Markeli
Encyclopedia
Markeli was a medieval Byzantine
and Bulgarian
frontier stronghold, the ruins of which are located in Karnobat Municipality, Burgas Province
, southeastern Bulgaria
. Dating to Late Antiquity
, the castle lay some 7.5 kilometres (4.7 mi) from the modern town of Karnobat
. It was the site of two notable medieval battles between Byzantines and Bulgarians, the Battle of Marcellae of 756
and the Battle of Marcellae of 792.
and its expansion turned it into a vital frontier stronghold just south of the Balkan Mountains
. It would often change hands between Bulgarians and Byzantines, who would use it as a favourable starting point for military campaigns southwards and northwards respectively. Markeli first came under Bulgarian rule in 705, when it, together with the whole region of Zagore
, was ceded to Bulgaria by Justinian II
.
In 756, Byzantine Emperor Constantine V
organized a campaign against Bulgaria. The previous year, Bulgarian forces under Tervel
had plundered Byzantine Thrace
and reached the capital Constantinople
, though by 756 the Bulgarian throne was occupied by Vineh
. Constantine V's army advanced into Thrace and was engaged by Bulgarian forces at Markeli, which at the time was a border fortress. The Byzantines came out victorious in the skirmish, and to prevent a further invasion, the Bulgarian ruler Vineh had to send hostages to Constantinople.
In 792, Markeli was once more in the centre of a major Byzantine–Bulgarian conflict. The second battle of Marcellae came during a long period of aggression between Byzantium and Bulgaria, with Bulgarian ruler Kardam
and Byzantine Emperor Constantine VI each invading foreign territory in the past few years. Due to strategic errors, the Byzantines suffered a heavy blow in this battle. Some of the emperor's personal servants and eminent strategoi
were killed by the Bulgarians, who also captured the emperor's tent, treasury and horses.
In 811, Nikephoros I Logothetes's forces departed from Markeli in their ill-fated invasion of Bulgaria, which saw the emperor being killed at the hands of the Bulgarians in the Battle of Pliska
. Byzantine scholar Anna Komnene
writes that in 1089 her father Alexios I Komnenos
had conflicts and negotiations with the Pechenegs and Cumans
who had pitched their tents at Markeli (Marcella). The fortress was manned and populated until some time in the 12th century.
), on the western tip of the Hisar highland, which is part of the southeastern Balkan Mountains. The stronghold's location was selected so as to defend the Rish
and Varbitsa
mountain pass
es. It was the starting point of a chain of Bulgarian fortifications along the route to the capital Pliska
crossing the mountains. The area was inhabited before the castle's construction, as indicated by traces of prehistoric and Iron Age
settlements and Ancient Roman
burial mounds in the surrounding area.
Archaeological research of the fortress has been conducted since 1986. It has revealed that the castle was built in Late Antiquity (the early Byzantine period). The fortifications were constructed out of crushed stones with integrated rows of bricks and are thought to date to the reign of either Anastasius I
(491–518) or Justinian I
(527–565), i.e. the late 5th to mid-6th century. The ramparts were up to 10 metres (32.8 ft) high and had over 3 metres (9.8 ft) ditches before them. The entire fortress, including the embankments dating to the early 9th century, had an area of 173 acre (0.70010678 km²).
The ruins of a Christian church (basilica
) that have been unearthed in the eastern part of the castle are equally old as the fortifications. A well tower was positioned in the vicinity of the river in order to control access to the fortress and provide water for the defenders. An ancient bridge crossed the river near the tower, and an underground passage served as another way for the inhabitants to enter or leave Markeli.
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...
and Bulgarian
Bulgarian Empire
Bulgarian Empire is a term used to describe two periods in the medieval history of Bulgaria, during which it acted as a key regional power in Europe in general and in Southeastern Europe in particular, rivalling Byzantium...
frontier stronghold, the ruins of which are located in Karnobat Municipality, Burgas Province
Burgas Province
-Municipalities:The Burgas province contains 13 municipalities . The following table shows the names of each municipality in English and Cyrillic, the main town or village , and the population of each as of 2009.-Demography:The Burgas province had a population of 423,608 -Municipalities:The Burgas...
, southeastern Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
. Dating to Late Antiquity
Late Antiquity
Late Antiquity is a periodization used by historians to describe the time of transition from Classical Antiquity to the Middle Ages, in both mainland Europe and the Mediterranean world. Precise boundaries for the period are a matter of debate, but noted historian of the period Peter Brown proposed...
