Battle of Marcelae

Infobox Military Conflict


caption=
conflict=Battle of Marcelae
partof=the Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars
date=792
place=near Karnobat, Bulgaria
result=Bulgarian victory
combatant1=Bulgarian Empire
combatant2=Byzantine Empire
commander1=Kardam
commander2=Constantine VI
strength1=Unknown
strength2=Unknown
casualties1=Unknown
casualties2=HeavyThe battle of Marcelae ( _bg. Битката при Маркели) took place in 792 near the town of Karnobat in south eastern Bulgaria.

Origins of the conflict

In April 791 the Byzantine emperor Constantine VI started a campaign against Bulgaria in response to the Bulgarian penetration in the Struma valley in 789, when Kardam's army defeated the Byzantines killing the strategus of Thrace Filites. The campaign was directed to the east to distract the Khan's attention from the southwest. The armies met near the fortress of Provat (20 km east of Odrin) and the Byzantines were forced to retreat but their defeat was not decisive and in the following year the campaign was renewed.

The battle

This time the Byzantines reached Marcelae and on 20 July they met the Bulgarian forces. Several days the emperor did not dare to attack them and the Bulgarians had enough time to make an ambush in the swampy woodlands in the area. In the end Constantine VI was convinced by false prophets that the stars boded victory and attacked. In the very beginning the Byzantines made tactical mistakes, advanced without order and were easily swept off to the ambush. A weapon called "arkani" was used by the Bulgarians in this battle : the "arkani" consisted of a long pole with an attachment similar to a lasso at one end. It was an excellent weapon against cavalry as the rider could easily be pulled out of the saddle by a skilled warrior, armed with arkani. The Bulgarians achieved a stunning victory killing most of the enemy army and captured the emperor's servants and tent.

Aftermath

The victory had great political significance. The decades of crisis were finally overcome, the Byzantines were forced once again to pay tribute to the Khans. Bulgaria entered the breaking 9th century consolidated, stronger and united.

References

*Васил Н. Златарски, История на българската държава през средните векове, Част I, II изд., Наука и изкуство, София 1970.
*Атанас Пейчев и колектив, 1300 години на стража, Военно издателство, София 1984.
*Йордан Андреев, Милчо Лалков, Българските ханове и царе, Велико Търново, 1996.