Rangabe
Michael I Rangabe
Michael I Rangabes was Byzantine Emperor from 811 to 813.Michael was the son of the patrician Theophylaktos Rangabes, the admiral of the Aegean fleet...
and Leo the Armenian, were the first to abandon the battlefield. The Bulgarians took the Byzantine camp and a rich prize including gold and weaponry.
Later Byzantine chronographers Genesius and Theophanes Continuatus accused Leo the Armenian as primarily responsible for the defeat, claiming that he deliberately ordered the flight of the units that were still not engaged in the battle. This view is accepted by a large number of scholars (J.B. Bury, Steven Runciman
Steven Runciman
The Hon. Sir James Cochran Stevenson Runciman CH — known as Steven Runciman — was a British historian known for his work on the Middle Ages...
, George Ostrogorsky
George Ostrogorsky
George Alexandrovič Ostrogorsky was a Russian-born Yugoslavian historian and Byzantinist who acquired worldwide reputations in Byzantine studies.-Biography:...
, R.J.H. Jenkins, Warren Treadgold et al.) , while others (Vasil Zlatarski
Vasil Zlatarski
Vasil Nikolov Zlatarski was a Bulgarian historian-medievalist, archaeologist, and epigraphist.- Life :Vasil Zlatarski was born in Veliko Tarnovo in 1866, the youngest child of the teacher Nikola Zlatarcheto who was a prominent activist in the educational movement and the religious and national...
and a number of Greek scholars) reject Leo's responsibility, pointing to an alternative story Genesius and Theophanes Continuatus also included in their texts.
Aftermath
The victory at Versinikia further worsened the grim situation of Byzantium and gave the Bulgarian KhanKhan (title)
Khan is an originally Altaic and subsequently Central Asian title for a sovereign or military ruler, widely used by medieval nomadic Turko-Mongol tribes living to the north of China. 'Khan' is also seen as a title in the Xianbei confederation for their chief between 283 and 289...
an opportunity to launch attacks in the vicinity of the Byzantine capital itself. It also sealed the fate of Michael I Rangabe who was forced to abdicate and withdraw to a monastery
Monastery
Monastery denotes the building, or complex of buildings, that houses a room reserved for prayer as well as the domestic quarters and workplace of monastics, whether monks or nuns, and whether living in community or alone .Monasteries may vary greatly in size – a small dwelling accommodating only...
. The Byzantine throne was taken by Leo V the Armenian
Leo V the Armenian
Leo V the Armenian was emperor of the Byzantine Empire from 813 to 820. A senior general, he forced his predecessor, Michael I Rangabe, to abdicate and assumed the throne. He ended the decade-long war with the Bulgars, and initiated the second period of Byzantine Iconoclasm...
(813-820) who was distinguished from his predecessor as a strong-charactered and energetic man. He immediately took hasty precautions for the defense of Constantinople because he expected a Bulgarian assault.
Bulgars
The Bulgars were a semi-nomadic who flourished in the Pontic Steppe and the Volga basin in the 7th century.The Bulgars emerge after the collapse of the Hunnic Empire in the 5th century....
god Tangra
Tengri
Tengri or Tengger Tengri or Tengger Tengri or Tengger (Old Turkic: ; Mongolian: Тэнгэр, Tenger; Chinese: 腾格里, Mandarin: Ténggélǐ, Hungarian: Tengri, Turkish: Tanrı, Bulgarian: Tangra (Тангра) is a sky god, formerly the chief deity of the early Turkic peoples, including the Xiongnu, Huns, Bulgars,...
, performed some pagan rituals, then the Bulgarians built trenches along the whole length of the city's walls and then suddenly Krum offered peace.
Leo V agreed to negotiations but he intended to treacherously kill Khan Krum and eliminate the threat over the Byzantine Empire. During the negotiations, the Byzantines fired arrows on the Bulgarian delegation killing some of them, including the kavkhan
Kavkhan (title)
The kavhan was one of the most important officials in the First Bulgarian Empire. According to the generally accepted opinion, he was the second most important person in the state after the Bulgarian ruler. He had a number of responsibilities and concentrated huge power and authority. The kavhan...
or other high official, but Krum himself remained intact.
Infuriated by the treachery of the Byzantines, Krum ordered all churches, monasteries and palaces outside Constantinople to be destroyed, the captured Byzantines were slain and the riches from the palaces were sent to Bulgaria on carts. After that all enemy fortresses in the surroundings of Constantinople and Marmara Sea were seized and razed to the ground. The castles and settlements in the interior of Eastern Thrace were looted and the whole region devastated. Then Krum returned to Adrianople and strengthened the besieging forces. With the help of mangonel
Mangonel
A mangonel was a type of catapult or siege engine used in the medieval period to throw projectiles at a castle's walls. The exact meaning of the term is debatable, and several possibilities have been suggested. Mangonel may also be indirectly referring to the 'mangon' a French hard stone found in...
s and battering ram
Battering ram
A battering ram is a siege engine originating in ancient times and designed to break open the masonry walls of fortifications or splinter their wooden gates...
s he forced the city to surrender. The Bulgarians captured 10,000 people who were resettled in Bulgaria across the Danube
Bulgarian lands across the Danube
In the Middle Ages the Bulgarian Empire controlled vast areas to the north of the river Danube from its establishment in 681 to its fall in 1396. These lands were called by contemporary Byzantine historians Bulgaria across the Danube...
