Croatian–Bulgarian battle of 926: Difference between revisions

Battle of the Bosnian Highlands
	Part of the Croatian–Bulgarian wars
	; Croatia and Bulgaria c. 925
Date	926
Location	Croatian–Bulgarian border in the Bosnian highlands (present-day eastern Bosnia and Herzegovina)45°00′N 16°30′E / 45.000°N 16.500°E
Result	Croatian victory
Belligerents
Kingdom of Croatia	Bulgarian Empire
Commanders and leaders
Tomislav of Croatia	Duke Alogobotur †
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Heavy, almost the entire army was lost on the battlefield

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In 926 a battle was fought in the Bosnian highlands between the armies of the Bulgarian Empire, under the rule of Bulgarian Tsar Simeon I, who at the time also fought a war with the Byzantine Empire, and the Kingdom of Croatia under Tomislav, the first king of the Croatian state. The battle is also known as the Battle of the Bosnian Highlands (Bulgarian: Битка при Босненските планини, Croatian: Bitka na Bosanskim visoravnima). It was fought in the Dinaric Alps of Eastern Bosnia near the rivers Bosna and Drina, the border area between the Kingdom of Croatia and the Bulgarian Empire.^[1]

Principal information on the battle is provided by the emperor Constantine VII of the Byzantine Empire in his work De Administrando Imperio ("On the Governance of the Empire") and in the collection of preserved historical writings called Theophanes Continuatus.^[2] Simeon's aim was to defeat the Byzantine Empire and conquer Constantinople. To achieve his aim, Simeon overran the eastern and central Balkans several times, occupied Serbia and finally attacked Croatia. The result of the battle was an overwhelming Croatian victory.^[1]^[2]

Background

Events preceding the war

After the war between Trpimir I and Bulgarian Knyaz Boris I in 853, which resulted in a peace treaty,^[3] the relations between Bulgaria and Croatia improved greatly. Ambassadors from Rome regularly went through Croatian territory to Bulgaria and received escorts to the border,^[4] while the Pope had regular conversations with both countries. Croatia bordered Bulgaria probably somewhere in present-day Bosnia,^[5] between the rivers Bosna and Drina.^[6] The situation started changing in the early 10th century when the new Bulgarian ruler Simeon I started a campaign against the Byzantine Empire. The conflict went in favor of Bulgaria and the Byzantines found themselves in great danger.^[4]

Simeon captured a large part of the Byzantine territory in Europe and was crowned as "Emperor of the Bulgarians" by Patriarch Nicholas Mystikos in 913.^[7] He was later crowned at the church of Ohrid as "Tsar of all Bulgarians and Greeks" by the newly appointed Bulgarian patriarch in 925. However, the Byzantines always addressed Simeon as "prince" (archon) and the prelate continued to be referred to as an archbishop.^[7] According to the juridical reasoning of the time, only the Pope and the Byzantine Emperor could bestow royal or imperial titles, and an emperor might be crowned only by a patriarch. Byzantine Emperor Romanos I Lekapenos protested bitterly against Simeon's usurpation of the imperial title. The Patriarch of Constantinople, Nicholas Mysticus, did the same. In such a predicament, Simeon demanded Pope John X (914-928) to send him an imperial crown and to recognize the head of the Bulgarian church as Patriarch. Naturally, Simeon had to promise to recognize the papal primacy in the Church. John X accepted Simeon's request and sent a solemn mission to Bulgaria, headed by Cardinal Madalbertus and John, illustrious Duke of Cumae. The papal mission reached Bulgaria at the end of summer or during the fall of 926, carrying a crown and scepter with which they would crown Simeon as Bulgarian Emperor.

When the papal mission arrived in Preslav, Madalbertus started long negotiations with Simeon and the representatives of the Bulgarian church. Probably, Madalbertus convoked a church synod in Bulgaria as he later did in Split, in Croatia, on his way back to Rome in 928. The negotiations regarding ecclesiastical matters were successful, and Archbishop Leontius was created Patriarch in Preslav, still during Simeon's reign.

