Battle of Rusion
Encyclopedia
The battle of Rusion occurred in the winter of 1206 near the fortress of Rusion (Ruskoy, contemporary Turkey
) between the armies of the Bulgarian Empire
and the Latin Empire
of Byzantium. The Bulgarians scored a major victory.
was followed by other Bulgaria
n victories at Serres
and Plovdiv
. The Latin Empire suffered heavy casualties and in the fall of 1205 the Crusaders
tried to regroup and reorganize the remains of their army. Their main forces consisted of 140 knights and several thousand soldiers based in Rusion. This army was led by Thierry de Termond and Thierry de Loos who were among the most notable nobles of the Latin Empire of Constantinople.
headed to Rusion. According to his battle plan he had to force the Latins to go out of the fortress. For that purpose a small company of Cuman raiders seized a small and insignificant castle in the vicinity of Rusion. Kaloyan presumed on the ignorance and lack of discipline of the Crusaders. The maneuver worked - in the evening of 30 January the Crusaders marched from the city gates. Thierry de Loos was recalled to Constantinople
and now Thierry de Termont who was known as a recklessly brave man remained in charge. The Byzantine
historian Niketas Choniates wrote that his troops were the bravest in the whole Latin army. Around 120 knight
s and many cavalrymen set off from Rusion and rode the whole night. In the morning of 31 January they reached the castle but found it was deserted by the Bulgarians and headed back to Rusion. In the meantime 7,000 Bulgarians went round the Crusaders and took positions at 7 km before the walls of Rusion. The defenders of the fortress were few and could only watch from the towers. From there they could see the approaching Latin army divided into four detachments. The advanced guard was led by Charles de Fren, then followed the troops of Termont and the detachment of Andres Deboas and Jean de Choasy who were the first knights to climb the walls of Constantinople in 1204. The last detachment was under the command of Vilen de Loos, brother of Thierry de Loos.
The battle began in the rear-guard. The detachment of Vilen de Loos was attacked by another Bulgarian force and despite the desperate resistance was routed. The survivors mixed up with the troops in front of them and soon the next two Crusader detachments were defeated. The battle was fought while the armies were on the march and the masses of fighting soldiers were slowly moving to Rusion. At about 2 km from the fortress the Crusader battle formation finally collapsed under the Bulgarian assaults from both sides. The knights fought bravely and most of them perished. Only ten of the 120 knights managed to reach Rusion. Thousands of ordinary soldiers were killed in the battle or captured. All Crusader commanders including Thierry de Termond perished. The remains of the crushed army abandoned Rusion and sought refuge to the nearby town of Rodosto.
consolidated by the survivors from Rusion and a company of 2,000 men who arrived later. However, when Kaloyan arrived the defenders panicked and after a short battle
were completely defeated and Rodosto was looted. Many more towns were soon seized such as Perint, Chorlu
, Arkadiopolis, Messina, Daonion. The Bulgarians besieged the important town of Didymoteicho
which was taken in the following year.
had to ask the French
King for another 600 knights and 10,000 soldiers. Geoffrey of Villehardouin
compared the defeat with the disaster at Adrianople. However, the Crusaders were lucky - in 1207 Tsar
Kaloyan was killed during the siege of Thessaloniki
and the new Emperor Boril
who was an usurper
needed time to enforce his authority.
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
) between the armies of the Bulgarian Empire
Second Bulgarian Empire
The Second Bulgarian Empire was a medieval Bulgarian state which existed between 1185 and 1396 . A successor of the First Bulgarian Empire, it reached the peak of its power under Kaloyan and Ivan Asen II before gradually being conquered by the Ottomans in the late 14th-early 15th century...
and the Latin Empire
Latin Empire
The Latin Empire or Latin Empire of Constantinople is the name given by historians to the feudal Crusader state founded by the leaders of the Fourth Crusade on lands captured from the Byzantine Empire. It was established after the capture of Constantinople in 1204 and lasted until 1261...
of Byzantium. The Bulgarians scored a major victory.
Origins of the conflict
The stunning victory in the battle of AdrianopleBattle of Adrianople (1205)
The Battle of Adrianople occurred on April 14, 1205 between Bulgarians under Tsar Kaloyan of Bulgaria, and Crusaders under Baldwin I. It was won by the Bulgarians after a skillful ambush using the help of their Cuman and Greek allies. Around 300 knights were killed, including Louis of Blois, Duke...
was followed by other Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n victories at Serres
Battle of Serres (1205)
The battle of Serres took place in June 1205 in the town of Serres in contemporary Greece between the Bulgarians and the Latin Empire...
and Plovdiv
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...
. The Latin Empire suffered heavy casualties and in the fall of 1205 the Crusaders
Crusaders
The Crusaders are a New Zealand professional rugby union team based in Christchurch that competes in the Super Rugby competition. They are the most successful team in Super Rugby history with seven titles...
tried to regroup and reorganize the remains of their army. Their main forces consisted of 140 knights and several thousand soldiers based in Rusion. This army was led by Thierry de Termond and Thierry de Loos who were among the most notable nobles of the Latin Empire of Constantinople.
