Byzantine Battles: Battle of Abydos

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4 th century

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5 th century

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6 th century

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7 th century

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8 th century

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9 th century

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10 th century

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11 th century

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12 th century

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13 th century

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14 th century

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15 th century

Battle of Abydos	year: 989 13 April 989
Victory of the imperial forces under Basil II against the rebel Bardas Phokas	★ ★ ★ ★ ★

enemy: (Civil War)	location: Abydos in Asia Minor, at the second narrowest point of the Hellespont	accuracy: ●●●●●
battle type: Pitched Battle	war: Military Revolts	modern country: Turkey

	▼ The Byzantines(emperor: Basil II Bulgaroktonos)	▼ The Enemies
Commander:	Emperor Basil II	General Bardas Phokas
Forces:	Unknown, 6,000 Varangians were included	Unknown
Losses:

Background story:

After his victory against the usurper Bardas Skleros, General Bardas Phokas had become one of the most powerful figures in the empire. But the young emperor Basil II began to take initiatives and show signs that he wanted to take the administration in his own hands. His growing independence alarmed both Basil Lekapenos (regent and de-facto ruler) and Phokas. In 987, these two entered into secret negotiations with their former enemy, Bardas Skleros to dispose the emperor.
In 987, Skleros was recalled to homeland from Bagdad by Phokas, who took advantage of the Bulgarian wars to aim at the crown. Skleros promptly organized an army to support Phokas’ cause. In a campaign that curiously mimicked Skleros’ own revolt a decade earlier, Bardas Phokas proclaimed himself emperor and overran most of Asia Minor.
Emperor Basil sought aid from Prince Vladimir I of Kiev, who in 988 had captured Chersonesos, the main Byzantine town in the Crimea. Vladimir offered to evacuate Chersonesos and to supply 6,000 of his soldiers as reinforcements to Basil. In exchange he demanded to be married to Basil's younger sister Anna. At first, Basil hesitated. The Byzantines viewed all other nations as barbarians. Plus, Vladimir had already many wives.
When Vladimir promised to baptize himself and to convert his people to Christianity, Basil finally agreed. Vladimir and Anna were married in Crimea in 989 and Vladimir sent his fearsome Varangians to aid Basil.
In the meantime Bardas Phokas had put Skleros in prison (probably because Skleros proclaimed himself emperor too), and moved as sole army leader toward the capital.

The Battle:

Varangian guard in Skylitzes

The Russian reinforcements disembarked at Chrysopolis, near Constantinople, and this stopped the march of Phokas to the Capital. He then moved to lay siege to Abydos, thus threatening to blockade the Dardanelles.
The two armies were facing each other, when Phokas galloped forward, seeking personal combat with the Emperor who was riding in front of the lines. Just as he prepared to face Basil, however, Phokas suffered a seizure, fell from his horse, and was found to be dead. His head was cut off and brought to Basil.
The army of Phokas after that lost any mood to fight and started to retreat. The retreat became panic and slaughter as the blood-thirsty Varangians pursued.

Noteworthy:

This battle was a milestone for 3 major events in the Byzantine (and medieval) history:
1) the conversion of the Rus to Orthodox Christianity,
2) the introduction of the Varangian guard in military history,
3) the awakening of Basil II who until then was an immature and indifferent king, but the revolt pushed him to take action, to get rid of toxic courtiers and to grow into becoming one of the great Byzantine emperors

Aftermath:

Upon Phokas’ death at Abydos, Skleros succeeded him as the leader of the rebels. But the moment had passed and soon his army fled. He was captured and blinded; the rebellion ended. Skleros was pardonned in 991, a few days before his death.