Reasons for the war

In 924 Simeon sent a large army against Zaharija in the Principality of Serbia. The Bulgarian armies ravaged Serbia and forced Zaharija to flee to Croatia. Serbia was annexed by Bulgaria by which Simeon considerably expanded his state.^[8] After Simeon's annexation of Serbia the Bulgarian state bordered the Croatian kingdom under Tomislav, who was a Byzantine ally.^[9] Croatia was now located between Bulgaria and the weakly defended Byzantine Theme of Dalmatia, a possible new target of Simeon.^[10]

Tomislav received and protected the Serbs who were expelled by Simeon from Rascia.^[11] Tomislav may have been granted by the Emperor Romanos I Lekapenos some years previously with some form of control over the coastal cities of the Byzantine Theme of Dalmatia and rewarded with some share of the tribute collected from the cities,^[12] thus securing the friendship of Tomislav. These events were a sufficient proof to Simeon that the Croats took the side of the Byzantine Emperor and that they would support him actively in the future. Therefore, Simeon saw Croatia, harboring his enemies and allied to the empire, as a threat and he could not direct all his forces towards Byzamtium since there was nothing to prevent Croatia from striking his rear.^[9]

Battle

In 926 Simeon sent a large army to invade Croatia.^[9] The strength of Simeon's army is unknown. The commander of the Bulgarian forces in this battle was Duke Alogobotur.^[11] According to Byzantine historian Constantine Porphyrogenitus, Croatia at the time was able to field an army of 100,000 foot soldiers, 60,000 horse soldiers, 80 big battleships and 100 smaller battleships,^[13] but these numbers are generally taken as a considerable exaggeration.^[14] According to the palaeographic analysis of the original manuscript of DAI, the estimation of the number of inhabitants in medieval Croatia between 440 and 880 thousand people, and military numbers of Franks and Byzantines - the Croatian military force was most probably composed of 20,000-100,000 infantrymen, and 3,000-24,000 horsemen organized in 60 allagions.^[15]^[16] The Bulgarians were met by a Croatian army in the mountainous area of Eastern Bosnia.^[6]

The Croatian forces completely destroyed the Bulgarians.^[9] Arguably key to the overwhelming victory was the choice of terrain on which the battle took place. Bulgarians at the time when the battle started were in an unfavorable position and the Croatian army had made a surprise attack against them.^[10] Croatian soldiers would probably have been more experienced in fighting in the mountainous terrain of the Bosnian highlands. The Croats adjusted their military tactics, time and place of the battle to their opponents who possibly outnumbered them, which brought themselves a decisive advantage.^[10] Duke Alogobotur most likely perished in the battle along with most of his soldiers since he is no longer mentioned in sources.

Aftermath

Simeon suffered a crushing defeat, but did not lose the bulk of his forces. He had sent a part of his army on that campaign and those forces had suffered heavy losses, but his overall army was strong enough to carry out another invasion of Byzantium.^[9] The Croatian-Bulgarian war did not continue in a significant extent, no territorial changes followed,^[2] and peace was concluded after the death of Emperor Simeon in 927.^[4] In 927 Pope John X sent his legates with Bishop Madalbert to mediate between Croats and Bulgarians.^[12]

Simeon died in May 927. His son and successor Peter I renewed the war with the Byzantines and concluded a peace treaty the same year. Byzantine sources, specifically George Kedrenos,^[17] say that the cause for Peter's peace treaty proposal was his fear that all his neighbors, the Hungarians, Croats, Serbs and other, could take the advantage of Simeon's death to attack Bulgaria. In addition, Bulgaria had a major domestic problem, a severe famine resulting from an attack by locusts.^[18]

