How Bulgaria DEFENDED AGAINST the Rus and the Byzantine 811-1018 FULL PARTS

How Bulgaria DEFENDED AGAINST the Rus and the Byzantine (811-1018) (FULL PARTS)
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How Bulgaria DEFENDED AGAINST the Rus and the Byzantine (811-1018) (FULL PARTS). In 809, Krum struck a devastating blow by capturing and destroying the city of Serdica (modern-day Sofia), a crucial Byzantine stronghold in the northwest. His forces slaughtered the 6,000 Byzantine troops stationed there, sending shockwaves through the empire. Serdica was a city of immense strategic value, controlling the upper Strymon Valley and serving as a gateway to Macedonia and the passes leading west into Thrace. Its loss forced Nikephoros to take immediate action. He resettled Anatolian civilians along the frontier to bolster defenses and launched efforts to reclaim and fortify the city. However, he also faced another pressing issue: a severe manpower shortage in the Byzantine military.

How Bulgaria DEFENDED AGAINST the Rus and the Byzantine (811-1018) (FULL PARTS). The cause of this shortage was a change in economic policy under Empress Irene. During her reign, Irene had repealed several financial measures introduced by the Isaurian dynasty to sustain the army. Notably, she abolished a tax levied on widows of fallen soldiers, which had previously helped offset the cost of losing a fully equipped soldier. While these families continued to receive pensions and tax exemptions, the empire lost a critical source of revenue for maintaining its military. As a result, the empire's military strength was severely reduced around 809–810.

How Bulgaria DEFENDED AGAINST the Rus and the Byzantine (811-1018) (FULL PARTS). To address this crisis, Nikephoros enacted harsh reforms. Rural farmers were now required to enlist and equip themselves at the expense of their villages. New settlements along the borders—from Anatolia to Greece, Thrace, and the Struma Valley—were granted military status under the theme system, tying local populations directly to the empire's defense.
Although his changement in military policy was opposed by many people, thanks to him, The Byzantine army was now among the most powerful and effective military forces in the world – neither Middle Ages Europe nor (following its early successes) the fracturing Caliphate could match the strategies and efficiency of the Byzantine army.
For this reason, Nikephoros felt confident that he could deal decisively with the Bulgars, destroy their state and regain the imperial lands he had lost in the process.
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