{"slug": "balkan-mountains", "label": "Balkan Mountains", "wikipedia": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Balkan_Mountains", "wikidata": "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q170427", "qid": "Q170427", "description": "mountain range in the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula", "entries": 15, "years": 14, "span": [-312, 1279], "span_label": ["313 BCE", "1279 CE"], "topics": [{"title": "Conflict & Security", "count": 13}, {"title": "Exploration & Expansion", "count": 1}, {"title": "Health & Medicine", "count": 1}], "also_known_as": ["Haemus Mons"], "related": [{"slug": "first-bulgarian-empire", "label": "First Bulgarian Empire", "shared": 5}, {"slug": "bulgaria", "label": "Bulgaria", "shared": 5}, {"slug": "byzantine-empire", "label": "Byzantine Empire", "shared": 3}, {"slug": "danube", "label": "Danube", "shared": 3}, {"slug": "constantine-v", "label": "Constantine V", "shared": 3}, {"slug": "byzantinebulgarian-wars", "label": "Byzantine–Bulgarian wars", "shared": 3}, {"slug": "balkans", "label": "Balkans", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "thrace-theme", "label": "Thrace (theme)", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "second-bulgarian-empire", "label": "Second Bulgarian Empire", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "cumans", "label": "Cumans", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "pliska", "label": "Pliska", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "romania", "label": "Romania", "shared": 1}], "items": [{"year": -312, "year_label": "313 BCE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "In the spring of 313 a revolt against Lysimachus is under way in the Greek cities of the northwestern Black Sea coast. Callatis, Istria and Odessus rebel. The latter two are quickly taken by Lysimachus, but Callatis holds out. Antigonus sends a fleet and an army under a general named Pausanias to aid the city, he also persuades the Thracian king Seuthes to rebel. Lysimachus leaves part of his army to continue the siege, while he himself marches against Pausanias. He fights his way past Seuthes through the Haemus Mountains and captures Pausanias' force, enrolling them in his army. Pausanias is killed in battle, but most of his officers are ransomed back to Antigonus.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1300255025#Thrace", "title": "313 BC", "revid": 1300255025, "section": "Events › By place › Thrace"}}, {"year": 377, "year_label": "377 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Valens sends Saturninus to the Balkan Mountains to block the passes. These efforts are possibly supported by units of limitanei (light infantry) withdrawn from areas under Goth control. Split into small bands and unable to join the Tervingi in sufficient strength to overcome the Roman cordon, the Goths grow increasingly desperate.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1367313593#Roman_Empire", "title": "377", "revid": 1367313593, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 378, "year_label": "378 CE", "section": "Exploration & Expansion", "date": null, "text": "Fritigern concentrates his army at Cabyle (Bulgaria). The Goths are mainly centred in the river valleys south of the Balkan Mountains, around the towns of Beroea, Cabyle and Dibaltum.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1309998773#Roman_Empire", "title": "378", "revid": 1309998773, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 587, "year_label": "587 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Comentiolus, Byzantine general (magister militum), assembles an army of 10,000 men at Anchialus (modern Bulgaria). He prepares an ambush for the Avars in the Haemus Mountains.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1364756380#Eastern_Roman_Empire", "title": "587", "revid": 1364756380, "section": "Events › By place › Eastern Roman Empire"}}, {"year": 598, "year_label": "598 CE", "section": "Health & Medicine", "date": null, "text": "The Avars rout the Byzantine forces of Comentiolus (south of Haemus Mons), and capture Drizipera (Thrace). A large part of their troops are killed by the plague, after many cities are devastated in the Balkan Peninsula.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1364751875#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "598", "revid": 1364751875, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 598, "year_label": "598 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "March 30", "text": "March 30 – Balkan Campaign: The Avars lift the siege of the fortress city of Tomis (modern Romania). A Byzantine army under Comentiolus crosses the Balkan Mountains, and marches along the Danube River to Zikidiba.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1364751875#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "598", "revid": 1364751875, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 680, "year_label": "680 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Byzantine–Bulgarian War: The Bulgars under Asparukh subjugate the country of current-day Bulgaria, north of the Balkan Mountains. Emperor Constantine IV leads a combined land and sea operation against the invaders and besieges their fortified camp in Dobruja.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1331672551#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "680", "revid": 1331672551, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 759, "year_label": "759 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Battle of the Rishki Pass: Emperor Constantine V invades Bulgaria again, but his forces are ambushed and defeated while crossing the Rishki Pass, near Stara Planina (modern Bulgaria). The Bulgarian ruler (khagan) Vinekh does not exploit his success, and begins peace negotiations.