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Battle of Adrianople |
year: 1254 |
| A decisive victory of the Byzantines of Nicaea against the Bulgarians | ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ |
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enemy: Bulgarians
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location: Adrianople (modern Edirne, Turkey) in Eastern Thrace near the borders with Greece and Europe.
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accuracy:
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battle type: Pitched Battle |
war: Nicaean-Bulgarian Wars |
modern country:
Turkey |
| ▼ The Byzantines(emperor: Theodore II Laskaris) | ▼ The Enemies | |
| Commander: | Emperor Theodore II Laskaris | Tsar Michael II Asen |
| Forces: | Unknown | Unknown |
| Losses: | Heavy |
| Background story: |
| When the great Emperor of Nicaea John III Doukas Vatatzes died in 1254, the Bulgarians thought that it was a good opportunity to recover lands that had been lost to the Byzantines of Nicaea in Macedonia and Thrace. The young and inexperienced Tsar Michael II Asen (also mentioned as Michael Asen I) led a campaign which met with initial success, overrunning Thrace and obtaining the surrender of various fortresses in the Rhodope Mountains area by the sympathetic local population. |
The Battle: |
 Theodore II Lascaris The Bulgarians suffered heavy losses and Michael II Asen was wounded during his hasty flight through a forest. |
Aftermath: |
| Next year, Michael II Asen attempted to strike back with an army of Cuman foederati and he was defeated again. In 1256 the belligerents concluded a peace which was favorable for the Greeks. The failures caused the end of the 2nd Bulgarian Empire. |
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