Uprising of Georgi Voiteh

The Uprising of Georgi Voiteh ( _bg. Въстание на Георги Войтех) was a Bulgarian uprising against the Byzantine Empire in 1072. It was the second major attempt to restore the Bulgarian Empire after the Uprising of Peter Delyan in 1040-1041.

The main prerequisites for the uprising were the weakness of Byzantium after the invasions of the Pechenegs in the lower Danube, the great defeat at the hands of the Seljuk Turks in the battle of Manzikert (1071) and the invasion of the Normans from southern Italy as well as the rising taxes during the reign of Michael VII. [Павлов, [http://liternet.bg/publish13/p_pavlov/buntari/georgi.htm 63] ; Литаврин, 402-403] The uprising was prepared by the Bulgarian nobility in Skopie led by Georgi Voiteh. The chose for their leader the son of the Prince of Duklja Michael, Constantine Bodin who was a descendant of the Bulgarian Emperor Samuil. [Златарски, [http://www.promacedonia.org/vz2/vz2_1_4.htm II: 138, 141] ] In the autumn of 1072 Constantine Bodin arrived at Prizren where he was proclaimed Emperor of the Bulgarians under the name Peter III. The Dukjlian Prince sent 300 soldiers led by the "voivoda" Petrila. [Златарски, [http://www.promacedonia.org/vz2/vz2_1_4.htm II: 141-142] ; Литаврин, 403-404]

An army under Damyan Dalasin was immediately sent from Constantinople to help the "strategos" of the Themata of Bulgaria, Nicephorus Carantin. In the battle that followed the Byzantine army was completely defeated. Dalasin and other Byzantine commanders were captured and Skopie was taken by the Bulgarians troops. [Златарски, [http://www.promacedonia.org/vz2/vz2_1_4.htm II: 142-143] ; Литаврин, 404-405; Павлов, [http://liternet.bg/publish13/p_pavlov/buntari/georgi.htm 65] ]

After that success the rebels tried to expand the area under their control. Constantine Bodin headed north and reached Nish. Because some Bulgarian towns with Byzantine garrisons did not surrender, they were burned down. Petrila marched southwards and captured Ohrid and Devol. However, near the town of Kostur his large army was defeated by the Byzantines and some Bulgarian commanders who did not want to acknowledge Peter III for their ruler. [Златарски, [http://www.promacedonia.org/vz2/vz2_1_4.htm II: 143-144] ; Павлов, [http://liternet.bg/publish13/p_pavlov/buntari/georgi.htm 66] ; Литаврин, 405-406]

Another army was sent from Constantinople under Michael Saronites. Saronites seized Skopie and in December 1072 he defeated the army of Constantine Bodin at a place known as Taonios (in the southern parts of Kosovo Polje). Constantine Bodin and Georgi Voiteh were captured. [Златарски, [http://www.promacedonia.org/vz2/vz2_1_4.htm II: 145-146] ; Павлов, [http://liternet.bg/publish13/p_pavlov/buntari/georgi.htm 67-69] ; Литаврин, 406-408] The army which Prince Michael sent to relieve his son did not achieve anything because its commander, a Norman mercenary defected to the Byzantines. The rebellion was finally crushed in 1073 by "doux" Nicephorus Vrientius. [Златарски, [http://www.promacedonia.org/vz2/vz2_1_4.htm II: 147-148] ]

Sources

* Златарски, В. "История на българската държава през средните векове", [http://www.promacedonia.org/vz2/index.html том II: България под византийско владичество] , Издателство „Наука и изкуство“, София 1972 (цитирано по електронното издание в [http://www.promacedonia.org/index.html "Книги за Македония"] , 10.8.2008)
* Павлов, Пл. "Бунтари и авантюристи в Средновековна България", Издателство „Абагар“, Велико Търново 2000, ISBN 954-427-423-5 (глава [http://liternet.bg/publish13/p_pavlov/buntari/georgi.htm "Георги Войтех от "рода на кавканите"] в електронното издание LiterNet, 2005)
* Литаврин, Г. "Болгария и Византия в XI-XII вв.", Издательство Академии наук СССР, Москва 1960

Footnotes