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thyreos

Byzantine Battles

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Abydos, 989
Ad Decimum, 533
Ad Salices, 377
Adramyttium, 1205
Adrianople, 324
Adrianople, 378
Adrianople, 813
Adrianople, 1254
Adrianople, 1369
Ajnadayn, 634
Akroinos, 740
Aleppo, 637
Aleppo, 962
Aleppo, 969
Alexandretta, 971
Altava, 578
Alexandria, 641
Amida, 502-503
Amida, 359
Amida, 973
Amorium, 838
Anchialus, 708
Anchialus, 763
Anchialus, 917
Andrassus, 960
Ani, 1064
Anthidon, 634
Antioch, 540
Antioch, 611
Antioch, 969
Antioch on Meander, 1211
Anzen, 838
Apadna, 503
Apamea, 998
Apros, 1305
Apulia, 1155
Aquae Saravenae, 979
Araxes, 589
Arcadiopolis, 970
Arcadiopolis, 1194
Ariminum, 538
Arzamon, 586
Attalia, 1207
Aurasium, 540
Auximus, 539
Azaz, 1030
Babylon, Egypt, 640
Balathista, 1014
Bapheus, 1302
Bargylus, 634
Bari, 1068-1071
Bathys Ryax, 872
Berat, 1281
Veroï, 1122
Balarathos, 591
Bar, 1042
Berzitia, 774
Bitola, 1015
Ganzaka, 591
Bosporus, 1352
Boulgarophygon, 896
Bourgaon, 535
Brindisi, 1156
Brocade, 634
Bursa, 1317-1326
Busta Gallorum, 552
Calavrye, 1079
Callinicum, 531
Campus Ardiensis, 316
Cannae, 1018
Cape Bon, 468
Carthage, 468
Carthage, 698
Cephalonia, 880
Kefalonia, 880
Lipares, 880
Stelai, 880
Castrogiovanni, 859
Chariopolis, 1051
Chersonesus, 447
Chrysopolis, 324
Cibalae, 316
Cillium, 544
Constantinople, 626
Constantinople, 674-678
Constantinople, 717-718
Constantinople, 941
Constantinople, 1047
Constantinople, 1187
Constantinople, 1204
Constantinople, 1235
Constantinople, 1260
Constantinople, 1261
Constantinople, 1422
Constantinople, 1453
Cotyaeum, 492
Crasus, 804
Crete, 824
Crete, 828
Crete, 961
Ctesiphon, 363
Damascus, 634
Damietta, 853
Dara, 530
Dara, 573
Dathin, 634
Dazimon, 838
Demetrias, 1274
Demotika, 1352
Devina, 1279
Diakene, 1050
Diampoli, 1049
Didymoteichon, 1352
Dimitritsi, 1185
Dorostalon, 971
Dranginai, 1040
Dyrrachium, 1018
Dyrrachium, 1081
Caesarea, 1073
Echinades, 1427
Edessa, 1031
Ekato Vounoi, 1050
Emessa, 635-636
Faventia, 542
Fields of Cato, 548
Firaz, 634
Frigidus, 394
Gallipoli, 1354
Gallipoli, 1366
Hades, 1057
Heliopolis, 640
Hellespont, 324
Heraclea, 806
Hieromyax, 636
Hyelion - Leimocheir,1177
Iron Bridge, 637
Ieromyax, 636
Jerusalem, 614
Jerusalem, 637
Kaisareia, 1073
Kalavrye, 1079
Kapetron, 1049
Katasyrtai, 917
Kleidion, 1014
Klokotnitsa, 1230
Kopidnadon, 788
Koundouros, 1205
Krasos, 804
Lalakaon, 863
Larissa, 1084
Lemnos, 1025
Levounion, 1091
Makryplagi, 1264
Mammes, 534
Manzikert, 1071
Maogamalcha, 363
Maranga, 363
Marcellae, 756
Marcellae, 792
Marcianopolis, 377
Mardia, 316
Marj-ud-Deebaj, 634
Marta, 547
Masts, 655
Martyropolis, 588
Mavropotamos, 844
Mediolanum, 539
Melanthius, 559
Melantias, 559
Melitene, 576
Membresa, 536
Mercurii Promontorium, 468
Messina, 843
Milano, 539
Milvian Bridge, 312
Mons Seleucus, 353
Monte Siricolo, 1041
Montepeloso, 1041
Montemaggiore, 1041
Morava, 1191
Mount Lactarius, 553
Mucellium, 542
Mursa Major, 351
Mutah, 629
Myriokephalon, 1176
Naples, 536
Neopatras, 1274
Nicaea, 1077
Nicaea, 1097
Nicaea, 1328-1331
Nicomedia, 782
Nicomedia, 1337
Nikiou, 646
Nineveh, 627
Nisibis, 338
Nisibis, 350
Noviodunum, 369
Olivento, 1041
Ongal, 680
Ophlimos, 622
Orontes, 994
Osimo, 539
Ostrovo, 1043
Palakazio, 1021
Palermo, 830-831
Pancalia, 978
Pegae, 922
Pelacanon, 1329
Pelagonia, 1259
Petra, 549
Petra, 551
Petroe, 1057
Perkri, 1034
Pharsalus, 1277
Philadelphia, 1390
Philomelion, 1117
Phoenix, 655
Pirisabora, 363
Pliska, 811
Poimanenon, 1224
Poson, 863
Preslava, 1053
Prinitza, 1263
Prusa, 1326
Rhodes, 1249
Rhodes, 1309
Rhyndacus, 1211
Rimini, 538
Rishki Pass, 759
Rome, 537-538
Rome, 545 - 546
Rometta, 964
Rometta, 1038
Rousokastro, 1332
Rus Raid, 860
Rus Raid, 941
Rus Raid, 1025
Rus Raid, 1043
Samarra, 363
Sardis, 743
Satala, 530
Save, 388
Saxa Rubra, 312
Scalas Veteres, 537
Sebastia, 1070
Sebastopolis, 692
Sedica, 809
Sena Gallica, 551
Setina, 1017
Shirimni, 1021
Singara, 344
Sirmium, 441
Sirmium, 580-582
Sirmium, 1167
Siscia, 388
Skafida, 1304
Solachon, 586
Spercheios, 997
Strumica, 1014
Strymon, 1185
Sufetula, 647
Svindax, 1022
Syllaeum, 677
Syracuse, 827-828
Syracuse, 877-878
Taginae, 552
Taormina, 902
Tarsus, 965
Thacia, 545
Thannourios, 528
Thasos, 829
Thessalonica, 586
Thessalonica, 615
Thessalonica, 617
Thessalonica, 676-678
Thessalonica, 904
Thessalonica, 995
Thessalonica, 1014
Thessalonica, 1040
Thessalonica, 1185
Thessalonica, 1224
Thessalonica, 1264
Thessalonica, 1430
Thomas the Slav, 821-823
Tornikios, 1047
Trajan’s Gate, 986
Tricameron, 533
Troina, 1040
Tryavna, 1190
Utus, 447
Vasiliki Livada, 1050
Veregava, 759
Versinikia, 813
Vescera, 682
Vesuvius, 553
Vid, 447
Viminacium, 599
Volturnus, 554
Wadi al-Arabah, 634
Yarmuk, 636
Zombos, 1074
Zygos pass, 1053
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Aspis

