Battle of Setina
Encyclopedia
The battle of Setina took place in the autumn of 1017 near the village of Setina in modern northern Greece
between the armies of Bulgaria and Byzantium. The result was a Byzantine victory.
scored a decisive victory over the Bulgarian Emperor Samuil in the battle of Kleidion
. Samuil died of heart attack on 6 October 1014 and the Byzantines took the opportunity to penetrate deep into Macedonia
, the political heart of the Bulgarian Empire
and seized a number of important cities (Bitola
, Prilep
, Voden
, Maglen). After the new Bulgarian Emperor Ivan Vladislav
, who in 1015 assassinated Samuil's son and heir Gavril Radomir
, had unsuccessfully tried to make an agreement with Basil II, he organized the defense of the country. The Bulgarians led by the Emperor, Krakra of Pernik
and Ivats
managed to return a number of towns and castles. The Byzantines were defeated in the battle of Bitola
(September 1015) and at the siege of Pernik
(summer of 1016).
which controlled the road between Thessaly
and the coast of modern Albania
. He sent parts of his army under the commanders Constantine Diogenes
and David Arianites
to loot Pelagonia
. Basil II himself managed to capture several minor Bulgarian castles but all attempts to seize Kastoria remained futile.
Meanwhile the governor of Pernik and Sofia
Krakra gathered troops to attack north-eastern Bulgaria which was under Byzantine control since 1001. He had orders by Ivan Vladislav to negotiate with the Pechenegs a joint campaign against the Byzantines. Upon the new of that negotiations, Basil II retreated from Kastoria. However, the Bulgarian counter-attack towards Moesia
did not take place after the Pechenegs' refusal to back it. Basil II again invaded Bulgaria and took the small fortress of Setina located between Ostrovo
and Bitola to the south of the river Cherna.
The Bulgarians under the command of Ivan Vladislav marched to the Byzantine camp. Basil II sent strong units under Diogenes to repulse the Bulgarians but the troops of the Byzantine commander were ambushed and cornered. To save Diogenes, the 60-year-old Byzantine Emperor moved on with the rest of his army. When the Bulgarians understood that they retreated chased by Diogenes. According to the Byzantine historian John Skylitzes
the Bulgarians had many casualties and 200 were taken prisoners.
. The Bulgarians attacked the Adriatic port of Dyrrhachium and after Ivan Vladislav's death under the walls of the city the resistance finally broke. In the same year the First Bulgarian Empire
was annexed by the Byzantine Empire
. In 1019 the Byzantines seized the last Bulgarian strongholds.
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
between the armies of Bulgaria and Byzantium. The result was a Byzantine victory.
Prelude
In 1014, after decades of war, the Byzantine Emperor Basil IIBasil II
Basil II , known in his time as Basil the Porphyrogenitus and Basil the Young to distinguish him from his ancestor Basil I the Macedonian, was a Byzantine emperor from the Macedonian dynasty who reigned from 10 January 976 to 15 December 1025.The first part of his long reign was dominated...
scored a decisive victory over the Bulgarian Emperor Samuil in the battle of Kleidion
Battle of Kleidion
The Battle of Kleidion took place on July 29, 1014 between the Bulgarian Empire and the Byzantine Empire...
. Samuil died of heart attack on 6 October 1014 and the Byzantines took the opportunity to penetrate deep into Macedonia
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
, the political heart of the Bulgarian Empire
First Bulgarian Empire
The First Bulgarian Empire was a medieval Bulgarian state founded in the north-eastern Balkans in c. 680 by the Bulgars, uniting with seven South Slavic tribes...
and seized a number of important cities (Bitola
Bitola
Bitola is a city in the southwestern part of the Republic of Macedonia. The city is an administrative, cultural, industrial, commercial, and educational centre. It is located in the southern part of the Pelagonia valley, surrounded by the Baba and Nidže mountains, 14 km north of the...
, Prilep
Prilep
Prilep is the fourth largest city in the Republic of Macedonia. It has a population of 66,246 citizens. Prilep is known as "the city under Marko's Towers" because of its proximity to the towers of Prince Marko.-Name:...
, Voden
Edessa, Greece
Edessa , is a city in northern Greece and the capital of the Pella regional unit, in the Central Macedonia region of Greece. It was also the capital of the defunct province of the same name.-Name:...
, Maglen). After the new Bulgarian Emperor Ivan Vladislav
Ivan Vladislav of Bulgaria
Ivan Vladislav ruled as emperor of Bulgaria from August or September 1015 to February 1018. The year of his birth is unknown, but he was born at least a decade before 987, but probably not much earlier than that....
, who in 1015 assassinated Samuil's son and heir Gavril Radomir
Gavril Radomir of Bulgaria
Gavril Radomir , normally rendered as Gabriel Radomir in English and Gavriil Romanos in Greek, was the ruler of the First Bulgarian Empire from October 1014 to August or September 1015. He was the son of Samuel of Bulgaria. During his father's reign, his cousin Ivan Vladislav and Ivan's entire...
