Battle of Boulgarophygon

Part of the Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars:
War of 894–896

The Bulgarians rout the Byzantine army at Boulgarophygon, miniature from the Madrid Skylitzes

Date	Summer of 896
Location	Boulgarophygon, Thrace
Result	Decisive Bulgarian victory

Belligerents

Bulgarian Empire

Byzantine Empire

Commanders and leaders

Simeon I of Bulgaria

Leo Katakalon

Strength

Unknown

Casualties and losses

Light

Almost the entire army

The Battle of Boulgarophygon or Battle of Bulgarophygon (Bulgarian: Битка при Булгарофигон or Битка при Българофигон) was fought in the summer of 896 near the town of Bulgarophygon, modern Babaeski in Turkey, between the Byzantine Empire and the First Bulgarian Empire. The result was an annihilation of the Byzantine army which determined the Bulgarian victory in the trade war of 894–896.

Despite the initial difficulties in the war against the Magyars, who acted as Byzantine allies, the battle of Boulgarophygon proved to be the first decisive victory of the young and ambitious Bulgarian ruler Simeon I against the Byzantine Empire. Simeon would go on to inflict a number of defeats on the Byzantines in pursuit of his ultimate goal, the throne in Constantinople. The peace treaty that was signed as a result of the battle confirmed the Bulgarian domination in the Balkans.

During the rule of Boris I (r. 852–889), Bulgaria underwent major changes – the Christianization of the country and the admission of the disciples of Saints Cyril and Methodius, which marked the beginning of the creation and consolidation of the medieval Bulgarian literature and alphabet. Despite a number of military setbacks against most neighbouring countries, Boris I managed to preserve Bulgarian territorial integrity. During the Council of Preslav in 893, assembled after the unsuccessful attempt of Boris I's eldest son Vladimir-Rasate to restore the traditional Bulgar religion of Tengriism, it was decided that Old Bulgarian was to replace Greek as a language of the church and the Byzantine clergy was to be banished and replaced with Bulgarians. The Council sealed Boris I's ambitions for cultural and religious independence and calmed down the concerns among the nobility, who feared any strong Byzantine influence in the internal affairs of Bulgaria. It was also decided that his third son Simeon, born after the Christianization and called child of peace, was to become the next Prince of Bulgaria.

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