. Further 50,000 from other settlements in Thrace were deported there. During the winter Krum returned to Bulgaria and launched serious preparation for the final assault on Constantinople. The siege machines had to be transported to Constantinople by 5,000 iron-covered carts hauled by 10,000 oxes. However, he died during the height of the preparations on 13 April 814.
Location of the battle
The exact location of the Versinikia fortress is unknown. According to Teophanes that castle was located at 60 km from Michael Rangabe's camp at Adrianople. At that distance from the north is located the village of MalomirovoMalomirovo
Malomirovo is a village in the Yambol Province, south-eastern Bulgaria. it has 409 inhabitants.The village is probably the location of the medieval castle Versinikia near which in 813 the Bulgarian Khan Krum decisively defeated the Byzantines....
in whose surrounding was discovered an ancient Bulgarian inscription from the reign of Khan Krum. It is about the division of the Bulgarian army during the campaign in 813 - the left flank under kavkhan
Kavkhan (title)
The kavhan was one of the most important officials in the First Bulgarian Empire. According to the generally accepted opinion, he was the second most important person in the state after the Bulgarian ruler. He had a number of responsibilities and concentrated huge power and authority. The kavhan...
Irtais was concentrated on the coast at Anchialus (Pomorie
Pomorie
Pomorie is a town and seaside resort in southeastern Bulgaria, located on a narrow rocky peninsula in Burgas Bay on the southern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. It is situated in Burgas Province, 20 km away from the city of Burgas and 18 km from the Sunny Beach resort. The ultrasaline lagoon...
) and Sozopol
Sozopol
Sozopol is an ancient seaside town located 35 km south of Burgas on the southern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. Today it is one of the major seaside resorts in the country, known for the Apollonia art and film festival that is named after one of the town's ancient names.The busiest times of the year...
and the right flank's headquarters were in the area of Beroe (Stara Zagora
Stara Zagora
Stara Zagora is the sixth largest city in Bulgaria, and a nationally important economic center. Located in Southern Bulgaria, it is the administrative capital of the homonymous Stara Zagora Province...
) under the command of the ichirgu-boil
Ichirgu-boil
The Ichirgu-boil or Chargobilya was a high-ranking official in the First Bulgarian Empire. He was the commander of the garrison of the capital and was the third most important person in the state after the ruler and the Kavkhan. In peace-time the ichirgu-boil had diplomatic functions...
Tuk. The center under the personal command of Krum was probably located in the area of contemporary town of Elhovo
Elhovo
Elhovo is a Bulgarian town in Yambol Province, located on the left bank of Tundzha river, between Strandzha and Sakar mountains. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Elhovo Municipality...
which is close to Malamirovo. It likely that the Byzantine army took position along the Derventski Heights which are situated on the contemporary Bulgarian-Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
border.
Sources and references
- Theophanes the ConfessorTheophanes the ConfessorSaint Theophanes Confessor was a member of the Byzantine aristocracy, who became a monk and chronicler. He is venerated on March 12 in the Roman Catholic and the Eastern Orthodox Church .-Biography:Theophanes was born in Constantinople of wealthy and noble iconodule parents: Isaac,...
, Chronicle, Ed. Carl de Boor, Leipzig. - Theophanes ContinuatusTheophanes ContinuatusTheophanes Continuatus or Scriptores post Theophanem is the Latin name commonly applied to a collection of historical writings preserved in the 11th-century Vat. gr. 167 manuscript. Its name derives from its role as the continuation, covering the years 813–961, of the chronicle of Theophanes the...
, Chronographia, in Patrologia GraecaPatrologia GraecaThe Patrologia Graeca is an edited collection of writings by the Christian Church Fathers and various secular writers, in the ancient Koine or medieval variants of the Greek language. It consists of 161 volumes produced in 1857–1866 by J. P. Migne's Imprimerie Catholique...
vol. 109, ed. J. P. Migne, Paris 1863. - Josephus Genesius, Vasiliai (Historia de Rebus Constantinopolitanis), in Patrologia Graeca vol. 109, ed. J.P. Migne, Paris 1863. This work is also known as Reges.
- John SkylitzesJohn SkylitzesJohn Skylitzes, latinized as Ioannes Scylitzes was a Greek historian of the late 11th century. He was born in the beginning of 1040's and died after 1101.- Life :Very little is known about his life...
, Synopsis Historion, translated by Paul Stephenson. - Васил Н. Златарски (Vasil N. Zlatarski), История на българската държава през средните векове, Част I, II изд., Наука и изкуство, София 1970.
- Атанас Пейчев и колектив, 1300 години на стража, Военно издателство, София 1984.
- Йордан Андреев, Милчо Лалков, Българските ханове и царе, Велико Търново, 1996.
- Θεόδωρος Κορρές, Λέων Ε' ο Αρμένιος και η εποχή του - Μια κρίσιμη δεκαετία για το Βυζάντιο (811-820), εκδ. Βάνιας, Θεσσαλονίκη 1996.
- John Haldon, The Byzantine Wars, Tempus, 2001. ISBN 0-752-41795-9
- Warren Treadgold, A history of the Byzantine State and Society, Stanford University Press 1997, ISBN 0-8047-2630-2.
- Battle of Versinikia (in Bulgarian)