Battle of Silistra
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| Battle of Silistra | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Combatants | |||||||
| Bulgarian Empire | Kievan Rus' | ||||||
| Commanders | |||||||
| Unknown | Sviatoslav Igorevich | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 30,000 | 60,000 | ||||||
| Casualties | |||||||
| Heavy | Heavy | ||||||
- For the battle of 971, see Siege of Dorostolon.
The Battle of Silistra occurred in the spring of 968 near the Bulgarian town of Silistra, but most probably on the modern territory of Romania.
Contents |
[edit] Origins of the conflict
In 968 the Byzantine emperor Nikephoros II Phokas paid the Kievan knyaz Sviatoslav Igorevich to attack Bulgaria in answer of the alliance between the Bulgarian emperor Peter I and the Magyars.
[edit] The battle
Sviatoslav Igorevich gathered 60,000 troops and started his campaign in the early spring of 968. He met the Bulgarians, who were only 30,000 strong, near Silistra. The battle continued the whole day and until dark the Bulgarians seemed to have overwhelmed the Kievans, but, elated by Sviatoslav's personal example, the latter were victorious due to their still larger army. The Bulgarians retreated to the Silistra fortress and withstood the following siege.
[edit] Aftermath
The Rus' forces continued their victorious campaign and though they failed to take Silistra, they seized 80 other fortresses. Sviatoslav Igorevich was eventually forced to return to Kiev after the Bulgarian diplomacy inspired the Pechenegs to besiege his capital.
[edit] Sources
- Атанас Пейчев и колектив, 1300 години на стража, Военно издателство, София 1984.
- Йордан Андреев, Милчо Лалков, Българските ханове и царе, Велико Търново, 1996.
- Божидар Димитров, Българите-първите европейци, София, 2002.
