- Battle of Kreta
Infobox Military Conflict
caption=
conflict=Battle of Kreta
partof=theByzantine-Bulgarian Wars
date=1009
place=east ofThessaloníki ,Greece
result=Byzantine victory
combatant1=Bulgarian Empire
combatant2=Byzantine Empire
commander1=Samuil of Bulgaria
commander2=Basil II
strength1=Unknown
strength2=Unknown
casualties1=Unknown
casualties2=UnknownThe Battle of Kreta occurred in 1009 near the village of Kreta to the east of
Thessaloníki . Since the fall of the Bulgarian capitalPreslav underByzantine rule in971 , there was a constant state of war between the two Empires. From976 , the Bulgarian noble and later Emperor Samuil successfully fought against the Byzantines but from the beginning of the 11th century the fortune turned to Byzantium, which recovered from the severe losses. From 1002 Basil II launched annual campaigns against Bulgaria and seized many towns. In 1009 the Byzantines engaged the Bulgarian army to the east of Thessaloníki. Little is known for the battle itself but the result was a Byzantine victory. Five years later, the Byzantines decisively defeated the Bulgarian army at Klyuch and by1018 the country was thoroughly conquered by Basil II.
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