Battle of Versinikia

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Battle of Versinikia
Part of the Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars
Bulgaria under Khan Krum including the most important campaigns and battles
Date 22 June 813 Location between Malamirovo, Bulgaria and Edirne, Turkey Result Bulgarian victory Abdication of Michael I Rangabe
Belligerents
Bulgarian Empire	Byzantine Empire
Commanders and leaders
Khan Krum	Michael I Rangabe
Strength
6,000–7,000[1] or 12,000[2]	20,000[3]–30,000[2] 30,000–36,000[4]
Casualties and losses
Unknown	2,000–3,000[5]

The Battle of Versinikia (Bulgarian: Битката при Версиникия; Greek: Μάχη της Βερσινικίας) was fought in 813 between the Byzantine Empire and the Bulgarian Empire, near the city of Adrianople (Edirne) in modern-day Turkey.

The Bulgarian army led by Krum of Bulgaria defeated a larger Byzantine force. Following the defeat, Michael I Rangabe abdicated, with Leo V the Armenian taking the throne.^[6] The battle further strengthened the Bulgarian position after their victory over Nicephorus I two years earlier. After the battle the Bulgars had de facto control of the whole region of Eastern Thrace (until the Byzantine–Bulgarian Treaty of 815) with the exception of a few castles that remained in Byzantine control. Krum died at the height of the preparations for the final siege of the Constantinople on 13 April 814.