References

^ ^a ^b ^c Bakalov, Istorija na Bǎlgarija, "Simeon I Veliki".
^ ^a ^b ^c Clifford J. Rogers: The Oxford Encyclopedia of Medieval Warfare and Military Technology, p. 162
^ De Administrando Imperio: XXXI. Of the Croats and of the country they now dwell in
^ ^a ^b ^c Neven Budak - Prva stoljeća Hrvatske, Zagreb, 1994., p. 21-22
^ Maddalena Betti: The Making of Christian Moravia (858-882), 2013, p. 130
^ ^a ^b Петър Коледаров: Политическа география на средновековната българска държава. Част I. От 681 до 1018 г., p. 47
^ ^a ^b John Van Antwerp Fine: The Early Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century, 1991, p. 155-156
^ John Van Antwerp Fine: The Early Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century, 1991, p. 154
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e John Van Antwerp Fine: The Early Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century, 1991, p. 157
^ ^a ^b ^c Ivo Goldstein: Hrvatski rani srednji vijek, Zagreb, 1995, p. 289-291
^ ^a ^b De Administrando Imperio: XXXII. Of the Serbs and of the country they now dwell in
^ ^a ^b Florin Curta: Southeastern Europe in the Middle Ages, 500-1250, p. 196
^ De Administrando Imperio: XXXI. Of the Croats and of the country they now dwell in. "Baptized Croatia musters as many as 60 thousand horse and 100 thousand foot, and galleys up to 80 and cutters up to 100."
^ John Van Antwerp Fine: The Early Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century, 1991, p. 262
^ Vedriš, Trpimir (2007). "Povodom novog tumačenja vijesti Konstantina VII. Porfirogeneta o snazi hrvatske vojske" [On the occasion of the new interpretation of Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus'report concerning the strength of the Croatian army]. Historijski zbornik (in Croatian). 60: 1–33. Retrieved 29 July 2020.
^ Budak, Neven (2018). Hrvatska povijest od 550. do 1100 [Croatian history from 550 until 1100]. Leykam international. pp. 223–224. ISBN 978-953-340-061-7.
^ MacArtney, C. A. (2008). The Magyars in the Ninth Century. Cambridge University Press. pp. 126, 136–138, 149. ISBN 978-0-521-08070-5.
^ John Van Antwerp Fine: The Early Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century, 1991, p. 161

External links

Map of Bulgaria in the late 9th and early 10th century (Петър Коледаров: "Схема на българските граници с Византия към 865 и 905 г. и с Хърватско през 30-те години на X в.")

[bakalov-1] Bakalov, Istorija na Bǎlgarija, "Simeon I Veliki".

[Rogers-2] Clifford J. Rogers: The Oxford Encyclopedia of Medieval Warfare and Military Technology, p. 162

[3] De Administrando Imperio: XXXI. Of the Croats and of the country they now dwell in

[Budak-4] Neven Budak - Prva stoljeća Hrvatske, Zagreb, 1994., p. 21-22

[Maddalena-5] Maddalena Betti: The Making of Christian Moravia (858-882), 2013, p. 130

[Koledarov-6] Петър Коледаров: Политическа география на средновековната българска държава. Част I. От 681 до 1018 г., p. 47

[Fine-7] John Van Antwerp Fine: The Early Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century, 1991, p. 155-156

[8] John Van Antwerp Fine: The Early Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century, 1991, p. 154

[Fine157-9] John Van Antwerp Fine: The Early Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century, 1991, p. 157

[Goldstein-10] Ivo Goldstein: Hrvatski rani srednji vijek, Zagreb, 1995, p. 289-291

[DAI-11] De Administrando Imperio: XXXII. Of the Serbs and of the country they now dwell in

[Curta-12] Florin Curta: Southeastern Europe in the Middle Ages, 500-1250, p. 196

[13] De Administrando Imperio: XXXI. Of the Croats and of the country they now dwell in. "Baptized Croatia musters as many as 60 thousand horse and 100 thousand foot, and galleys up to 80 and cutters up to 100."

[14] John Van Antwerp Fine: The Early Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century, 1991, p. 262

[15] Vedriš, Trpimir (2007). "Povodom novog tumačenja vijesti Konstantina VII. Porfirogeneta o snazi hrvatske vojske" [On the occasion of the new interpretation of Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus'report concerning the strength of the Croatian army]. Historijski zbornik (in Croatian). 60: 1–33. Retrieved 29 July 2020.

