The battle of Ongala took place in the summer of 680 in the Ongala area, an unspecified location in South-Western Ukraine or North-Eastern Romania around the Danube delta. The battle had an enormous significance and influence not only for the Balkan but also for the European history with the creation of the First Bulgarian Empire. The Byzantine Empire in 1265 (William R. Shepherd, Historical Atlas, 1911). ... For other uses, see Summer (disambiguation). ... Events October 10 - Battle of Kerbela November 12 - The Sixth Ecumenical Council opens in Constantinople The Bulgars subjugate the country of current-day Bulgaria Pippin of Herstal becomes Mayor of the Palace Umayyad caliph Muawiyah I succeeded by Yazid I ibn Muawiyah Erwig deposes Wamba to become king of the... Imperial Emblem Bulgarian Empire at its greatest extent c. ... Byzantine redirects here. ... Khan Asparukh or Khan Asparoukh or Khan Asparuh (Bulgarian: Аспарух) (d. ... Constantine IV on a contemporary coin Constantine IV (649-685); sometimes incorrectly called Pogonatus, meaning the Bearded, like his father; was Byzantine emperor from 668-685. ... The Byzantine Empire in 1265 (William R. Shepherd, Historical Atlas, 1911). ... Combatants Bulgaria Byzantine Empire Commanders Tervel Justinian II Strength Unknown Unknown Casualties Unknown Heavy The battle of Anchialus occurred in 708 near the town of Pomorie, Bulgaria. ... Combatants Bulgaria Byzantine Empire Commanders Khan Vinekh Constantine V Strength Unknown Very large army Casualties Light Heavy The battle of the Rishki Pass took place in the pass of the same name, Stara Planina, Bulgaria in 759. ... Combatants Bulgaria Byzantine Empire Commanders Telets Constantine V Strength Unknown 9,600 cavalrymen and unknown number of infantry Casualties Heavy Heavy The battle of Anchialus (Bulgarian: ) occurred in 763, near the town of Pomorie on the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. ... Combatants Bulgaria Byzantine Empire Commanders Unknown Unknown Strength 12,000 80,000 Casualties Heavy Unknown The battle of Berzitia (Bulgarian: битка при Берзития) occurred in the fall of 774 near the town of Berzitia, Macedonia. ... Combatants Bulgarian Empire Byzantine Empire Commanders Kardam Constantine VI Strength Unknown Unknown Casualties Unknown Heavy The battle of Marcelae (Bulgarian: битка при Маркели) took place in 792 near the town of Karnobat in south eastern Bulgaria. ... Krum (Bulgarian: ) (died April 13, 814) was ruler of Bulgaria, from after 796/ before 803 to 814. ... Combatants First Bulgarian Empire Byzantine Empire Commanders Krum Unknown Strength Unknown c. ... Combatants Byzantine Empire Bulgaria Commanders Nicephorus I† Krum Strength aroud 80,000 Unknown Casualties almost the whole army, including the emperor Unknown The Battle of Pliska (Battle of Vărbica pass) took place on July 26, 811, between the Byzantine Empire and Bulgaria, resulting in one of the worst defeats... During the Battle of Adrianople the Bulgarian emperor Krum led his army south towards Adrianople and pitched camp near Versinikia. ... The Battle of Versinikia was fought in 813 between the Byzantine Empire and the Bulgarians. ... Simeon (also Symeon)[1] I the Great (Bulgarian: , transliterated Simeon I Veliki;[2] IPA: ) ruled over Bulgaria from 893 to 927,[3] during the First Bulgarian Empire. ... Combatants Byzantine Empire Bulgaria Commanders Unknown Simeon I of Bulgaria Strength Unknown Unknown Casualties Almost the whole army Unknown The battle of Bulgarophygon occurred in the summer of 896 near the town of Babaeski in modern Turkey. ... This article refers to the Battle of Anchialus fought in 917. ... Combatants Bulgaria Byzantine Empire Commanders Simeon I of Bulgaria Leo Phokas Strength Unknown Unknown Casualties Unknown Heavy The battle of Katasyrtai occurred in the fall of 917, shortly after the striking Bulgarian triumph at Anchialus near the village of the same names close to the Byzantine capital Constantinople, now