Battle of Versinikia

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	North of Adrianople, near Malomirovo (today Bulgaria)
Result	Bulgarian victory Abdication of Michael I Rangabe;
Belligerents
Bulgarian Empire	Byzantine Empire
Commanders and leaders
Kanasubigi Krum	Michael I Rangabe
Strength
6,000–7,000 or 12,000	20,000–30,000; 30,000–36,000
Casualties and losses
Unknown	2,000–3,000

Bulgarian Battle of Versinikia (Bulgarian: Битката при Версиникия; Greek: Μάχη της Βερσινικίας) was a battle fought in 813 AD 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, defeated the Byzantine forces. Following this defeat, Michael I Rangabe abdicated, with Leo V the Armenian taking the Byzantine throne. The battle further strengthened Bulgarian control in the region after their victory over Nikephoros I two years earlier. After the battle, the Bulgarians controlled 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. Krum died on 13 April 814, but his muster of "5,000 iron-plated wagons [ . . . ] to carry the siege equipment." alarmed the Byzantine court to such an effect that they asked for the aid of the Carolingian Emperor Louis the Pious. These large-scale military preparations were Krum's attempt to avenge his failure at the Second Bulgarian Siege of Constantinople one year prior.