[16] Budak, Neven (2018). Hrvatska povijest od 550. do 1100 [Croatian history from 550 until 1100]. Leykam international. pp. 223–224. ISBN 978-953-340-061-7.

[MacArtney2008-17] MacArtney, C. A. (2008). The Magyars in the Ninth Century. Cambridge University Press. pp. 126, 136–138, 149. ISBN 978-0-521-08070-5.

[18] John Van Antwerp Fine: The Early Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century, 1991, p. 161

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Military engagement in the Dinaric Alps}}
-{{Battlebox no campaign|
+{{Infobox military conflict
-battle_name=Battle of the Bosnian Highlands
-|conflict=Croatian-Bulgarian War of 927
+|conflict=Battle of the Bosnian Highlands
+|partof=the [[Croatian–Bulgarian wars]]
-|date=[[May 27]], [[927]]
+|date=926
-|place=Highlands of Eastern [[Bosnia]] (present-day eastern [[Bosnia-Herzegovina]])
+|place=Croatian–Bulgarian border in the Bosnian highlands (present-day eastern [[Bosnia and Herzegovina]])
-|result=Decisive Croatian victory
+|coordinates = {{Coord|45|00|N|16|30|E|display=it}}
-|combatant1=[[Kingdom of Croatia]]
+|result=Croatian victory<ref name=bakalov>Bakalov, ''Istorija na Bǎlgarija'', "Simeon I Veliki".</ref>
-|combatant2=[[Bulgarian Empire]]
-|commander1=[[King Tomislav of Croatia]]
+|combatant1=[[Kingdom of Croatia (925–1102)|Kingdom of Croatia]]
+|combatant2=[[First Bulgarian Empire|Bulgarian Empire]]
-|commander2=Duke (Dux) [[Alogobotur]]
+|commander1=[[Tomislav of Croatia]]
-|strength1=60.000 [[cavalry]], 100.000 [[infantry]]
+|commander2=Duke [[Alogobotur]]{{KIA}}
-|strength2=unknown
+|strength1=
-|casualties1=unknown
+|strength2=
-|casualties2=tens of thousands soldiers killed
+|casualties1=Unknown
-|image=
+|casualties2=Heavy, almost the entire army was lost on the battlefield
-|caption=
+|image=Balkans925.png
-|}}
+|caption=[[Kingdom of Croatia (925–1102)|Croatia]] and [[First Bulgarian Empire|Bulgaria]] c.&nbsp;925
+}}
+In 926 a battle was fought in the [[Bosnia]]n highlands between the armies of the [[First Bulgarian Empire|Bulgarian Empire]], under the rule of Bulgarian [[Tsar]] [[Simeon I of Bulgaria|Simeon I]], who at the time also fought a war with the [[Byzantine Empire]], and the [[Kingdom of Croatia (925–1102)|Kingdom of Croatia]] under [[Tomislav of Croatia|Tomislav]], the first king of the Croatian state. The battle is also known as the '''Battle of the Bosnian Highlands''' ({{langx|bg|Битка при Босненските планини}}, {{langx|hr|Bitka na Bosanskim visoravnima}}). It was fought in the [[Dinaric Alps]] of Eastern Bosnia near the rivers [[Bosna (river)|Bosna]] and [[Drina]], the border area between the [[Kingdom of Croatia (925–1102)|Kingdom of Croatia]] and the [[First Bulgarian Empire|Bulgarian Empire]].<ref name="bakalov"/>
+Principal information on the battle is provided by the emperor [[Constantine VII]] of the Byzantine Empire in his work ''[[De Administrando Imperio]]'' ("On the Governance of the Empire") and in the collection of preserved historical writings called [[Theophanes Continuatus]].<ref name=Rogers>[[Clifford J. Rogers]]: [https://books.google.com/books?id=mzwpq6bLHhMC The Oxford Encyclopedia of Medieval Warfare and Military Technology], p. 162</ref> Simeon's aim was to defeat the Byzantine Empire and conquer [[Constantinople]]. To achieve his aim, Simeon overran the eastern and central [[Balkans]] several times, occupied [[Principality of Serbia (early medieval)|Serbia]] and finally attacked Croatia. The result of the battle was an overwhelming Croatian victory.<ref name=bakalov/><ref name=Rogers/>
-The '''Battle of the Bosnian Highlands''' was fought between the huge armies of the two most powerful [[Balkan]] rulers of the time: Bulgarian Tsar [[Simeon I]], the great victor of the [[Battle of Anchialus]] over the [[Byzantine Empire]] ten years earlier, and King Tomislav of [[Croatia]], the first king of the growing Croatian state.
