Battle of Versinikia

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Battle of Versinikia
Part of the Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars
Bulgaria under Khan Krum including the most important campaigns and battles
Date 22 June 813 Location between Malamirovo, Bulgaria and Edirne, Turkey Result Bulgarian victory Abdication of Michael I Rangabe
Belligerents
Bulgarian Empire	Byzantine Empire
Commanders and leaders
Khan Krum	Michael I Rangabe
Strength
6,000–7,000[1] or 12,000[2]	20,000[3]–30,000[2] 30,000–36,000[4]
Casualties and losses
Unknown	2,000–3,000[5]

The Battle of Versinikia (Bulgarian: Битката при Версиникия; Greek: Μάχη της Βερσινικίας) was fought in 813 between the Byzantine Empire and the Bulgarian Empire, near the city of Adrianople (Edirne) in modern-day Turkey.

The Bulgarian army, led by Krum of Bulgaria, which was about half the size of the Byzantine force, was victorious, leading to the dethroning of the Byzantine Emperor Michael I Rangabe (811–813) by Leo V the Armenian. The battle further strengthened the Bulgarian position after their victory over Nicephorus I two years earlier. After the battle they took de facto control of the whole region of Eastern Thrace (until the Byzantine–Bulgarian Treaty of 815) with the exception of a few castles that remained in Byzantine control. For the first time in Bulgarian history, it was possible to march on Constantinople. Krum died at the height of the preparations for the final siege of the Byzantine capital on 13 April 814.