Battle of Berzitia

The Battle of Berzitia ( Bulgarian Битката при Берзития ) took place in 774 near the town Berizitia and ended with a clear Byzantine victory.

Prehistory

After little success fighting the Byzantines against the Bulgarians at the beginning of the year 774, the Bulgarian Khan Telerig decided with a small army of about 12,000 men to secure place Berzitia attack.

The Battle

The Byzantine Emperor Constantine V was informed to send in a southeasterly direction through his spies in the Bulgarian capital Pliska about the intentions Telerigs an army and expected with about 80,000 men unsuspecting nothing the Bulgarian Khan near the city. Nevertheless, the Bulgarians have now been taken by surprise by the Byzantines in a surprise attack, they fought long against the inevitable defeat, but had to give eventually the large number of opponents.

Follow

Constantine wanted to conquer the now weakened Bulgarians other parts of their dominions, but could not use his advantage and had to withdraw finally back. 775, about a year after the Battle of Berzitia, he died on a campaign against the Bulgarians.

Telerig scooped up after the defeat at Berzitia suspect that in its immediate vicinity are spies. In order to expose this he was the Byzantine emperor know that he would resign and would go to Constantinople Opel into exile. Constantine believed the suggestion Telerigs and also fulfilled his demand his spies to call, supposedly to bring them after the abdication Telerigs to safety. Telerig but had no intention to abdicate and go into exile, as it had done before him some Bulgarian rulers. After receiving the list of spies, he had this execute immediately.