Istambul. ... Combatants Bulgaria Byzantine Empire Commanders Theodore Sigritsa Potas Argirus Alexios Musele † Strength Large army Unknown Casualties Unknown Heavy The battle of Pigae occurred between 11 and 18 March 922 in the outskirts of present-day Istambul. ... Samuil redirects here. ... Combatants Bulgarian Empire Byzantine Empire Commanders Samuil of Bulgaria Basil II Strength Unknown Unknown Casualties Light c. ... Combatants Bulgarian Empire Byzantine Empire Commanders Samuil of Bulgaria Gregory Taronites† Ashot Taronites Strength Unknown Unknown Casualties Light Heavy The battle of Solun (Bulgarian: битка при Солун) occurred in 996 near the city of Thessalonica, Greece. ... Combatants Bulgarian Empire Byzantine Empire Commanders Samuil of Bulgaria Nicephorus Uranos Strength Unknown Unknown Casualties Heavy Unknown The battle of Spercheios (Bulgarian: битка при Сперхей) took place in 996, on the shores of the river of the same name in present-day central Greece. ... Combatants Bulgarian Empire Byzantine Empire Commanders Samuil of Bulgaria Basil II Strength Unknown Unknown Casualties Unknown Unknown The battle of Skopie (Bulgarian: битка при Скопие) occurred in the vicinity of Skopie, present-day Skopje in 1004. ... Combatants Bulgarian Empire Byzantine Empire Commanders Samuil of Bulgaria Basil II Strength Unknown Unknown Casualties Unknown Unknown The battle of Kreta occurred in 1009 near the village of Kreta to the east of Thessaloníki. ... Combatants Byzantine Empire Bulgaria Commanders Basil II Nicephorus Xiphias Theophylactus Botaniates † Tsar Samuil of Bulgaria Strength Unknown 20 000 Casualties Unknown At least 14 000 The Battle of Kleidion (also Clidium and Klyuch, (the) key, or Belasitsa) took place on July 29, 1014 between Bulgaria and the Byzantine Empire. ... The Byzantine Empire in 1265 (William R. Shepherd, Historical Atlas, 1911). ... Combatants Bulgarian Empire Byzantine Empire Commanders Peter Delyan Michael IX Strength Unknown Unknown Casualties Unknown Unknown The Battle of Ostrovo occurred in 1041 near Ostrovo, an area close to the lake of the same name in modern northern Greece. ... Imperial Emblem (under the Shisman Dynasty) Bulgarian Empire c. ... Combatants Bulgarian Empire Despotate of Epirus Commanders Ivan Asen II Theodore Komnenos Doukas Strength 25,000 85,000 Casualties Light Almost the whole army was killed or captured The Battle of Klokotnitsa (Bulgarian: , Bitka pri Klokotnitsa) occurred on 9 March 1230 near the village of Klokotnitsa (today in Haskovo Province... The Battle of Adrianople was fought in 1254 between the Byzantine Empire and the Bulgarians. ... Combatants Bulgarian Empire Byzantine Empire Commanders Ivailo of Bulgaria Unknown Strength Smaller force 10,000 Casualties Unknown Unknown The battle of Devnya occurred on 17 July 1279 near Devnya, Varna Province, Bulgaria. ... Combatants Bulgarian Empire Byzantine Empire Commanders Theodore Svetoslav Michael IX Palaiologos Strength Unknown Unknown Casualties Unknown Unknown The battle of Skafida(Bulgarian: Битка при Скафида) occurred in 1304 near Sozopol, Bulgaria. ... Combatants Bulgarian Empire Byzantine Empire Commanders Ivan Alexander Andronikos III Palaiologos Strength 11,000 3,000 Casualties Light Heavy Categories: | | ... Events October 10 - Battle of Kerbela November 12 - The Sixth Ecumenical Council opens in Constantinople The Bulgars subjugate the country of current-day Bulgaria Pippin of Herstal becomes Mayor of the Palace Umayyad caliph Muawiyah I succeeded by Yazid I ibn Muawiyah Erwig deposes Wamba to become king of the... Danube Delta - Landsat satellite photo (2000) The Danube Delta (Delta Dunării in Romanian), split between Tulcea County of Romania and Odessa Oblast of Ukraine, is the largest and best preserved of European deltas, with an area of 3446 km², after the Volga Delta. ... ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... Imperial Emblem Bulgarian Empire at its greatest extent c. ...

