The Bulgarian-Byzantine Wars for Early Medieval Balkan Hegemony Silv
This book provides an interpretive narrative of the wars fought by Bulgaria against the Byzantine Empire for dominant control of the Balkan Peninsula during the early medieval era. Over a span of two centuries, from the early ninth through the early
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THE BULGARIAN -BYZANTINE WARS FOR EARLY MEDIEVAL BALKAN HEGEMONY Silver-Lined Skulls and Blinded Armies
The Bulgarian-Byzantine Wars for Early Medieval Balkan Hegemony
Dennis P. Hupchick
The BulgarianByzantine Wars for Early Medieval Balkan Hegemony Silver-Lined Skulls and Blinded Armies
Dennis P. Hupchick Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA
ISBN 978-3-319-56205-6 ISBN 978-3-319-56206-3 (eBook) DOI 10.1007/978-3-319-56206-3 Library of Congress Control Number: 2017937934 © The Editor(s) (if applicable) and The Author(s) 2017 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are solely and exclusively licensed by the Publisher, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilms or in any other physical way, and transmission or information storage and retrieval, electronic adaptation, computer software, or by similar or dissimilar methodology now known or hereafter developed. The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use. The publisher, the authors and the editors are safe to assume that the advice and information in this book are believed to be true and accurate at the date of publication. Neither the publisher nor the authors or the editors give a warranty, express or implied, with respect to the material contained herein or for any errors or omissions that may have been made. The publisher remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. Cover image: © Map created by Anne-Marie Hupchick Printed on acid-free paper This Palgrave Macmillan imprint is published by Springer Nature The registered company is Springer International Publishing AG The registered company address is: Gewerbestrasse 11, 6330 Cham, Switzerland
In memory of a master medievalist who befriended me, Ivan Duichev
Preface
The history of the Balkans from the early ninth to the early eleventh century was dominated by a series of deadly conflicts between Bulgaria and the Byzantine Empire for hegemony in the region. As the direct continuation of the Eastern Roman Empire, which had not succumbed to the inroads of migrating barbarians as had its sister half in the west, Byzantium laid claim to the Balkan Peninsula as an imperial birthright that could not be relinquished. On the other hand, Bulgaria, a young “barbarian” state that was newly “civilized” along lines modeled after its Byzantine neighbor, viewed the Balkans as an arena for demonstrating youthful superiority over an elderly mentor by winning its possession from Byzantium. For much of the two-century-long period of generational conflict, youth appeared to hold the upper hand, with Bulgaria winning control of much of the peninsula. In the end, however, the resourcefulness and experience
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