, had unsuccessfully tried to make an agreement with Basil II, he organized the defense of the country. The Bulgarians led by the Emperor, Krakra of Pernik
Krakra of Pernik
Krakra of Pernik , also known as Krakra Voevoda or simply Krakra, was an 11th-century feudal lord in the First Bulgarian Empire whose domain encompassed 36 fortresses in what is today southwestern Bulgaria, with his capital at Pernik...
and Ivats
Ivats of Bulgaria
Ivats was a Bulgarian noble and military commander in the late 10th and early 11th century. He served three Bulgarian Emperors - Samuil ; Gavril Radomir and Ivan Vladislav ....
managed to return a number of towns and castles. The Byzantines were defeated in the battle of Bitola
Battle of Bitola
The Battle of Monastir took place near the town of Bitola, Macedonia during the First Balkan War, from 16 to 19 November 1912. As an ongoing part of the Balkan Wars, the Ottoman Vardar Army retreated from the defeat at Kumanovo and regrouped around Bitola...
(September 1015) and at the siege of Pernik
Pernik
Pernik is a city in western Bulgaria with a population of 81,052 . It is the main city of Pernik Province and lies on both banks of the Struma River in the Pernik Valley between the Viskyar, Vitosha and Golo Bardo mountains.Originally the site of a Thracian fortress founded in the 4th century BC,...
(summer of 1016).
The war in 1017
In 1017 Basil II invaded Bulgaria with a large army including Rus' mercenaries. His objective was the town of KastoriaKastoria
Kastoria is a city in northern Greece in the periphery of West Macedonia. It is the capital of Kastoria peripheral unit. It is situated on a promontory on the western shore of Lake Orestiada, in a valley surrounded by limestone mountains...
which controlled the road between Thessaly
Thessaly
Thessaly is a traditional geographical region and an administrative region of Greece, comprising most of the ancient region of the same name. Before the Greek Dark Ages, Thessaly was known as Aeolia, and appears thus in Homer's Odyssey....
and the coast of modern Albania
Albania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
. He sent parts of his army under the commanders Constantine Diogenes
Constantine Diogenes
Constantine Diogenes was a prominent Byzantine Greek general of the early 11th century, active in the Balkans.Constantine Diogenes is the first notable member of the noble Cappadocian Diogenes family, which played an important role in 11th-century Byzantium. Constantine began his career as a...
and David Arianites
David Arianites
David Arianites was a high-ranking Byzantine commander of the early 11th century.He hailed from the noble Arianites family of Constantinople. He initially held the title of patrikios, and became a senior general under Basil II. In 1017 Basil II invaded Bulgaria with a large army including Rus'...
to loot Pelagonia
Pelagonia
This is about the geographical plain between Greece and the Republic of Macedonia. For the political unit in Macedonia, go to Pelagonia Statistical Region....
. Basil II himself managed to capture several minor Bulgarian castles but all attempts to seize Kastoria remained futile.
Meanwhile the governor of Pernik and Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
Krakra gathered troops to attack north-eastern Bulgaria which was under Byzantine control since 1001. He had orders by Ivan Vladislav to negotiate with the Pechenegs a joint campaign against the Byzantines. Upon the new of that negotiations, Basil II retreated from Kastoria. However, the Bulgarian counter-attack towards Moesia
Moesia
Moesia was an ancient region and later Roman province situated in the Balkans, along the south bank of the Danube River. It included territories of modern-day Southern Serbia , Northern Republic of Macedonia, Northern Bulgaria, Romanian Dobrudja, Southern Moldova, and Budjak .-History:In ancient...
did not take place after the Pechenegs' refusal to back it. Basil II again invaded Bulgaria and took the small fortress of Setina located between Ostrovo
Arnissa
Arnissa is a town in the Pella Prefecture of Macedonia, Greece. It is located near the Lake Vegoritida and Mount Kaimakchalan and is the seat of the Vegoritida Municipality. It has a population of 1,550 .-History:...
and Bitola to the south of the river Cherna.
The Bulgarians under the command of Ivan Vladislav marched to the Byzantine camp. Basil II sent strong units under Diogenes to repulse the Bulgarians but the troops of the Byzantine commander were ambushed and cornered. To save Diogenes, the 60-year-old Byzantine Emperor moved on with the rest of his army. When the Bulgarians understood that they retreated chased by Diogenes. According to the Byzantine historian John Skylitzes
John Skylitzes
John Skylitzes, latinized as Ioannes Scylitzes was a Greek historian of the late 11th century. He was born in the beginning of 1040's and died after 1101.- Life :Very little is known about his life...
the Bulgarians had many casualties and 200 were taken prisoners.
Aftermath
The battle of Setina had no effect on the outcome of the war. In January 1018 Basil II withdrew to his capital ConstantinopleConstantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
. The Bulgarians attacked the Adriatic port of Dyrrhachium and after Ivan Vladislav's death under the walls of the city the resistance finally broke. In the same year the First Bulgarian Empire
First Bulgarian Empire
The First Bulgarian Empire was a medieval Bulgarian state founded in the north-eastern Balkans in c. 680 by the Bulgars, uniting with seven South Slavic tribes...
was annexed by the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
. In 1019 the Byzantines seized the last Bulgarian strongholds.