+== Background ==
-According to [[Theophanes Continuatus]] (The Continuer of Theophanes`s Chronicle) and other historians, the battle took place on May 27, 927 and was fought in the area of the highlands of Eastern Bosnia near the [[Drina River]], the border area between the Kingdom of Croatia and Bulgarian Empire.
+=== Events preceding the war ===
+After the war between [[Trpimir I of Croatia|Trpimir I]] and Bulgarian Knyaz [[Boris I of Bulgaria|Boris I]] in 853, which resulted in a peace treaty,<ref>''De Administrando Imperio'': XXXI. Of the Croats and of the country they now dwell in</ref> the relations between Bulgaria and Croatia improved greatly. Ambassadors from [[Rome]] regularly went through Croatian territory to Bulgaria and received escorts to the border,<ref name=Budak>[https://books.google.com/books?id=7ZJpAAAAMAAJ Neven Budak - Prva stoljeća Hrvatske], Zagreb, 1994., p. 21-22</ref> while the Pope had regular conversations with both countries. Croatia bordered Bulgaria probably somewhere in present-day [[Bosnia]],<ref name=Maddalena>[https://books.google.com/books?id=MdLYAQAAQBAJ Maddalena Betti: The Making of Christian Moravia (858-882), 2013, p. 130]</ref> between the rivers [[Bosna (river)|Bosna]] and [[Drina]].<ref name=Koledarov>Петър Коледаров: Политическа география на средновековната българска държава. Част I. От 681 до 1018 г., p. 47</ref> The situation started changing in the early 10th century when the new Bulgarian ruler [[Simeon I of Bulgaria|Simeon I]] started a campaign against the [[Byzantine Empire]]. The conflict went in favor of Bulgaria and the Byzantines found themselves in great danger.<ref name=Budak/>
+Simeon captured a large part of the Byzantine territory in Europe and was crowned as "Emperor of the Bulgarians" by Patriarch [[Nicholas Mystikos]] in 913.<ref name=Fine>John Van Antwerp Fine: The Early Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century, 1991, p. 155-156</ref> He was later crowned at the church of Ohrid as "Tsar of all Bulgarians and Greeks" by the newly appointed Bulgarian patriarch in 925. However, the Byzantines always addressed Simeon as "prince" (archon) and the prelate continued to be referred to as an archbishop.<ref name=Fine/> According to the juridical reasoning of the time, only the Pope and the Byzantine Emperor could bestow royal or imperial titles, and an emperor might be crowned only by a patriarch. Byzantine Emperor [[Romanos I Lekapenos]] protested bitterly against Simeon's usurpation of the imperial title. The Patriarch of Constantinople, [[Nicholas Mysticus]], did the same. In such a predicament, Simeon demanded [[Pope John X]] (914-928) to send him an imperial crown and to recognize the head of the Bulgarian church as Patriarch. Naturally, Simeon had to promise to recognize the papal primacy in the Church. John X accepted Simeon's request and sent a solemn mission to Bulgaria, headed by Cardinal Madalbertus and John, illustrious Duke of Cumae. The papal mission reached Bulgaria at the end of summer or during the fall of 926, carrying a crown and scepter with which they would crown Simeon as Bulgarian Emperor.
-The Bulgarian ruler, Symeon, was a wise and able man with a restless and insatiable spirit. He spent his entire life fighting battles with neighboring countries. His basic aim was to defeat the Byzantine Empire and conquer Byzantium. To achieve his aim, Symeon overran the eastern and central Balkans several times, occupied [[Serbia]] and finally atacked Croatia.
+When the papal mission arrived in [[Preslav]], Madalbertus started long negotiations with Simeon and the representatives of the Bulgarian church. Probably, Madalbertus convoked a church synod in Bulgaria as he later did in [[Split (city)|Split]], in Croatia, on his way back to [[Rome]] in 928. The negotiations regarding ecclesiastical matters were successful, and Archbishop Leontius was created Patriarch in Preslav, still during Simeon's reign.
