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Byzantine–Bulgarian war of 756–775
Part of the Byzantine–Bulgarian wars
Date 756–774 Location Balkan Peninsula Result Inconclusive limited Byzantine military successes the Byzantines reconquer Zagore elimination of the Byzantine spy network in Bulgaria
Belligerents
Bulgaria	Byzantine Empire
Commanders and leaders
Kormisosh Vinekh Telets Telerig	Constantine V
Strength
Unknown	>80,000 >800 ships
Casualties and losses
Heavy	Heavy

The Byzantine–Bulgarian wars of 756–775 (Bulgarian: Българо–византийска война от 756–775) were a series of conflicts between Bulgaria and the Byzantine Empire under Constantine V. An able general and administrator, Constantine V achieved significant successes against the Arabs in Asia Minor and was able to reinforce the Empire's presence in the Balkans. In Bulgaria, the third quarter of the 8th century was a period of internal turmoil, plagued with constant rivalry for the throne among the leading noble clans. Over the course of the war eight Khans ruler the country, and all of them were deposed.

In 19 years Constantine V led nine campaigns, defeating the Bulgarians at Marcellae in 756, Anchialus in 763 and Berzitia in 774, but losing the battle of the Rishki Pass in 759. Both sides suffered heavy casualties and in addition the Byzantines lost hundreds of ships to storms in the Black Sea. Despite the internal instability of Bulgaria and the huge military effort of the Byzantine Empire with its larger manpower, wealth and resources, the young Bulgarian state did not collapse and proved to be a dangerous rival of the Byzantines in the Balkans. In 774 the Bulgarian khan Telerig outmanoeuvred Constantine V by convincing him to expose the Byzantine spies in the Bulgarian capital Pliska who were duly eliminated. The next year Constantine V died during a retaliatory campaign against Bulgaria.

The sources about the Byzantine–Bulgarian relations in the following 14 years are obscure. In 789 the hostilities were renewed and the Bulgarians scored an important victory in the battle of Marcellae in 792, which marked the end of the internal turmoil and the consolidation of the country under khan Kardam.

See also

• Byzantine–Bulgarian wars
• Medieval Bulgarian army
• Byzantine army

Sources

• Андреев (Andreev), Йордан (Jordan); Лалков (Lalkov), Милчо (Milcho) (1996). Българските ханове и царе (The Bulgarian Khans and Tsars) (in Bulgarian). Велико Търново (Veliko Tarnovo): Абагар (Abagar). ISBN 954-427-216-X.
• Ангелов (Angelov), Димитър (Dimitar); Божилов (Bozhilov), Иван (Ivan); Ваклинов (Vaklinov), Станчо (Stancho); Гюзелев (Gyuzelev), Васил (Vasil); Куев (Kuev), Кую (kuyu); Петров (Petrov), Петър (Petar); Примов (Primov), Борислав (Borislav); Тъпкова (Tapkova), Василка (Vasilka); Цанокова (Tsankova), Геновева (Genoveva) (1981). История на България. Том II. Първа българска държава [History of Bulgaria. Volume II. First Bulgarian State] (in Bulgarian). и колектив. София (Sofia): Издателство на БАН (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Press).
• Божилов (Bozhilov), Иван (Ivan); Гюзелев (Gyuzelev), Васил (Vasil) (1999). История на средновековна България VII–XIV век (History of Medieval Bulgaria VII–XIV centuries) (in Bulgarian). София (Sofia): Анубис (Anubis). ISBN 954-426-204-0.
• Коледаров (Koledarov), Петър (Petar) (1979). Политическа география на средновековната Българска държава, част 1 (681–1018) (Political Geography of the Medieval Bulgarian State, Part I. From 681 to 1018) (in Bulgarian). София (Sofia): Издателство на БАН (Bulgarian Academy of Sciences Press).
• Fine, J. (1991). The Early Medieval Balkans, A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century. University of Michigan Press. ISBN 0-472-08149-7.
• Kazhdan, A.; collective (1991). The Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium. New York, Oxford: Oxford University Press. ISBN 0-19-504652-8.
• Runciman, Steven (1930). "The Two Eagles". A History of the First Bulgarian Empire. London: George Bell & Sons. OCLC 832687.
• Whittow, Mark (1996). The Making of Byzantium (600–1025). Los Angeles: University of California Press. ISBN 0-520-20497-2.
• Златарски (Zlatarski), Васил (Vasil) (1972) [1927]. История на българската държава през средните векове. Том I. История на Първото българско царство. (History of the Bulgarian state in the Middle Ages. Volume I. History of the First Bulgarian Empire.) (in Bulgarian) (2 ed.). София (Sofia): Наука и изкуство (Nauka i izkustvo). OCLC 67080314.

External links

• Cawley, Charles. "Medieval Lands — Bulgaria". Hosted on the website of the Foundation for Medieval Genealogy. Retrieved 7 March 2015.