Battle of Serres

Part of the Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars

Date	1196
Location	near Serres, Greece
Result	Bulgarian victory

Belligerents

Bulgarian Empire

Byzantine Empire

Commanders and leaders

Ivan Asen I

Sebastokrator Isaac

Coordinates: 41°5′N 23°33′E / 41.083°N 23.550°E / 41.083; 23.550

The battle of Serres (Bulgarian: Битка при Сяр, Greek: Μάχη των Σερρών) took place in 1196 near the town of Serres in contemporary Greece between the armies of the Bulgarian and the Byzantine Empire. The result was Bulgarian victory.

After the beginning of the anti-Byzantine rebellion in 1185 and especially after the victory at Tryavna the Bulgarians firmly took the initiative of the war. As a result of their efforts, the Bulgarians started capturing regions of Thrace and Macedonia from Byzantines; the Bulgarian army used their strongholds to the north of the Balkan mountains and the Danube river as bases for the war.

Between 1190 and 1195 many towns to the south and south-west were seized. During his preparation for a third campaign against Bulgaria, the Byzantine Emperor Isaac II Angelos was dethroned by his brother Alexios III Angelos who offered peace to the Bulgarian Emperor. Ivan Asen I demanded the return of all Bulgarian lands, which he knew it was impossible for the Byzantines to accept, and continued the struggle.

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