Byzantine Battles: Battle of Aleppo

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Battle of Aleppo	year: 969 December 969
The Byzantines besieged the city of Aleppo and the Hamdanids signed a treaty becoming vassals of Byzantium	★ ★ ★ ★ ★

enemy: Arabs (Hamdanids)	location: Μodern Aleppo or Halab in Northern Syria	accuracy: ●●●●●
battle type: Pitched Battle	war: Later Byzantine-Muslim Wars	modern country: Syria

	▼ The Byzantines(emperor: Nikephoros II Phokas)	▼ The Enemies
Commander:	General Petros Phokas	Karkouyah
Forces:	Unknown	Unknown
Losses:

Background story:

Nikephoros Phokas's campaign on the southeastern border, which began in 964, aimed mainly at confronting the very active and dangerous Emir of Aleppo, Sayf al-Dawlah. The campaign was very successful, culminating in the occupation of Antioch by General Michael Vourtzis in October 969.
Sayf al-Dawlah, meanwhile, had died since 967 and was succeeded by his only surviving son, Abul-Maali Sharif, better known as Sad al-Dawlah. In April 968, the chamberlain Karkouyah, who had been prime minister in the emirate since 965, persuaded the new emir to leave Aleppo to seek refuge in a safer fort (due to an uprising). After that, Karkouyah usurped power in Aleppo, although it seems that Sad al-Dawlah retained power in part of the emirate.
The emirate of Aleppo often faced problems with the revolts and uprisings of various warlords and courtiers after 962, that is, after the sack of Aleppo by Phokas and the subsequent illness of Sayf al-Dawlah. As part of such an uprising, Karkouyah was found besieged in late 968 (or early 969) in Aleppo by an insurgent (we do not know exactly who). Not having many options, Karkouyah asked for help from the Byzantines who were besieging Antioch! (possibly offering some serious concessions).

The Battle:

Capture of Aleppo from Skylizes manuscript

The Byzantine generals who besieged Antioch, Michael Vourtzis and Petros Phokas, seized the opportunity and willingly accepted the invitation to help the besieged Karkouyah in Aleppo. But they moved after the occupation of Antioch.
At the beginning of December 969, the commander-in-chief of the East, Petros Phokas (probably alone without Vourtzis and probably on his own initiative without obtaining approval from Constantinople), arrived with his army in Aleppo, where he quickly defeated the enemy of Karkouyah. But then he did not leave, but continued the siege himself. The siege lasted less than a month.
Eventually Karkouyah surrendered and Aleppo became Byzantine. Karkouyah remained ruler of Aleppo but as a vassal of Byzantium.

Aftermath:

In January 970, the “Safar peace treaty” was signed between Petros and Karkouyah, under which the emirate of Aleppo became a vassal state of Byzantium, while the possession of Antioch was recognized. The treaty was kept beyond all expectations for many years. It was also honored by Sad al-Dawlah when he returned to power. This was a good development because Byzantium subdued a great adversary.
The Byzantine advance to the east continued victoriously later by Ioannes Tsimiskis.