Battle of Prinitza

year:

1263

A victory of the Franks of the Principality of Achaea ★ ★ ★ ★
enemy:
Franks
location:
Printiza, near the village Chrysochori of Arcadia, not far from Ancient Olympia, Peloponnese, Greece
 accuracy: ●●●●
battle type:
Surprise Attack
war:
Byzantine-Latin Wars
modern country:
Greece
  The Byzantines(emperor:  Michael VIII Palaiologos) The Enemies
Commander: Constantine Palaiologos Jean de Katavas (or Jean de Carabas)
Forces: 3,000 – 4,000 312 knights
Losses: no losses

Background story:
At the Battle of Pelagonia (1259), the forces of the Byzantine emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos had killed or captured most of the Frankish nobles of the Principality of Achaea, including the Prince William II of Villehardouin (r. 1246–1278). In exchange for his freedom, William agreed to hand over a number of fortresses in the southwestern part of the Moreas peninsula and Achaea to become a vassal of Byzantium. In early 1262, William was released, and the forts of Monemvasia, Mystras and Maini were handed over to the Byzantines.
Soon after his return, however, William asked the help of Pope and suggested a joint action against Palaiologos. In July, Pope Urban IV nullified William's oaths to the emperor, and appealed to the Western kings for aid against the “schismatic” Byzantines.
In late 1262, William visited the region of Laconia accompanied by an armed retinue. Despite his concessions to the Byzantines, he still retained control of most of Laconia, in particular the city of Lacedaemon (Sparta) and the barony of Passavant (Passavas).
This demonstration of power worried the Byzantine garrisons, and the local governor, Michael Kantakouzenos, sent to Emperor Michael to ask for aid. In response, the emperor quickly organized an expedition headed by his half-brother, the sebastocrator Constantine Palaiologos with the parakoimomenos John Makrenos and the megas domestikos Alexios Philes as subordinate commanders.
This army, composed chiefly of 1000–1500 Turkish mercenaries and 2000 Greek troops from Asia Minor, was transported to Monemvasia on Genoese vessels, while the small Byzantine fleet was sent to harass the Latin island holdings in Euboea and the Cyclades.

The Battle:
Prinitza
Castle of Mystras
After arriving at Monemvasia, Constantine Palaiologos laid siege to Sparta, while the Byzantine fleet seized the southern coasts of Laconia. In the meantime, William travelled to Corinth to request the assistance of the other Latin princes of Greece. They, however, proved unwilling to come to his aid, while many of William's Greek subjects openly sided with the Byzantines. Constantine Palaiologos saw this as an opportunity to conquer William's principality outright. Abandoning the fruitless siege of Sparta, he marched his army up the rivers Eurotas and Alfeios towards the Achaean capital, Andravida.
During William's absence, Andravida had been left in the charge of John Katavas (or Jean de Carabas), a man known for his bravery but now old and suffering from gout. According to the Chronicle of Moreas, upon learning of the approach of the enemy, Katavas took the 312 horsemen available and marched out to meet the Byzantines, whose numbers are variously given as 15, 18, or 20 thousand. It is certain that these figures are greatly inflated, and the Byzantine army must have numbered a few thousand at most. Either way, it considerably outnumbered the Latin force.
The Byzantines were confident of their own strength, and were reportedly dancing and singing. At a narrow pass at Prinitza (near Ancient Olympia), Katavas attacked the Byzantine army and inflicted a resounding defeat upon it; many Byzantine soldiers were killed, while the remainder scattered and sought refuge in the surrounding woods. The sebastokrator Constantine himself barely escaped with his life, and fled with the remainder of his troops to the safety of Mystras.
Having won a major victory, Katavas prudently refused to pursue the Byzantines and returned to Andravida.

Aftermath:
Next year Palaiologos was defeated again in Makryplagi and thus the Latin rule in Peloponnese was secured for another generation.