All Battles 
Emperors 
Battle of Thasos |
year: 829October 829 |
| Destruction of the Byzantine fleet by the Saracens of Crete | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ |
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enemy: Arabs from Crete
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location: Near Thasos island in North Aegean
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accuracy:
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battle type: Naval battle |
war: Byzantine-Muslim Wars |
modern country:
Greece |
| ▼ The Byzantines(emperor: Theophilos) | ▼ The Enemies | |
| Commander: | Unknown | Unknown |
| Forces: | Unknown | Unknown |
| Losses: | Heavy | Unknown |
| Background story: |
| Around 827, a group of Andalusian Muslim exiles under the leadership of Abu Hafs had conquered Crete sometime and established an independent state, the Emirate of Crete. They repulsed the early Byzantine attacks and slowly consolidated control of the entire island which soon became a major piracy center. The reaction of the Byzantines was prompt but ineffective. In 829 admiral Ooryfas (not Niketas Ooryfas who was a succesful admiral a few decades later) managed to stop the Arabian raids in the Aegean islands and was preparing an invasion to Crete. |
The Battle: |
 The Theophanes Continuatus texts record that almost the entire imperial fleet was lost. |
Aftermath: |
| This defeat annulled the earlier successes of the Byzantine fleet earlier in 829 and left the Aegean islands defenseless. |
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