, the castle lay some 7.5 kilometres (4.7 mi) from the modern town of Karnobat
Karnobat
Karnobat is a town in the Burgas Province, Southeastern Bulgaria. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Karnobat Municipality. As of December 2009, the town has a population of 18,480 inhabitants.-Geography:...
. It was the site of two notable medieval battles between Byzantines and Bulgarians, the Battle of Marcellae of 756
Battle of Marcellae (756)
The battle of Marcellae took place in 756 between the armies of the First Bulgarian Empire and the Byzantine Empire at Markeli, near the town of Karnobat in south eastern Bulgaria. The result was a Byzantine victory.- Origins of the conflict :...
and the Battle of Marcellae of 792.
History
Markeli acquired its strategic importance in the late 7th century, when the establishment of the First Bulgarian EmpireFirst 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 its expansion turned it into a vital frontier stronghold just south of the Balkan Mountains
Balkan Mountains
The Balkan mountain range is a mountain range in the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula. The Balkan range runs 560 km from the Vrashka Chuka Peak on the border between Bulgaria and eastern Serbia eastward through central Bulgaria to Cape Emine on the Black Sea...
. It would often change hands between Bulgarians and Byzantines, who would use it as a favourable starting point for military campaigns southwards and northwards respectively. Markeli first came under Bulgarian rule in 705, when it, together with the whole region of Zagore
Zagore
Zagore ; also Zagorie, Zagora, Zagoria) was a vaguely defined medieval region in Bulgaria. Its name is of Slavic origin and means "beyond [i.e. south of] the [Balkan] mountains"...
, was ceded to Bulgaria by Justinian II
Justinian II
Justinian II , surnamed the Rhinotmetos or Rhinotmetus , was the last Byzantine Emperor of the Heraclian Dynasty, reigning from 685 to 695 and again from 705 to 711...
.
In 756, Byzantine Emperor Constantine V
Constantine V
Constantine V was Byzantine emperor from 741 to 775; ); .-Early life:...
organized a campaign against Bulgaria. The previous year, Bulgarian forces under Tervel
Tervel of Bulgaria
Khan Tervel also called Tarvel, or Terval, or Terbelis in some Byzantine sources, was the Emperor of the Bulgarians at the beginning of the 8th century. In 705 he received the title Caesar which was a precedent in history. He was probably a Christian like his grandfather Khan Kubrat...
had plundered Byzantine Thrace
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
and reached the capital Constantinople
Constantinople
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:...
, though by 756 the Bulgarian throne was occupied by Vineh
Vinekh of Bulgaria
Vinekh was ruler of Bulgaria in the mid-8th century.According to the Namelist of Bulgarian Rulers, Vinekh reigned for 7 years and was a member of the Uokil clan . According to the chronology developed by Moskov, Vinekh would have reigned 754–762...
. Constantine V's army advanced into Thrace and was engaged by Bulgarian forces at Markeli, which at the time was a border fortress. The Byzantines came out victorious in the skirmish, and to prevent a further invasion, the Bulgarian ruler Vineh had to send hostages to Constantinople.
In 792, Markeli was once more in the centre of a major Byzantine–Bulgarian conflict. The second battle of Marcellae came during a long period of aggression between Byzantium and Bulgaria, with Bulgarian ruler Kardam
Kardam of Bulgaria
Kardam was the ruler of Bulgaria .The name of Kardam is first encountered in the Byzantine sources in 791, when Emperor Constantine VI embarked on an expedition against Bulgaria, in retaliation for Bulgarian incursions in the Struma valley since 789. Kardam pre-empted the Byzantine invasion and...
and Byzantine Emperor Constantine VI each invading foreign territory in the past few years. Due to strategic errors, the Byzantines suffered a heavy blow in this battle. Some of the emperor's personal servants and eminent strategoi
Strategos
Strategos, plural strategoi, is used in Greek to mean "general". In the Hellenistic and Byzantine Empires the term was also used to describe a military governor...
were killed by the Bulgarians, who also captured the emperor's tent, treasury and horses.
In 811, Nikephoros I Logothetes's forces departed from Markeli in their ill-fated invasion of Bulgaria, which saw the emperor being killed at the hands of the Bulgarians in the Battle of Pliska
Battle of Pliska
The Battle of Pliska or Battle of Vărbitsa Pass was a series of battles between troops, gathered from all parts of the Byzantine Empire, led by the Emperor Nicephorus I Genik, and Bulgaria, governed by Khan Krum...
