Battle of Adrianople (813)
The battle of Wersinikia
| date | June 22, 813 |
|---|---|
| place | near Adrianople (today Edirne in Turkey ) |
| output | Victory of the Bulgarians |
| Parties to the conflict | |
|---|---|
| Commander | |
| Troop strength | |
| unknown | unknown |
| losses | |
|
unknown |
unknown |
The Battle of Adrianople of June 22, 813 is also called the Battle of Wersinikia (or Bersinikia or Versinikia). It was the attempt of the Byzantine Empire to make up for the devastating defeat against the Bulgarians in the battle of the Warbiza Pass two years earlier (July 26, 811). At that time the Emperor Nikephorus I had fallen and the heir to the throne Staurakios was so badly injured that Michael I Rangabe was able to depose him after only a few weeks.
Michael was defeated again by the Bulgarians in Adrianople , in part due to the behavior of the strategos of the subject of Anatolia , Leo. After the battle, Michael I and his son Theophylactus were deposed and exiled to the Prince Islands . Leo ascended the throne as Leo V.
Just five days after taking office, the Bulgarian Khan Krum appeared with large parts of his army, devastating the whole area, at the gates of Constantinople .
This time the Byzantine Army was able to defeat him. Krum's death in 814 put an end to the conflict for the time being. Leo V concluded a peace treaty with his successor Omurtag (ruled 814-831), which was planned for 30 years.