Siege of Serdica (809)

The Siege of Serdica ( Bulgarian Обсадата на Сердика ) was held at the site of the present Sofia in 809. In the final result the then -called Serdica city was permanently part of the Bulgarian Empire.

Prehistory

After the destruction of the Avars Krum began with the conquest of the Strumatals and parts of Macedonia. His biggest obstacle with this suggestion was the Byzantine fortress of Serdica.

The Siege

In the spring of 809 Krum ordered the siege of the city, but several weeks out unsuccessful. Finally, he promised the Byzantine garrison safe passage if they would deliver up the city without a fight. The Byzantinier went on that promise, but were still at their departure, as well as some residents of the city, killed by the troops Krum.

Follow

With the conquest of Serdicas the Bulgarians had fallen into the hands of a major transportation hub in the Balkans along the Via Militaris. Byzantium lost by not only the direct route in his western Balkan provinces, but soon the provinces themselves, which were divided between Bulgarians, Serbs and Croats. For the Bulgarians, the city was also the starting point for further campaigns in the direction Pelagonia, Thessaly, Western Thrace and Epirus.