Battle of Bar

Battle of Bar
Part of the Byzantine–Serbian wars
Date1042/1043
Location
Result Decisive Doclean Serb victory; Stefan Vojislav asserts his state's independence from Byzantium
Belligerents
Duklja Byzantine Empire
Commanders and leaders
Stefan Vojislav Michaelus Anastasii
Curcilius
Ljutovid of Zahumlje
Strength
Unknown 60,000
Casualties and losses
Low 14,000 killed
7 strategoi killed

The Battle of Bar (Serbian Cyrillic: Битка код Бара, romanized: Bitka kod Bara) took place in 1042 or 1043, between the army of Stefan Vojislav, the Serbian ruler of Duklja, and Byzantine forces led by Michaelus Anastasii governor of Dyrrhachium and local Slavic vassals.

The battle was actually an ambush on the Byzantine forces in the mountain gorge, which ended in the utter defeat of the Byzantine forces. Following the defeat and retreat of the Byzantines, Vojislav ensured a future for Duklja without imperial authority, and Duklja would soon emerge as the most significant Serb state.