Editing 774 (section)

==== Byzantine Empire ====
* [[Battle of Berzitia]]: The [[First Bulgarian Empire|Bulgarian]] ruler (''[[khagan]]'') [[Telerig of Bulgaria|Telerig]] sends a small raiding army (12,000 men) to strike into the southwest of [[Macedonia (region)|Macedonia]], and capture [[Berziti]]a. Emperor [[Constantine V]] is informed about this raid by his [[Espionage|spies]] in [[Pliska]], and assembles an enormous force (80,000 men). He surprises the [[Bulgarians]], who did not expect to find a Byzantine army there, and defeats them decisively. The Bulgars suffer heavy losses.
* Telerig sends a message to Constantine V, stating that he is going to flee in [[exile]] to [[Constantinople]]. In exchange, he asks the emperor to reveal the spies to his associates in Pliska for their own safety. Constantine sends the Bulgarian government a list of the spies; however, Telerig executes them all, and eliminates the [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] spy network within his government.<ref>{{The Early Medieval Balkans|page= 77}}</ref>