Editing Samuel of Bulgaria (section)

==Co-rule with Roman==
{{Main article|Battle of the Gates of Trajan}}
After the Byzantine plan to use Aaron to cause instability in Bulgaria failed, they tried to encourage the rightful heirs to the throne,<ref>Boris II and Roman were sons of Peter I whose dynasty had ruled Bulgaria since the reign of [[Khan (title)|Khan]] [[Krum of Bulgaria|Krum]] (803–814)</ref> [[Boris II]] and Roman, to oppose Samuel. Basil II hoped that they would win the support of the nobles and isolate Samuel or perhaps even start a Bulgarian civil war.<ref>Petrov, p. 134</ref> Boris and Roman were sent back in 977<ref>Adontz. "Samuel l'Armenien", p. 353.</ref> but while they were passing through a forest near the border, Boris was killed by Bulgarian guards who were misled by his Byzantine clothing. Roman, who was walking some distance behind, managed to identify himself to the guards.<ref>Skylitzes, pp. 434–435.</ref>

Roman was taken to Vidin, where he was proclaimed Emperor of Bulgaria.<ref>Prokić, p. 28.</ref> Samuel became his first lieutenant and general and together they gathered an army and fought the Byzantines.<ref>{{cite book |last=Rozen |first=V. R |title=Emperor Basil the Bulgar-slayer: extractions from Yuhia of Antioch's chronicles (Imperator Vasiliy Bolgaroboytsa: izvecheniya iz letopisi Yahi Antiohijskago, Император Василий Болгаробойца: извлечения из летописи Яхи Антиохийскаго) |publisher=Variorum Reprints |location=London |pages=20–21 |language=ru |isbn=978-0-902089-39-6 |year=1972 }}</ref> During his captivity, Roman had been [[castration|castrated]] on the orders of John I Tzimiskes so that he would not have heirs. Thus Samuel was certain to eventually succeed Roman. The new emperor entrusted Samuel with the state administration and became occupied with church and religious affairs.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Petrov |first=P |title=On the question concerning the authenticity of the Virgin charter and the data it contains (Po vaprosa za awtentichnostta na Virginskata gramota i sadarzhastite se v neya danni, По въпроса за автентичността на Виргинската грамота и съдържащите се в нея данни) |journal=Гсуифф |issue=54 |volume=2 |year=1958 |pages=219–225 |language=bg }}</ref>

[[File:Ambush and death of Gregorios Taronites by the Bulgarians.jpg|300px|thumb|left|Bulgarians ambush and kill the governor of [[Thessalonica]], duke [[Gregory Taronites]].]]
As the main effort of Basil II was concentrated against the rebel Skleros, Samuel's armies attacked the European possessions of the Byzantine Empire. Samuel invaded not only Thrace and the area of [[Thessaloniki]], but also [[Thessaly]], [[Central Greece (geographic region)|Hellas]] and the [[Peloponnese]]. Many Byzantine fortresses fell to the Bulgarians.<ref>Skylitzes, pp. 435–436.</ref> Samuel wanted to seize the important fortress of [[Larissa]], which controlled the key routes in Thessaly, and from 977 to 983 the town was blockaded. After starvation forced the Byzantines to surrender,<ref name="enc">{{cite web|url=http://www.bartleby.com/67/441.html |title=The Encyclopedia of World History. 2001. First Bulgarian Empire – Samuil |access-date=23 May 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080417213716/http://www.bartleby.com/67/441.html |archive-date=17 April 2008 }}</ref> the population was deported to the interior of Bulgaria and the males were forced to enlist in the Bulgarian army.<ref name=ce6566>[[Kekaumenos]], ''[[Strategikon of Kekaumenos|Strategikon]]'' pp. 65–66</ref> Although Basil II sent forces to the region, they were defeated. With this victory, Bulgaria had gained influence over most of the southwestern Balkans, although it did not occupy some of these territories. From Larissa, Samuel took the relics of [[Achillius of Larissa|Saint Achilleios]], which were laid in a specially built church of the same name on an island in [[Lake Prespa]].<ref name=sk436>Skylitzes, p. 436.</ref><ref>[[Kekaumenos]], ''[[Strategikon of Kekaumenos|Strategikon]]'', eds. B. Wassilewsky and P. Jernstedt, St Petersburg, 1896, pp. 65–66.</ref><ref>Litavrin, G. ''Soveti i rasskazy Kekavmena. Sochinenie vizantiiskogo polkovodtsa XI veka'', Moscow, 1972, pp. 250–252</ref>

