Battle of Pelekanon

Bapheus - Catalan campaign - Bursa - Pelekanon - Nicaea - Nicomedia - 1 Gallipoli - Adrian Opel - 2nd Gallipoli - Philadelphia - 1st Konstantin Opel - Thessalonica - 2 Konstantin Opel

The Battle of Pelekanon ( also known by the Latinized form of battle Pelecanum ) was held on 10 and 11 June 1329 between a Byzantine raiding party under Andronikos III. and an Ottoman army under Orhan I. found. The Byzantine army was defeated and then carried by the Byzantine side no attempt to protect the cities of Asia Minor against the Ottomans.

Battle

On the accession of Andronikos in 1328, the small Asiatic possessions of the Byzantine Empire had shrunk to some versträute outposts along the Aegean and a small strip at Nicomedia. The capital of Constantinople Opel therefore was only about 150 km from the Turkish dominion away. Andronikos decided to liberate the cities of Nicomedia and Nicaea from the Turkish stranglehold.

Together with the Megas domestikos John Katakouzenos Andronikos led an army of about 4,000 soldiers (ie, the entire line-up of Anatolian Empire) along the Sea of ​​Marmara in the direction of Nicomedia. In Pelekanon a Turkish army blocked their way. Parts of the two armies were involved in skirmishes and the Turks were forced to retreat. The bulk of the Turkish army, but retired only in the hills north of Pelekanon and Andronikos could not march as long as the army was not defeated. In other battles the emperor was slightly wounded. A rumor spread that the Emperor was mortally wounded, which led to a panic. The Turks attacked the Byzantines now again and caused them heavy losses until the Megas domestikos was able to organize the retreat by sea to Constantinople Opel.

Follow

The campaign for the relief of the beleaguered Byzantine possessions was canceled. Never again will the Byzantines should make an attack on Asian territory. The ancient cities of Nicomedia and Nicaea were not freed, and fell to the Ottomans soon after.