. Byzantine scholar Anna Komnene
Anna Komnene
Anna Komnene, Latinized as Comnena was a Greek princess and scholar and the daughter of Emperor Alexios I Komnenos of Byzantium and Irene Doukaina...
writes that in 1089 her father Alexios I Komnenos
Alexios I Komnenos
Alexios I Komnenos, Latinized as Alexius I Comnenus , was Byzantine emperor from 1081 to 1118, and although he was not the founder of the Komnenian dynasty, it was during his reign that the Komnenos family came to full power. The title 'Nobilissimus' was given to senior army commanders,...
had conflicts and negotiations with the Pechenegs and Cumans
Cumans
The Cumans were Turkic nomadic people comprising the western branch of the Cuman-Kipchak confederation. After Mongol invasion , they decided to seek asylum in Hungary, and subsequently to Bulgaria...
who had pitched their tents at Markeli (Marcella). The fortress was manned and populated until some time in the 12th century.
Location and description
Markeli is situated near the Mochuritsa River (a major tributary of the TundzhaTundzha
The Tundzha is a river in Bulgaria and Turkey and the most significant tributary of the Maritsa, emptying into it on Turkish territory near Edirne....
), on the western tip of the Hisar highland, which is part of the southeastern Balkan Mountains. The stronghold's location was selected so as to defend the Rish
Rish Pass
Rish Pass is a mountain pass in the Balkan Mountains in Bulgaria. It connects Shumen and Karnobat. On the Shumen side of the pass is the village of Rish where GazYatz resides....
and Varbitsa
Varbitsa Pass
Varbitsa Pass is a mountain pass in the Balkan Mountains in Bulgaria. It connects Shumen and Petolachka crossroads.The famous Battle of Pliska was fought in the pass on August 26, 811 between the armies of Bulgarian Empire led by Khan Krum and the Byzantine Empire under Nicephorus I which ended...
mountain pass
Mountain pass
A mountain pass is a route through a mountain range or over a ridge. If following the lowest possible route, a pass is locally the highest point on that route...
es. It was the starting point of a chain of Bulgarian fortifications along the route to the capital Pliska
Pliska
Pliska is the name of both the first capital of Danubian Bulgaria and a small town which was renamed after the historical Pliska after its site was determined and excavations began....
crossing the mountains. The area was inhabited before the castle's construction, as indicated by traces of prehistoric and Iron Age
Iron Age
The Iron Age is the archaeological period generally occurring after the Bronze Age, marked by the prevalent use of iron. The early period of the age is characterized by the widespread use of iron or steel. The adoption of such material coincided with other changes in society, including differing...
settlements and Ancient Roman
Ancient Rome
Ancient Rome was a thriving civilization that grew on the Italian Peninsula as early as the 8th century BC. Located along the Mediterranean Sea and centered on the city of Rome, it expanded to one of the largest empires in the ancient world....
burial mounds in the surrounding area.
Archaeological research of the fortress has been conducted since 1986. It has revealed that the castle was built in Late Antiquity (the early Byzantine period). The fortifications were constructed out of crushed stones with integrated rows of bricks and are thought to date to the reign of either Anastasius I
Anastasius I (emperor)
Anastasius I was Byzantine Emperor from 491 to 518. During his reign the Roman eastern frontier underwent extensive re-fortification, including the construction of Dara, a stronghold intended to counter the Persian fortress of Nisibis....
(491–518) or Justinian I
Justinian I
Justinian I ; , ; 483– 13 or 14 November 565), commonly known as Justinian the Great, was Byzantine Emperor from 527 to 565. During his reign, Justinian sought to revive the Empire's greatness and reconquer the lost western half of the classical Roman Empire.One of the most important figures of...
(527–565), i.e. the late 5th to mid-6th century. The ramparts were up to 10 metres (32.8 ft) high and had over 3 metres (9.8 ft) ditches before them. The entire fortress, including the embankments dating to the early 9th century, had an area of 173 acre (0.70010678 km²).
The ruins of a Christian church (basilica
Basilica
The Latin word basilica , was originally used to describe a Roman public building, usually located in the forum of a Roman town. Public basilicas began to appear in Hellenistic cities in the 2nd century BC.The term was also applied to buildings used for religious purposes...
) that have been unearthed in the eastern part of the castle are equally old as the fortifications. A well tower was positioned in the vicinity of the river in order to control access to the fortress and provide water for the defenders. An ancient bridge crossed the river near the tower, and an underground passage served as another way for the inhabitants to enter or leave Markeli.