The Bulgarian successes in the west raised fears in Constantinople, and after serious preparations, Basil II launched a campaign into the very centre of the Bulgarian Empire<ref>Ostrogorsky, G. ''History of the Byzantine state'' (''Istorija Vizantije'', ''Исторijа Византиje''), pp. 391–393.</ref> to distract Samuel from southern Greece.<ref>Leo Diaconus, ''Historia'', p. 171.</ref><ref>W. Seibt, ''Untersuchungen zur Vor- und Frühgeschichte der bulgarischen Kometopulen'', ''[[Handes Amsorya]]'' 89 (1975), pp. 65–98.</ref> The Byzantine army passed through the mountains around [[Ihtiman]] and besieged Sredets in 986. The Byzantines assaulted the city for 20 days, but their attacks proved fruitless and costly: the Bulgarians came out of the city several times, killed many enemy soldiers and captured [[draught animal]]s and [[horse]]s. Eventually, the Bulgarian troops burned the [[siege]] equipment of the Byzantine army, forcing Basil II to withdraw to Thrace, but on 17 August 986,<ref>Rozen, p. 21.</ref> while passing through the mountains, the Byzantine army was ambushed and routed at the [[battle of the Gates of Trajan|Trajan's Gates Pass]]. This was a significant blow for Basil,<ref>Stephen of Taron, pp. 185–186.{{Clarify|pre-text=?|date=December 2009}}</ref><ref>Dennis, ''Three Treatises'', pp. 242–243.</ref> who was one of the few to return to Constantinople; his personal treasure was captured by the victors.<ref>Skylitzes, pp. 436–438.</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Gilferding |first=А |title=Letters from the history of Serbians and Bulgarians (Pisma ob istorii serbov i bolgar, Письма об истории сербов и болгар) |location=Москва |year=1868 |oclc=79291155 |language=ru |page=209 }}</ref>
{{Quote box |width= 20em |border= 1px |align= right |bgcolor= #c6dbf7
|quote= "Even if the sun would have come down, I would have never thought that the [[Moesia]]n [Bulgarian] arrows were stronger than the Avzonian [Roman, Byzantine] spears. <br>... And when you, [[Phaethon]] [Sun], descend to the earth with your gold-shining chariot, tell the great soul of the Caesar: The Danube [Bulgaria] took the crown of [[Rome]]. The arrows of the Moesians broke the spears of the Avzonians."
|source= '''John Kyriotes Geometres''' on the [[battle of the Gates of Trajan]].<ref>Ioannis Geometrae ''Carmina varia''. Migne, Patrol. gr., t. 106, col. 934</ref>}}
After the defeat, the rebellion of [[Bardas Phokas the Younger|Bardas Phocas]] diverted the efforts of the Byzantine Empire into another civil war.<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.roman-emperors.org/basilii.htm|title= Roman Emperors – Basil II|access-date= 23 March 2008|archive-date= 13 March 2015|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20150313115140/http://www.roman-emperors.org/basilii.htm|url-status= dead}}</ref><ref>Al-Rudrawari, pp. 28–35.</ref><ref>Ostrogorsky, G. ''History of the Byzantine state'' (''Istorija Vizantije'', Исторijа Византиje), pp. 397–398.</ref> Samuel seized the opportunity and began to exert pressure on Thessaloniki.<ref>E Codd. ''Manuscriptis Bibliothecae Regiae Parisiensis'', J.A.Cramer (ed.), 4 Vols (Oxford, 1839–1841), Vol 4, pp. 271, 282.</ref><ref>Rozen, p. 27.</ref> Basil II sent a large army to the town and appointed a new governor, [[Gregorios Taronites]],<ref>Skylitzes, p. 446.</ref> but he was powerless to stop the Bulgarian advance. By 989, the Bulgarian troops had penetrated deep into Byzantine territory,<ref>John Geometres: Anecdota Graeca, E Codd. ''Manuscriptis Bibliothecae Regiae Parisiensis'', J.A.Cramer (ed.), 4 Vols (Oxford, 1839–1841), Vol 4, pp. 271–273, 282–283.</ref> and seized many fortresses, including such important cities as [[Veria]] and [[Servia, Greece|Servia]]. In the south, the Bulgarians marched throughout [[Epirus]] and in the west they seized the area of modern [[Durrës]] (medieval Dyrrhachium or Drach) on the [[Adriatic Sea]].<ref>Zlatarski, pp. 645–647.</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Vasilyevskiy |first=V. G |title=History of the years 976–986 (K istorii 976–986 godov, К истории 976–986 годов) |page=83 |language=ru }}</ref><ref>Ioannes Geometer. ''Carmina'', col. 920A.</ref>