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1340847712#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "759", "revid": 1340847712, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 763, "year_label": "763 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "June", "text": "June – Battle of Anchialus: Emperor Constantine V sends a Byzantine expeditionary force (800 ships and 9,600 cavalry) to Thrace, to defend the fortress city of Anchialus on the Black Sea Coast. Meanwhile, Telets, ruler (khagan) of the Bulgarian Empire, blocks the mountain passes and takes positions on the heights near Anchialus. During a desperate cavalry charge, the Bulgars are defeated and many are captured; Telets manages to escape. Constantine enters Constantinople in triumph, and kills all the prisoners.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1359487766#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "763", "revid": 1359487766, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 767, "year_label": "767 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Byzantine–Bulgarian War: Emperor Constantine V invades Bulgaria across the Balkan Mountains, setting afire some settlements around the Bulgarian capital of Pliska. Constantine accepts a peace agreement with Pagan, the Bulgar ruler (khagan), whose land is in anarchy.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1350246348#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "AD 767", "revid": 1350246348, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 811, "year_label": "811 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Byzantine–Bulgarian War: Emperor Nikephoros I organises a new campaign against the Bulgarian Empire, gathering an expeditionary force (most of the Roman army) from all parts of the empire. He is accompanied by high-ranking officials and aristocrats, including his son Stauracius and brother-in-law Michael I Rangabe (both later emperors temporarily). Krum, ruler (khan) of Bulgaria, sends envoys to sue for peace. Nikephoros refuses to accept the terms and marches through the Balkan passes towards Pliska, the Bulgarian capital.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1366655051#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "811", "revid": 1366655051, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 970, "year_label": "970 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Emperor John I delegates the war in the Balkans to his brother-in-law, the Domestic of the Schools Bardas Skleros, and to the eunuch general Peter Phokas, who begin to gather a Byzantine army in Thrace. At the news of this, a powerful Kievan expeditionary force (30,000 men), along with many Bulgarians and a Pecheneg contingent, is sent south over the Balkan Mountains. After sacking the Bulgarian stronghold of Philippolis (modern-day Plovdiv), they bypass the heavily defended city of Adrianople, and turn towards Constantinople.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1365261460#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "970", "revid": 1365261460, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 1095, "year_label": "1095 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Summer – The nomadic Cumans cross the River Danube and invade Thrace, to support the pretender Constantine Diogenes (son of the late Emperor Romanos IV). The Cumans occupy the province of Paristrion (located in the Lower Danube). Emperor Alexios I places Byzantine detachments to guard the passes over the Balkan Mountains, but they are bypassed.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1365264485#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "1095", "revid": 1365264485, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 1190, "year_label": "1190 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Isaac II starts a campaign against the Bulgarians, who claim their independence. After passing the Balkan Mountains, Isaac marches westward to besiege Tarnovo, the new Bulgarian capital. Meanwhile, the Byzantine fleet reaches the Danube River in order to block the way of Cuman reinforcements from the North. The defense of Tarnovo is led by Ivan Asen I, emperor (Tsar) of Bulgaria. After spreading rumors of the arrival of a Cuman army to relieve the city, Isaac orders to retreat to Stara Zagora.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1368650742#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "1190", "revid": 1368650742, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 1279, "year_label": "1279 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "July 17", "text": "July 17 – Battle of Devina: Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos sends a Byzantine expeditionary force (some 10,000 men) to Bulgaria, to impose his ally (and son-in-law) Ivan Asen III on the throne. Tsar Ivaylo, former rebel leader (see Uprising of Ivaylo), attacks the Byzantines in the Kotel Pass, completely routing them. Many of them perish in the battle – while the rest are captured and later killed by orders from Ivaylo. Later, Michael sends another army of some 5,000 men, but this is also defeated by Ivaylo before reaching the Balkan Mountains. Without support, Ivan Asen has to flee to Constantinople and the turmoil in Bulgaria continues.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1362487704#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "1279", "revid": 1362487704, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}]}