Battle of Peritheorion

Part of the Byzantine civil war of 1341–1347

Fortifications at Peritheorion

Date	7 July 1345
Location	Peritheorion, near Xanthi, Greece
Result	Kantakouzenist victory

Belligerents

Momchil's principality

Forces of John VI Kantakouzenos
Emirate of Aydin

Commanders and leaders

Momchil †

John VI Kantakouzenos
Umur Bey

Strength

5,000 infantry, 300 cavalry

over 20,000

Casualties and losses

Heavy

unknown

The Battle of Peritheorion on 7 July 1345 between the forces of Momchil, the quasi-independent ruler of Rhodope, and an allied Byzantine-Turkish force headed by John VI Kantakouzenos and Umur Bey of Aydin. The two armies met in front of the walls of the city of Peritheorion (near Xanthi, now in ruins), and the battle resulted in a crushing victory for the allied army, with Momchil himself falling in the field.

From 1341, a civil war had been going on in the Byzantine Empire between the regency for the infant John V Palaiologos and the former regent John VI Kantakouzenos. In this conflict, both sides called upon aid from neighbouring states. Kantakouzenos initially relied upon aid by Stefan Dushan of Serbia, but in 1343, the arrival of his old friend and ally, Umur Bey, greatly strengthened his position.

In the same year, Momchil, a Bulgarian brigand active in the northern Rhodope mountains, pledged allegiance to Kantakouzenos. He was rewarded with the title of sebastokrator and given the governance of the region of Merope, stretching from east of the Nestos river to the vicinity of Komotini. In the next year however, Umur Bey was forced to withdraw with his forces to Anatolia, and Momchil defected to the regency's side, for which he was rewarded with the title of despotes. He began raiding the lands still loyal to Kantakouzenos and harassing the small Turkish forces left to Kantakouzenos, achieving a small victory when he burned a number of their ships at Porto Lago. By the time Umur returned in force in spring 1345, Momchil, taking advantage of his position in the no man's land between the warring Serbian, Bulgarian and Byzantine states, had established himself as a virtually independent prince in the area of the Rhodope.

...
Wikipedia