Basil II's Bulgarian Wars

Between 986 and 1018 AD, the Byzantine emperor Basil II fought a long series of campaigns against the Bulgarian Empire, which at its height controlled much of the Balkans. The Bulgarians, led by Tsar Samuel, had expanded their power while the Byzantines were distracted by civil wars. Basil's first campaign ended in a humiliating defeat at the Gates of Trajan in 986, when he was ambushed and barely escaped. For years, Samuel raided deep into Byzantine territory, reaching as far as the Peloponnese. After securing his throne, Basil returned to the war with determination. He campaigned year after year, even in winter, steadily capturing Bulgarian fortresses. In 1014, he won a crushing victory at the Battle of Kleidion, after which Samuel died. The Bulgarian state continued to resist for four more years, until it surrendered in 1018. Bulgaria was annexed to the Byzantine Empire, which once again controlled the entire Balkan Peninsula up to the Danube. Basil became known as the Bulgar Slayer, and his reign marked a high point of Byzantine power.