-The events developed as follows.
+=== Reasons for the war ===
-After long wars and great success, capturing a larger part of Byzantine territory in Europe, Symeon the Great proclaimed himself Emperor and took the title "Emperor of the Bulgarians and Greeks" at the beginning of [[925]]. According to the juridical reasoning of the time, only the Pope and the Byzantine Emperor could bestow royal or imperial titles, and an emperor might be crowned only by a patriarch. Byzantine Emperor [[Romanus Lecapenus]] protested bitterly against Symeon`s usurpation of the imperial title. Patriarch of Constantinople, [[Nicolas Mysticus]], did the same. In such a predicament, Symeon begged [[Pope John X]] ([[914]]-[[928]]) to send him an imperial crown and to recognize the head of the Bulgarian church as Patriarch. Naturally, Symeon had to promise to recognize the papal primacy in the Church. John X accepted Symeon`s request and sent a solemn mission to Bulgaria, headed by Cardinal Madalbertus and John, illustrious Duke of Cumae. The papal mission reached Bulgaria at the end of summer or during the fall of [[926]], carryng a crown and scepter with which they would crown Symeon as Bulgarian Emperor.
+In 924 Simeon sent a large army against [[Zaharija of Serbia|Zaharija]] in the [[Principality of Serbia (early medieval)|Principality of Serbia]]. The Bulgarian armies ravaged Serbia and forced Zaharija to flee to Croatia. Serbia was annexed by Bulgaria by which Simeon considerably expanded his state.<ref>John Van Antwerp Fine: The Early Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century, 1991, p. 154</ref> After Simeon's annexation of Serbia the Bulgarian state bordered the Croatian kingdom under Tomislav, who was a Byzantine ally.<ref name=Fine157>John Van Antwerp Fine: The Early Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century, 1991, p. 157</ref> Croatia was now located between Bulgaria and the weakly defended Byzantine [[Theme of Dalmatia]], a possible new target of Simeon.<ref name=Goldstein>[[Ivo Goldstein]]: [https://books.google.com/books?id=0WfQKAAACAAJ Hrvatski rani srednji vijek], Zagreb, 1995, p. 289-291</ref>
+Tomislav received and protected the [[Serbs]] who were expelled by Simeon from [[Raška (region)|Rascia]].<ref name=DAI>''De Administrando Imperio'': XXXII. Of the Serbs and of the country they now dwell in</ref> Tomislav may have been granted by the Emperor [[Romanos I Lekapenos]] some years previously with some form of control over the coastal cities of the Byzantine Theme of Dalmatia and rewarded with some share of the tribute collected from the cities,<ref name=Curta>[https://books.google.com/books?id=YIAYMNOOe0YC Florin Curta: Southeastern Europe in the Middle Ages, 500-1250], p. 196</ref> thus securing the friendship of Tomislav. These events were a sufficient proof to Simeon that the [[Croats]] took the side of the Byzantine Emperor and that they would support him actively in the future. Therefore, Simeon saw Croatia, harboring his enemies and allied to the empire, as a threat and he could not direct all his forces towards Byzamtium since there was nothing to prevent Croatia from striking his rear.<ref name=Fine157/>
-When the papal mission arrived in [[Preslav]], Madalbertus started long negotiations with Symeon and the representatives of the Bulgarian church. Probably, Madalbertus convoked a church synod in Bulgaria as he later did in [[Split]], in Croatia, on his way back to [[Rome]] in 928. The negotiations regarding ecclesiastical matters were successful, and Archbishop Leontius was created Patriarch in Preslav, still during Symeon`s reign.
+== Battle ==
-Meanwhile, Symeon undertook imposing preparations for his crowing during the summer of 927. All of a sudden, he decided to wage a war against the Kingdom of Croatia.
