Battle of Ankhialo (708) ( Bulgarian. Battle of Ankhialo (708) ) - a battle between the army of the Byzantine emperor Justinian II and the army of the First Bulgarian Kingdom in 708 . The battle took place in the vicinity of Anhialo . The Bulgarians won.
| Battle of Anhialo (708) | |||
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| Main Conflict: Bulgarian-Byzantine Wars | |||
 Plan of the Battle of Anhialo (708) | |||
| date | 708 | ||
| A place | neighborhood Anhialo | ||
| Total | Bulgarian victory | ||
| Opponents | |||
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| Commanders | |||
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| Losses | |||
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Content
Background
In 705, the previously overthrown emperor Justinian II with the help of the ruler of the Bulgarians Tervel managed to regain the throne in Constantinople . He awarded his ally, giving him the Zagora region and the title of Caesar , as well as the promise to pay an annual tax [1] . Between Bulgaria and Byzantium established peaceful relations. However, three years later, Justinian II suddenly invaded Bulgaria.
Battle
The emperor hoped for a surprise attack, but he was mistaken, as the Bulgarians learned of his intentions. In 708, Byzantine horse troops and fleets reached Anhialo. The Byzantines camped in the fields around him, not knowing that the Bulgarian troops were already waiting for them in ambushes organized in the mountains here [2] . In the chronicle of Theophanes the Confessor it is told [3]
| Meanwhile, the army, like sheep, scattered across the fields to gather grass; Bulgarian patrols from the mountains noticed a mess in the Roman cavalry, and, as the animals gathered, they suddenly attacked the Roman herd and took a lot of prisoners and horses, and weapons, not counting those killed. Justinian, hiding in a fortress, with the rest remaining, locked the gates for three days. But seeing the stubbornness of the Bulgarians, he himself first cut the veins of his horse and forced others to do the same. Then instead of trophies, having nailed weapons to the walls, at night, boarding the ships, he secretly sailed away and returned in shame to the city. |
Consequences
As a result of the battle, Bulgaria strengthened its position in new territories south of the Balkan Mountains . However, Tervel did not completely sever ties with Justinian II. When in 711 the army of military commander Filippik Vardan rebelled against the emperor, the Bulgarian ruler sent a three thousandth detachment to help Justinian. He, however, did not have time to change the situation for the better for the emperor. Having seized power, Filippik Vardan allowed the Bulgarian soldiers to peacefully leave, and Justinian II was killed.
Notes
- ↑ Yordan Andreev. Balgarsite Khan and king of the 7th-14th centuries. - Sofia: Publishing House "Dr. Peter Beron", 1988.
- ↑ Vasil N. Zlatarski. History on the Parvoto Bulgarian Kingdom. I. The era of the Huno-Bulgarskoe power (679–852). - Sofia: Publishing House "Science and Art", 1970.
- ↑ Theophanes the Confessor. Chronography - Alexandria. - (Byzantine historical library). - ISBN 5-94460-024-1 .