This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these messages)
|
Battle of Versinikia | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Part of the Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars | |||||||
Bulgaria under Khan Krum including the most important campaigns and battles | |||||||
| |||||||
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, about half the size of the Byzantine force, was victorious, leading to the dethroning of the Byzantine Emperor Michael I Rangabe (811–813) by Leo V the Armenian. The battle further strengthened the Bulgarian position after their victory over Nicephorus I two years earlier. After the battle they took 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. For the first time in Bulgarian history, it was possible to march on Constantinople. Krum died at the height of the preparations for the final siege of the Byzantine capital on 13 April 814.