+In 926 Simeon sent a large army to invade Croatia.<ref name=Fine157/> The strength of Simeon's army is unknown. The commander of the Bulgarian forces in this battle was Duke [[Alogobotur]].<ref name=DAI/> According to Byzantine historian [[Constantine Porphyrogenitus]], Croatia at the time was able to field an army of 100,000 foot soldiers, 60,000 horse soldiers, 80 big battleships and 100 smaller battleships,<ref>''[[De Administrando Imperio]]'': XXXI. Of the Croats and of the country they now dwell in. "Baptized Croatia musters as many as 60 thousand horse and 100 thousand foot, and galleys up to 80 and cutters up to 100."</ref> but these numbers are generally taken as a considerable exaggeration.<ref>John Van Antwerp Fine: The Early Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century, 1991, p. 262</ref> According to the [[Palaeography|palaeographic]] analysis of the original manuscript of ''DAI'', the estimation of the number of inhabitants in medieval Croatia between 440 and 880 thousand people, and military numbers of Franks and Byzantines - the Croatian military force was most probably composed of 20,000-100,000 infantrymen, and 3,000-24,000 horsemen organized in 60 [[allagion]]s.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Vedriš |first=Trpimir |date=2007 |title=Povodom novog tumačenja vijesti Konstantina VII. Porfirogeneta o snazi hrvatske vojske |trans-title=On the occasion of the new interpretation of Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus'report concerning the strength of the Croatian army |url=https://www.academia.edu/34978219 |language=hr |journal=Historijski zbornik |volume=60 |pages=1–33 |access-date=29 July 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |first=Neven |last=Budak |author-link=Neven Budak |year=2018 |title=Hrvatska povijest od 550. do 1100. |trans-title=Croatian history from 550 until 1100 |url=http://www.leykam-international.hr/publikacija.php?id=167 |publisher=Leykam international |isbn=978-953-340-061-7 |pages=223–224}}</ref> The Bulgarians were met by a Croatian army in the mountainous area of Eastern Bosnia.<ref name=Koledarov/>
+The Croatian forces completely destroyed the Bulgarians.<ref name=Fine157/> Arguably key to the overwhelming victory was the choice of terrain on which the battle took place. Bulgarians at the time when the battle started were in an unfavorable position and the Croatian army had made a surprise attack against them.<ref name=Goldstein/>
-The reason might have been that Tomislav received and protected the [[Serbs]] who were expelled by Symeon from [[Rascia]]. In all probability, however, the main reason was that Symeon, if crowned by Papal Legate, feared an attack from Byzantine Emperor supported by Tomislav. Emperor Romanus Lecapenus won the friendship of Tomislav some years previously, handing over the Byzantine [[Dalmatia]] to Tomislav and recognizing him as King of Croatia (Pope John X recognized Tomislav as King of Croatia in 925). During the summer of 926, Tomislav sent his troops to [[Italy]] to expel [[Saracens]], from the city of [[Sipontus]], which belonged to the Byzantine province of [[Langobardia]]. This event could have been a sufficient proof to Symeon that the [[Croats]] took the side of the Byzantine Emperor and that they would support him actively in the future. Therefore, when in the next spring Symeon sent a great army against the Croats, Bulgarians were met by Tomislav`s army in the mountainous region of Eastern Bosnia on May 27, 927.
+Croatian soldiers would probably have been more experienced in fighting in the mountainous terrain of the Bosnian highlands. The Croats adjusted their military tactics, time and place of the battle to their opponents who possibly outnumbered them, which brought themselves a decisive advantage.<ref name=Goldstein/> Duke Alogobotur most likely perished in the battle along with most of his soldiers since he is no longer mentioned in sources.
+== Aftermath ==
