Battle of Kleidion

Battle of Kleidion
Part of the Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars
The Byzantines defeat the Bulgarians at Kleidion and Tsar Samuel becomes unconscious at the sight of his blinded army. Scene from the Manasses Chronicle.
Date 29 July 1014 Location Belasitsa Mountains, close to the village of Klyuch, modern Blagoevgrad Province, Bulgaria 41°21′45″N 23°01′03″E / 41.36250°N 23.01750°E / 41.36250; 23.01750 Result Byzantine victory
Belligerents
Byzantine Empire	Bulgarian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Basil II Nikephoros Xiphias Constantine Diogenes Theophylaktos Botaneiates †	Samuel of Bulgaria Gabriel Radomir
Strength
Unknown	Unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Devastating almost entire forces, allegedly 15,000 captured
class=notpageimage| Battle site indicated on a map of modern Bulgaria Show map of Bulgaria Battle of Kleidion (Greece) Show map of Greece Battle of Kleidion (North Macedonia) Show map of North Macedonia

The Battle of Kleidion (Greek: Κλειδίον; or Clidium, after the medieval name of the village of Klyuch, lit. 'key'; also known as the Battle of Belasitsa) took place on 29 July 1014, between the Byzantine Empire and the Bulgarian Empire. It was the culmination of the nearly half-century struggle between the Byzantine Emperor Basil II and the Bulgarian emperor Samuel in the late 10th and early 11th centuries. The result was a decisive Byzantine victory.

The battle took place in the valley between the mountains of Belasitsa and Ograzhden, near the modern Bulgarian village of Klyuch. The decisive encounter occurred on 29 July with an attack in the rear by a force under the Byzantine general Nikephoros Xiphias, who had infiltrated the Bulgarian positions. The ensuing battle was a major defeat for the Bulgarians. Thousands of Bulgarian soldiers were captured and blinded by order of Basil II, who would subsequently be known as the "Bulgar-Slayer". Samuel survived the battle, but died two months later from a heart attack, reportedly brought on by the sight of his blind soldiers.

Although the engagement did not end the First Bulgarian Empire, the Battle of Kleidion reduced its ability to resist Byzantine advances, and it has been considered the pivotal encounter of the war with Byzantium.