Obnova byzantskej moci na Balkáne za vlády Alexia I. Komnéna. Druhá byzantsko-pečenežská vojna (1083-1091)
| Title in English | The Renewal of the Byzantine Power in the Balkans During the Reign of Alexios I Komnenos. Second Byzantino-Pecheneg War (1083-1091) |
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| Year of publication | 2012 |
| Type | Monograph |
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| Description | This monograph deals with the climax of the relationship between the Byzantine Empire and the Pechenegs which took place towards the end of the 11th century within the second Byzantino-Pecheneg war. At the same time it constitutes an attempt to contextualize the aforementioned events in the process of power renewal of the Byzantine Empire during the period after the battle of Mantzikert in 1071. The Byzantine Empire sought to establish diplomatic relations with various nomadic peoples; the Pechenegs, for instance, were one of them. From the end of the 9th century up to the first third of the 11th century they mostly played a role of reliable Byzantine allies. After 1027 this situation started to change and the Pechenegs gradually became a serious threat to the Byzantine territory in the Balkans, and even more after 1046 when they crossed in huge numbers the Danube frontier of the empire and settled down north of the Haimos mountain range. But the situation became most critical during the 1080s when the Pechenegs were organizing deep inroads into the Byzantine provinces of Macedonia and Thrace. The aim of this monograph is to provide a detailed analysis of these clashes, based primarily on written sources, and also to define the respective phases of this second and last major Byzantino-Pecheneg military conflict. Equally important is the reassessment of the chronological order of key events because this task still requires increased attention. Furthermore, the emphasis is placed on the military aspect of this conflict since this war represents the turning point in the reign of Alexios I Komnenos. Due to the defeat of the Pechenegs at Lebounion in spring 1091 Alexios I Komnenos was able to renew the military prestige and power of the Byzantine Empire, to secure from the military point of view the control over the Balkans, and from this moment onwards he was free to redirect his energy and resourcefulness to recover the lost Byzantine territories in Asia Minor. |