Byzantine Battles: Capture of Adrianople

▶

4 th century

▶

5 th century

▶

6 th century

▶

7 th century

▶

8 th century

▶

9 th century

▶

10 th century

▶

11 th century

▶

12 th century

▶

13 th century

▶

14 th century

▶

15 th century

Capture of Adrianople	year: 813 September 813
The Bulgarians captured the city and were looking invincible, at the time	★ ★ ★ ★ ★

enemy: Bulgarians	location: Adrianople (modern Edirne, Turkey) in Eastern Thrace near the borders with Greece and Europe.	accuracy: ●●●●●
battle type: City Capture	war: Early Bulgarian Wars	modern country: Turkey

	▼ The Byzantines(emperor: Leo V the Armenian)	▼ The Enemies
Commander:	Unknown	Khan Krum (the Horrible)
Forces:	Unknown	Unknown
Losses:

Background story:

After the victory in Versinikia (June 813), the Bulgarians took control of the whole of Eastern Thrace with the exception of a few castles. For the first time in the Bulgarian history, the way to Constantinople was open. On 17 July 813 Krum indeed reached the walls of Constantinople and set his camp outside the walls.
In the mealtime, an army under Krum’ s brother besieged Adrianople, the most important Byzantine fortress and city in Thrace.

The Battle:

The martyrs of Adrianople

After Krum ravaged much of Eastern Thrace, he left Constantinople and came to Adrianople to supervise personally the siege.
The city held out for a while despite being attacked with state-of-the-art siege engines. Yet, without any help from outside, the garrison was forced to capitulate due to starvation.
The population of Adrianople and the surrounding area (numbering about 10,000) was transferred to Bulgarian territory north of the Danube.

Noteworthy:

When Krum captured the city, he forced Archbishop Manuel to kowtow and trampled him on the neck. He then mutilated his limbs and threw him to the dogs.
Persecution of Christians began (probably by the successors of Krum) and many were tortured and killed.
Then (in 814 or early 815) 377 Christians were executed. They are commemorated by the Eastern Orthodox Church on 22 January.

Aftermath:

Krum started intensive preparations for the final assault on Constantinople, but died in April 814. Under the peace treaty of 815, Adrianople was returned to Byzantium.