While Byzantium’s problems with the Seljuks in the 11^(th) century are relatively well known, it is often forgotten that the Empire simultaneously endured almost similar pressures from Turkic Nomads invading their Balkan domains, chiefly the Pechenegs. Though subdued in the mid 11^(th) century, the Pechenegs had not been Decisively defeated by the time of the post-Manzikert chaos, which saw massive Roman losses against the Seljuks, Normans and through incessant civil wars. Thus, in the 1080s, these opportunistic Nomads could not resist the urge to hassle the Empire once more. After successful raids in 1084 they attacked in earnest in 1086ad, defeating and killing the Roman general Pakourianos.
However, the Pechenegs would not go unchallenged; following their initial victory, a Roman army under Tatikios surprised and defeated a Pecheneg column in late 1086. In April 1087, the Romans gained even greater success, with general Nicolaos Maurokatakalon routing a numerically superior Pecheneg host near Dydimoteicho, killing two Chieftains in the encounter. These victories convinced Emperor Alexios Komnenos to personally lead an expedition in August, but it would now be the Romans’ turn to underestimate their opponents, and Alexios’ army was heavily defeated by the Pechenegs near Drista/Dorostolon.
Following these heavy losses, both sides avoided major battles until the year 1090AD, with Alexios resorting to skirmishes and guerilla warfare to stem the Pecheneg raids. In this period the Pechenegs initially held the upper hand, killing 300 elite young men (Archontopouloi) of the Imperial army in a skirmish, but later the Byzantines avenged this defeat with a minor victory over 1,000 Pechenegs, again won by Tatikios. Having rebuilt his army and restored some morale, Alexios faced a renewed Pecheneg offensive towards the outskirts of Constantinople December of 1090, this time managing to defeat them in a battle outside the city walls. Alexios won a major victory over the Pechenegs a week afterward, which forced them to retreat from Constantinople.
**Levounion**
Despite these victories relieving Constantinople, Alexios lacked the numbers of men on his own to attack and Decisively defeat the Pecheneg horde. The movement of another powerful nomadic people into Thrace in 1091, the Cumans (said to field 40,000 warriors), presented the threat of a second Nomadic horde assailing the Empire, which would make the situation impossible. However, with shrewd diplomatic overtures and gifts Alexios turned the Cumans to his side, exploiting the animosity of historic Steppe rivalries between them and the Pechenegs. In April 1091, Alexios united his 20,000-man army with the Cumans, and rapidly marched on the Pechenegs. The unlikely allies met the Pechenegs in battle at Levounion and utterly annihilated them, looting their camp and slaughtering or enslaving everyone (man, woman or child) alike.
With this one-sided massacre, the Romans and Cumans had permanently smashed Pecheneg power in the Balkans. Though the Pechenegs reappeared in 1122 in a war against Alexios’ son and successor, John II, they would never regain their former strength. Through a combination of determination, force of arms and clever diplomacy, Alexios had Decisively defeated one of the most dangerous enemies of the Roman Empire in the 11^(th) century.
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**Background – the Pecheneg war**
While Byzantium’s problems with the Seljuks in the 11^(th) century are relatively well known, it is often forgotten that the Empire simultaneously endured almost similar pressures from Turkic Nomads invading their Balkan domains, chiefly the Pechenegs. Though subdued in the mid 11^(th) century, the Pechenegs had not been Decisively defeated by the time of the post-Manzikert chaos, which saw massive Roman losses against the Seljuks, Normans and through incessant civil wars. Thus, in the 1080s, these opportunistic Nomads could not resist the urge to hassle the Empire once more. After successful raids in 1084 they attacked in earnest in 1086ad, defeating and killing the Roman general Pakourianos.
However, the Pechenegs would not go unchallenged; following their initial victory, a Roman army under Tatikios surprised and defeated a Pecheneg column in late 1086. In April 1087, the Romans gained even greater success, with general Nicolaos Maurokatakalon routing a numerically superior Pecheneg host near Dydimoteicho, killing two Chieftains in the encounter. These victories convinced Emperor Alexios Komnenos to personally lead an expedition in August, but it would now be the Romans’ turn to underestimate their opponents, and Alexios’ army was heavily defeated by the Pechenegs near Drista/Dorostolon.
Following these heavy losses, both sides avoided major battles until the year 1090AD, with Alexios resorting to skirmishes and guerilla warfare to stem the Pecheneg raids. In this period the Pechenegs initially held the upper hand, killing 300 elite young men (Archontopouloi) of the Imperial army in a skirmish, but later the Byzantines avenged this defeat with a minor victory over 1,000 Pechenegs, again won by Tatikios. Having rebuilt his army and restored some morale, Alexios faced a renewed Pecheneg offensive towards the outskirts of Constantinople December of 1090, this time managing to defeat them in a battle outside the city walls. Alexios won a major victory over the Pechenegs a week afterward, which forced them to retreat from Constantinople.
**Levounion**
Despite these victories relieving Constantinople, Alexios lacked the numbers of men on his own to attack and Decisively defeat the Pecheneg horde. The movement of another powerful nomadic people into Thrace in 1091, the Cumans (said to field 40,000 warriors), presented the threat of a second Nomadic horde assailing the Empire, which would make the situation impossible. However, with shrewd diplomatic overtures and gifts Alexios turned the Cumans to his side, exploiting the animosity of historic Steppe rivalries between them and the Pechenegs. In April 1091, Alexios united his 20,000-man army with the Cumans, and rapidly marched on the Pechenegs. The unlikely allies met the Pechenegs in battle at Levounion and utterly annihilated them, looting their camp and slaughtering or enslaving everyone (man, woman or child) alike.
With this one-sided massacre, the Romans and Cumans had permanently smashed Pecheneg power in the Balkans. Though the Pechenegs reappeared in 1122 in a war against Alexios’ son and successor, John II, they would never regain their former strength. Through a combination of determination, force of arms and clever diplomacy, Alexios had Decisively defeated one of the most dangerous enemies of the Roman Empire in the 11^(th) century.
Common Alexios victory from the jaws of defeat