-According to Byzantine historian [[Constantine Porphyrogenitus]], King Tomislav had an army of 160,000 soldiers (60,000 cavalry and 100,000 infantry). This was likely the greatest European army of the [[Middle Ages]]. The strength of Simeon's army is unknown but was probably as large as the Croatian army. The commander of the Bulgarian forces in this battle was Duke (Dux) Alogobotur.
+Simeon suffered a crushing defeat, but did not lose the bulk of his forces. He had sent a part of his army on that campaign and those forces had suffered heavy losses, but his overall army was strong enough to carry out another invasion of Byzantium.<ref name=Fine157/> The Croatian-Bulgarian war did not continue in a significant extent, no territorial changes followed,<ref name=Rogers/> and peace was concluded after the death of Emperor Simeon in 927.<ref name=Budak/> In 927 [[Pope John X]] sent his legates with Bishop Madalbert to mediate between Croats and Bulgarians.<ref name=Curta/>
+Simeon died in May 927. His son and successor [[Peter I of Bulgaria|Peter I]] renewed the war with the Byzantines and concluded a peace treaty the same year. Byzantine sources, specifically [[George Kedrenos]],<ref name="MacArtney2008">{{cite book|last=MacArtney|first=C. A.|authorlink=Carlile Aylmer Macartney|title=The Magyars in the Ninth Century|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ry5eOQpGvQ8C|year=2008|publisher=Cambridge University Press|isbn=978-0-521-08070-5|pages=126, 136–138, 149}}</ref> say that the cause for Peter's peace treaty proposal was his fear that all his neighbors, the [[Hungarians]], [[Croats]], [[Serbs]] and other, could take the advantage of Simeon's death to attack Bulgaria. In addition, Bulgaria had a major domestic problem, a severe [[famine]] resulting from an attack by [[locust]]s.<ref>John Van Antwerp Fine: The Early Medieval Balkans: A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century, 1991, p. 161</ref>
-Today`s mind can hardly imagine this battle, this huge, titanic clash of arms with rivers of blood and with more than one hundred thousand soldiers killing each other. The battle was so furious and deadly that, according to many Byzantine and Russian historians ([[Joannes Zonaras]], Constantine Porphyrogenitus, [[Georgius Cedrenus]], Theophanes Continuatus, [[Chronicle of Nestor]]) Tomislav destroyed the Bulgarian army almost to a man. This was a millitary catastrophe for the Bulgarians. It is estimated that tens of thousands Bulgarian soldiers lost their lives on the battlefield.
+== See also ==
-When Symeon heard of the crush of his army, seven or eight days after the battle, he suffered a stroke and died about [[June 3]], 927, without having been crowned with imperial crown brought by Madalbertus from Rome.
+*[[Croatian–Bulgarian wars]]
+*[[History of Croatia]]
+*[[History of Bulgaria]]
+== References ==
-The Battle of the Bosnian Highlands is considered to be one of the greatest and bloodiest single-day battles in history and marked the end of Bulgarian expansion in the Balkans.
+{{Reflist}}
+== External links ==
-[[Category:927]]
+* [http://i.imgur.com/NbpluC0.jpg Map of Bulgaria in the late 9th and early 10th century] (Петър Коледаров: "Схема на българските граници с Византия към 865 и 905 г. и с Хърватско през 30-те години на X в.")
-[[Category:Battles of Bulgaria|Bosnian Highlands 927]]
-[[Category:Battles of Croatia|Bosnian Highlands 927]]
+{{Wars and battles involving Croatia|state=collapsed}}
+{{DEFAULTSORT:Croatian-Bulgarian battle of 926}}
+[[Category:10th-century military history of Croatia]]
+[[Category:920s conflicts]]
+[[Category:926]]
+[[Category:Battles involving the First Bulgarian Empire]]
+[[Category:Battles involving medieval Croatia]]
+[[Category:Military history of Bosnia and Herzegovina]]
+[[Category:10th century in Bulgaria]]
+[[Category:Battles of the Middle Ages]]
+[[Category:Medieval history of Bosnia and Herzegovina]]