Battle of Zygos Pass: Difference between revisions

Pecheneg Revolt
Date 1053 Location Zygos Pass Result Crushing Byzantine Defeat
Belligerents
Byzantine Empire	Pechenegs
Commanders and leaders
Nikephoros III Botaneiates Basil the Synkellos

The Battle of Zygos Pass was a battle between the Byzantine empire and the Pechenegs. The battle was where Nikephoros III Botaneiates first gained notoriety and was promoted to Magistros.

Battle

During the Pecheneg Revolt Byzantine Emperor Constantine IX Monomachos sent Nikephoros III and Basil the Synkellos, the Doux of Bulgaria to guard the Danube river. While traveling through the mountains Basil decides that his army should not attack the Pechenegs.So, Basil orders his army to march out of the mountains. While traveling through those mountains Basil fell into a trap laid for the Byzantines by Pechenegs. The Pechenegs destroy the Byzantine army. Nikephoros would rescue the cavalry by ordering them into a tight formation, this formation prevented the Pecheneg's horse archers from inflicting many casualties on the Byzantines. Nikephoros would withdraw his army to a nearby river bank. At that river bank Nikephoros would encamp. He would use scouts to make sure he never was attacked by surprise. Nikephoros held out for twelve days. The Pechenegs then shot the horses from under the Romans. The Roman cavalrymen then resorted to continuing on foot. Due to the continued Byzantine resistance the Pechenegs tried to persuade the Byzantines to surrender but they were unsuccessful. One Byzantine soldier offered Nikephoros a horse for Nikephoros to escape on. However, Nikephoros refused the offer. On the twelfth day Nikephoros reached Adrianople. Once the Byzantine army reached the city the Pechenegs fled. Because of Nikephoros' action at the Battle of Zygos Pass, emperor Constantine IX awarded Nikephoros the title of Magistros. Despite Nikephoros's actions, the battle of Zygos Pass was still a Byzantine defeat, and Constantine IX sued for peace with the Pechenegs.