Origins of the conflict

In 632 Khan Kubrat managed to unite the Bulgars into the mighty Old Great Bulgaria between the Black Sea and Caspian Sea. After his death in 660s the state was threatened by constant attacks by the Khazars from the east and his sons divided. The eldest inherited the throne but was defeated by the Khazars and submerged to their rule. Kortag headed to the north and established the strong Volga Bulgaria, while the third son Asparukh marched westwards and settled with his folk in the Ongala area to the north of the Danube. From there he lauched attack against the Byzantine fortresses to the south. During that time Byzantium was in war with the Arabs who even besieged the capital Constantinople but in 680 the Byzantines defeated them and settled peace. After this success the emperor Constantine IV decided to punish the Bulgars for their attack and lead a 80,000 army against Asparukh. In the mean time the Bulgarian leader made an alliance with the Seven Slavic tribes for mutual protection against Byzantine attacks and formed a federation. Events Abu Bakr becomes first caliph or Successor of the Prophet, leader of Islam Abu Bakr defeats Mosailima in the Battle of Akraba. ... Kubrats Great Bulgaria and adjacent regions, c. ... Bulgar warriors slaughter Byzantines, from the Menology of Basil II, 10th century. ... Old Great Bulgaria or Great Bulgaria (Η παλαιά μεγάλη Βουλγαρία in Byzantine chronicles; alternative name: Onoguria/Onoghuria) was a Bulgar state, founded by Kubrat, which briefly existed in the 7th century north of the Caucasus mountains in the steppe between the rivers Dnieper and Lower Volga[1]. // Main article: Kubrat Kubrat (also Kurt or... For other uses, see Black Sea (disambiguation). ... The Caspian Sea is the largest enclosed body of water on Earth by area, variously classed as the worlds largest lake or a full-fledged sea. ... The Khazars (Hebrew Kuzari כוזרי Kuzarim כוזרים; Turkish Hazar Hazarlar; Russian Хазарин Хазары; Tatar sing Xäzär Xäzärlär; Crimean Tatar: ; Greek Χαζάροι/Χάζαροι; Persianخزر khazar; Latin Gazari or Cosri) were a semi-nomadic Turkic people from Central Asia, many of whom converted to Judaism. ... The Little Minaret in Bolghar For other uses, see Bulgaria (disambiguation). ... Khan Asparukh or Khan Asparoukh or Khan Asparuh (Bulgarian: Аспарух) (d. ... This article is about the Danube River. ... The Byzantine Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered at its capital in Constantinople. ... Byzantium (Greek: Βυζάντιον) was an ancient Greek city, which, according to legend, was founded by Greek colonists from Megara in 667 BC and named after their king Byzas or Byzantas (Βύζας or Βύζαντας in Greek). ... Languages Arabic other minority languages Religions Predominantly Sunni Islam, as well as Shia Islam, Greek Orthodoxy, Greek Catholicism, Roman Catholicism, Alawite Islam, Druzism, Ibadi Islam, and Judaism Footnotes a Mainly in Antakya. ... This article is about the city before the Fall of Constantinople (1453). ... Events October 10 - Battle of Kerbela November 12 - The Sixth Ecumenical Council opens in Constantinople The Bulgars subjugate the country of current-day Bulgaria Pippin of Herstal becomes Mayor of the Palace Umayyad caliph Muawiyah I succeeded by Yazid I ibn Muawiyah Erwig deposes Wamba to become king of the... Byzantine Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered around its capital in Constantinople. ... Constantine IV on a contemporary coin Constantine IV (649-685); sometimes incorrectly called Pogonatus, meaning the Bearded, like his father; was Byzantine emperor from 668-685. ... Bulgar warriors slaughter Byzantines, from the Menology of Basil II, 10th century. ... The Seven Slavic tribes (Bulgarian: , Sedem slavyanski plemena) were a union of Slavic tribes of Moesia (the Danubian Plain in modern Bulgaria) that was established around the middle of the 7th century and took part in the formation of the First Bulgarian Empire together with the Bulgars in 680-681. ...