In 989, Phocas was killed and his followers surrendered, and the following year Basil II reached an agreement with Skleros.<ref>Ostrogorsky, ''Byzantine State'', pp. 303–308</ref> The Byzantines focused their attention on Bulgaria,<ref>Zlatarski, pp. 651–652.</ref> and counter-attacked in 991.<ref>Yahya, PO 23 (1932), pp. 430–431.</ref><ref>Stephen of Taron, p. 198.{{Clarify|pre-text=?|date=December 2009}}</ref> The Bulgarian army was defeated and Roman was captured while Samuel managed to escape.<ref>Rozen, p. 34.</ref> The Byzantines conquered some areas; in 995, however, the [[Arabs]] invaded Asia Minor and Basil II was forced to move many of his troops to combat this new threat. Samuel quickly regained the lost lands and advanced south. In 996, he defeated the Byzantines in the [[Battle of Thessalonica (995)|battle of Thessaloniki]]. During the battle, Thessaloniki's governor, Gregorios, perished and his son [[Ashot Taronites|Ashot]] was captured.<ref>Skylitzes, p. 449</ref> Elated by this success, the Bulgarians continued south. They marched through Thessaly, overcame the defensive wall at [[Thermopylae]] and entered the Peloponnese, devastating everything on their way.<ref>Skylitzes, pp. 449–450</ref>

[[File:Byzantine army under the leadership of Nikephoros Uranos putting the Bulgarians to flight from the Chronicle of John Skylitzes.jpg|300px|thumb|left|The Bulgarian defeat at Spercheios.]]
As a response, a Byzantine army under Nikephorus Uranos was sent after the Bulgarians, who returned north to meet it. The two armies met near the flooded river of Spercheios. The Byzantines found a place to ford, and on the night of 19 July 996 they surprised the unprepared Bulgarian army and routed it in the [[battle of Spercheios]].<ref>Skylitzes, p. 450</ref> Samuel's arm was wounded and he barely escaped captivity; he and his son allegedly feigned death.<ref>Stephenson, P., ''The legend of Basil the Bulgar-slayer'', p. 17, {{ISBN|0-521-81530-4}}</ref> After nightfall they headed for Bulgaria and walked {{convert|400|km|mi|0}} home. Research of Samuel's grave suggests that the bone in his arm healed at an angle of 140° but remained crippled.<ref name="Andreev1999">Andreev, 1999, pp. 331–334.</ref>