The battle
In mid January 1206 the Bulgarian army marched southwards. Part of the troops besieged Adrianople and the others under the personal command of KaloyanKaloyan of Bulgaria
Kaloyan the Romanslayer , Ivan II , ruled as emperor of Bulgaria 1197-1207. He is the third and youngest brother of Peter IV and Ivan Asen I who managed to restore the Bulgarian Empire...
headed to Rusion. According to his battle plan he had to force the Latins to go out of the fortress. For that purpose a small company of Cuman raiders seized a small and insignificant castle in the vicinity of Rusion. Kaloyan presumed on the ignorance and lack of discipline of the Crusaders. The maneuver worked - in the evening of 30 January the Crusaders marched from the city gates. Thierry de Loos was recalled to Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
and now Thierry de Termont who was known as a recklessly brave man remained in charge. The Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
historian Niketas Choniates wrote that his troops were the bravest in the whole Latin army. Around 120 knight
Knight
A knight was a member of a class of lower nobility in the High Middle Ages.By the Late Middle Ages, the rank had become associated with the ideals of chivalry, a code of conduct for the perfect courtly Christian warrior....
s and many cavalrymen set off from Rusion and rode the whole night. In the morning of 31 January they reached the castle but found it was deserted by the Bulgarians and headed back to Rusion. In the meantime 7,000 Bulgarians went round the Crusaders and took positions at 7 km before the walls of Rusion. The defenders of the fortress were few and could only watch from the towers. From there they could see the approaching Latin army divided into four detachments. The advanced guard was led by Charles de Fren, then followed the troops of Termont and the detachment of Andres Deboas and Jean de Choasy who were the first knights to climb the walls of Constantinople in 1204. The last detachment was under the command of Vilen de Loos, brother of Thierry de Loos.
The battle began in the rear-guard. The detachment of Vilen de Loos was attacked by another Bulgarian force and despite the desperate resistance was routed. The survivors mixed up with the troops in front of them and soon the next two Crusader detachments were defeated. The battle was fought while the armies were on the march and the masses of fighting soldiers were slowly moving to Rusion. At about 2 km from the fortress the Crusader battle formation finally collapsed under the Bulgarian assaults from both sides. The knights fought bravely and most of them perished. Only ten of the 120 knights managed to reach Rusion. Thousands of ordinary soldiers were killed in the battle or captured. All Crusader commanders including Thierry de Termond perished. The remains of the crushed army abandoned Rusion and sought refuge to the nearby town of Rodosto.
Further developments
Rodosto was well-fortified town with a large garrison of VenetiansRepublic of Venice
The Republic of Venice or Venetian Republic was a state originating from the city of Venice in Northeastern Italy. It existed for over a millennium, from the late 7th century until 1797. It was formally known as the Most Serene Republic of Venice and is often referred to as La Serenissima, in...
consolidated by the survivors from Rusion and a company of 2,000 men who arrived later. However, when Kaloyan arrived the defenders panicked and after a short battle
Battle of Rodosto
The battle of Rodosto took place in February 1206 in the town of Rodosto between the Bulgarians led by Emperor Kaloyan and the Crusaders...
were completely defeated and Rodosto was looted. Many more towns were soon seized such as Perint, Chorlu
Çorlu
Çorlu is a northwestern Turkish city in inland Eastern Thrace that falls under the administration of the Province of Tekirdağ. It is a rapidly developing industrial center built on flatland located off the E80 highway between Istanbul and Turkey's border with Greece and Bulgaria. As of the 2000...
, Arkadiopolis, Messina, Daonion. The Bulgarians besieged the important town of Didymoteicho
Didymoteicho
Didymóteicho is a town located in the eastern part of the Evros peripheral unit of Thrace, Greece. It is the seat of the municipality of the same name. The town sits on a plain and located south east of Svilengrad, south of Edirne, Turkey and Orestiada, west of Uzunköprü, about 20 km north...
which was taken in the following year.
Aftermath
In the whole military operation the Crusaders lost more than 200 knights, many thousands of soldiers and several Venetian garrisons were completely annihilated. The new Emperor of the Latin Empire Henry of FlandersHenry of Flanders
Henry was the second emperor of the Latin Empire of Constantinople. He was a younger son of Baldwin V, Count of Hainaut , and Margaret I of Flanders, sister of Philip of Alsace, count of Flanders....
had to ask the French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
King for another 600 knights and 10,000 soldiers. Geoffrey of Villehardouin
Geoffrey of Villehardouin
Geoffrey of Villehardouin was a knight and historian who participated in and chronicled the Fourth Crusade...
compared the defeat with the disaster at Adrianople. However, the Crusaders were lucky - in 1207 Tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
Kaloyan was killed during the siege of Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
and the new Emperor Boril
Boril of Bulgaria
Boril reigned as emperor of Bulgaria from 1207 to 1218. He was the son of an unnamed sister of his predecessor Kaloyan.-Biography:It is unclear whether Boril was party to the murder of Kaloyan in front of the walls of Thessalonica in 1207, but Kaloyan's intended heirs, his nephews Ivan Asen and...
who was an usurper
Usurper
Usurper is a derogatory term used to describe either an illegitimate or controversial claimant to the power; often, but not always in a monarchy, or a person who succeeds in establishing himself as a monarch without inheriting the throne, or any other person exercising authority unconstitutionally...
needed time to enforce his authority.