Battle of Rusokastro

Date	18 July 1332
Location	The village of Rusokastro, Burgas Province, Bulgaria
Result	Bulgarian victory

Belligerents

Bulgarian Empire

Byzantine Empire

Commanders and leaders

Ivan Alexander

Andronikos III Palaiologos

Strength

11,000

3,000

Casualties and losses

Unknown

Coordinates: 42°28′01″N 27°12′06″E / 42.46694°N 27.20167°E / 42.46694; 27.20167

The Battle of Rusokastro (Bulgarian: Битка при Русокастро, Greek: Μάχη του Ρουσόκαστρου) occurred on July 18, 1332 near the village of Rusokastro, Bulgaria, between the armies of the Bulgarian and Byzantine Empires. The outcome was a Bulgarian victory.

In 1328, the emperors of Bulgaria and Byzantium, Michael Asen III and Andronikos III Palaiologos, signed a secret treaty against Serbia. While Michael Asen III was fighting against the Serbs in 1330, the Byzantines invaded Thrace and captured its Bulgarian towns.

The Byzantines were unprepared for war. Their Empire was torn by civil unrest and the army was fighting against the Turks in Asia Minor. In the Bulgarian Empire, there were internecine struggles as well but the new Emperor Ivan Alexander knew that the decisive confrontation with Byzantium was yet to come and decided to improve his relations with the Serbs. In 1332, he concluded a peace treaty with them which lasted till his death. The treaty was secured with a marriage between the Serb king Stefan Dushan and the sister of the Emperor, Elena. In the summer of the same year, the Byzantines gathered an army and without a declaration of war advanced towards Bulgaria, looting and plundering the villages on their way.

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