The battle

The Bulgarians had built wooden ramparts in the swampy area to the north of the Danube. Due to the marshes the Byzantines were forced to attack from different places and by smaller groups which reduced the strength of the attack. The well-organised defence with sudden strikes from the ramparts eventually forced the Byzantines to retreat, and the retreat developed into a stampede. The Bulgar cavalry came out and charged the enemy who immediately ran away and most of the Byzantine soldiers perished. This article is about the Danube River. ... Byzantine Empire is the term conventionally used to describe the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages, centered around its capital in Constantinople. ... For the people of Central Asia see Bulgars Bulgar language is an extinct language commonly considered Turkic but more recently Indo-Iranian Bulgar, or bulgarish is Yiddish word for Romanian dance bugarească (means Bulgarian cf. ...

According to popular belief, the emperor had pains in his legs and went to Nessebar to cure. The troops thought that he was running from the battlefield and fled. When the Bulgars realised what was happening they attacked and easily defeated the discouraged enemy. Nessebar (Несебър), previously known as Mesembria and before that as Menebria, is an ancient city on the Black Sea coast of Bulgaria, located in Obshtina Nessebar, Burgas Oblast. ...

Aftermath

After the victory, the Bulgars advanced to the south and seized the lands to the north of Stara Planina and in 681 they invaded Thrace defeating the Byzantines again. Constantine IV found himself in a dead-lock and asked for peace. With the treaty the Byzantines recognised the creation of a new state within the borders of their empire and had to pay tribute each year, which was a great humiliation for a country which managed to defeat the Persians and the Arabs. Stara Planina, Rhodope, Rila and Pirin Mountains The Stara Planina (Old Mountain) or Balkan mountain range is an extension of the Carpathian mountain range, separated from it by the Danube River. ... // Events August 9 - The Bulgars win the war with the Byzantine Empire; the latter signs a peace treaty, which is considered as the birth-date of Bulgaria Wilfrid of York is expelled from Northumbria by Ecgfrith and retires into Sussex Births Deaths January 10 - Pope Agatho Ebroin, Mayor of the... Thracian Tomb of Kazanlak  Thrace (Bulgarian: , Greek: , Attic Greek: ThrāíkÄ“ or ThrēíkÄ“, Latin: , Turkish: ) is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. ... Constantine IV on a contemporary coin Constantine IV (649-685); sometimes incorrectly called Pogonatus, meaning the Bearded, like his father; was Byzantine emperor from 668-685. ... The Persians of Iran (officially named Persia by West until 1935 while still referred to as Persia by some) are an Iranian people who speak Persian (locally named Fârsi by native speakers) and often refer to themselves as ethnic Iranians as well. ... Languages Arabic other minority languages Religions Predominantly Sunni Islam, as well as Shia Islam, Greek Orthodoxy, Greek Catholicism, Roman Catholicism, Alawite Islam, Druzism, Ibadi Islam, and Judaism Footnotes a Mainly in Antakya. ...

Significance

This battle was one of the most significant moments in the European history, as it led to the creation of a mighty Slavic state, which was to become an European superpower in the 9th and 10th century along with the Byzantine and Frankish Empires, and cultural and spiritual centre of Slavic Europe throughout most of the Middle Ages. Distribution of Slavic people by language The Slavic peoples are a linguistic and ethnic branch of Indo-European peoples, living mainly in Europe, where they constitute roughly a third of the population. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... The Frankish Empire was the territory of the Franks, from the 5th to the 10th centuries, from 481 ruled by Clovis I of the Merovingian Dynasty, the first king of all the Franks. ... For other uses, see Europe (disambiguation). ... The Middle Ages formed the middle period in a traditional schematic division of European history into three ages: the classical civilization of Antiquity, the Middle Ages, and modern times, beginning with the Renaissance. ...

References

• Атанас Пейчев и колектив, 1300 години на стража, Военно издателство, София 1984.
• Йордан Андреев, Милчо Лалков, Българските ханове и царе, Велико Търново, 1996.