On This Day

Battle of Strumitsa Valley: Byzantines destroy Bulgarian armies

The Battle of Kleidion (Ancient Greek: Κλειδίον; or Clidium, after the medieval name of the village of Klyuch, lit. 'key'; also known as the Battle of Belasitsa) took place on 29 July 1014, between...

The Battle of Kleidion (Ancient Greek: Κλειδίον; or Clidium, after the medieval name of the village of Klyuch, lit. 'key'; also known as the Battle of Belasitsa) took place on 29 July 1014, between the Byzantine Empire and the Bulgarian Empire. It was the culmination of the nearly half-century struggle between the Byzantine Emperor Basil II and the Bulgarian emperor Samuel in the late 10th and early 11th centuries. The result was a decisive Byzantine victory.

The battle took place in the valley between the mountains of Belasitsa and Ograzhden, near the modern Bulgarian village of Klyuch. The decisive encounter occurred on 29 July with an attack in the rear by a force under the Byzantine general Nikephoros Xiphias, who had infiltrated the Bulgarian positions.

Historical Significance

The Battle of Kleidion (Ancient Greek: Κλειδίον; or Clidium, after the medieval name of the village of Klyuch, lit.

Events Before

  1. Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is destroyed by the Fatimid caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, who hacks the church

    Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is destroyed by the Fatimid caliph Al-Hakim bi-Amr Allah, who hacks the church's foundations down to the bedrock

  2. First known written mention of Lithuania, in the annals of Quedlinburg

    Lithuania, officially the Republic of Lithuania, is a country in the Baltic region of Europe.

  3. Ransom of 48,000 pounds is paid to Vikings, led by Thorkell the Tall, for the liberation of Canterbury, after a raid on

    Ransom of 48,000 pounds is paid to Vikings, led by Thorkell the Tall, for the liberation of Canterbury, after a raid on the city and the capture of Alphege [Aelfheah] Archbishop of Canterbury

  4. Anglo-Saxon Archbishop of Canterbury Alphege murdered by Vikings while being held hostage by them in Greenwich, London

    Anglo-Saxon Archbishop of Canterbury Alphege murdered by Vikings while being held hostage by them in Greenwich, London

  5. English earls declare Danish king Sweyn Forkbeard the first Viking king of England, disposing Ethelred the Unready

    English earls declare Danish king Sweyn Forkbeard the first Viking king of England, disposing Ethelred the Unready

Events After

  1. Henry I becomes Count of Leuven

    Henry I becomes Count of Leuven

  2. King of Denmark, Cnut the Great [Canute], claims the English throne after the death of Edmund Ironside

    Cnut ( kə-NYOOT; Old Norse: Knútr; c. 990 – 12 November 1035), also known as Canute and with the epithet the Great, was King of England from 1016, King of Denmark from 1018, and King of Norway from...

  3. Battle of Pontlevoy: one of largest battles of early Medieval France won by Fulk the Black and Hebert I of Maine against

    Battle of Pontlevoy: one of largest battles of early Medieval France won by Fulk the Black and Hebert I of Maine against Odo II of Blois in the Loire Valley

  4. Danes led by Cnut defeat the Saxon forces of Edmund Ironside at the Battle of Assandun (Ashingdon), completing their con

    Danes led by Cnut defeat the Saxon forces of Edmund Ironside at the Battle of Assandun (Ashingdon), completing their conquest of England

  5. The Holy Roman Empire and Poland conclude the Peace of Bautzen

    The Peace of Bautzen (German: Frieden von Bautzen; Polish: Pokój w Budziszynie; Upper Sorbian: Budyski měr) was a treaty concluded on 30 January 1018, between Holy Roman Emperor Henry II and Bolesław...

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Frequently Asked Questions

What happened on July 29, 1014?
The Battle of Kleidion (Ancient Greek: Κλειδίον; or Clidium, after the medieval name of the village of Klyuch, lit. 'key'; also known as the Battle of Belasitsa) took place on 29 July 1014, between the Byzantine Empire and the Bulgarian Empire. It was the culmination of the nearly half-century struggle between the Byzantine Emperor Basil II and the Bulgarian emperor Samuel in the late 10th and early 11th centuries.
Why is Battle of Strumitsa Valley: Byzantines destroy Bulgarian armies significant?
The Battle of Kleidion (Ancient Greek: Κλειδίον; or Clidium, after the medieval name of the village of Klyuch, lit.

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