Editing 917 (section)

==== Byzantine Empire ====
* [[August 20]] &ndash; [[Battle of Achelous (917)|Battle of Achelous]]: A [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] expeditionary force (62,000 men) under General [[Leo Phokas the Elder|Leo Phokas]] ('''the Elder''') is routed by the [[First Bulgarian Empire|Bulgarians]] at the [[Aheloy (river)|Achelous River]] near the fortress of Anchialos (modern [[Pomorie]]) on the [[Black Sea]] coast. Phokas flees to Mesembria (modern [[Nesebar]]) and escapes by boarding a ship. Tsar [[Simeon I of Bulgaria|Simeon I]] ('''the Great''') becomes ''[[de facto]]'' ruler of the whole [[Balkans|Balkan Peninsula]], except the well-protected Byzantine capital of [[Constantinople]] and the [[Peloponnese]].<ref>Brain Todd Carey (2012). ''Road to Manzikert: Byzantine and Islamic Warfare 527–1071'', pp. 78–81. {{ISBN|978-1-84884-215-1}}.</ref>
* Fall &ndash; [[Battle of Katasyrtai]]: The Bulgarian army under Simeon I marches southwards to Constantinople. Leo Phokas, who survived at Anchelous, gathers the last Byzantine troops to intercept the Bulgarians before they reach the capital. The two armies meet near the village of Katasyrtai, just outside Constantinople. After a surprise night attack, the Byzantines are completely routed from the battlefield.<ref>{{cite book|url = https://books.google.com/books?id=AEy280AH9KQC&q=Katasyrtai&pg=PA109|title = Byzantine Empresses: Woman and Power in Byzantium AD 527-1204| author = Lynda Garland| author-link = Lynda Garland| page = 122| publisher = Routledge| date = April 1, 2002|isbn = 9780203024812}}</ref>