Siege of Dorostolon

Overview

The Siege and Battle of Dorostolon (Silistra) was fought in 971 between the Byzantine Empire and forces of Kievan Rus'. The Byzantines, led by John I Tzimiskes, were victorious.

Overview adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Significance

The Siege of Dorostolon was the decisive engagement of Sviatoslav's invasion of Bulgaria, pitting the Byzantine forces of John I Tzimiskes against Sviatoslav I of Kiev's Rus' army at the Danubian fortress of Silistra. The engagement resulted in a Byzantine victory and inflicted substantial casualties on the Kievan Rus', with recorded losses of 15,000 against a force assessed at 30,000. The two sides entered the siege at near numerical parity — the Byzantine force numbered between 28,000 and 30,000 — making the outcome a significant military defeat for Sviatoslav rather than merely an attrition of an outnumbered force. The battle effectively ended the Rus' presence in Bulgaria and secured Byzantine authority over the region, resolving the broader contest that had developed since Sviatoslav's initial entry into Bulgarian territory in 967.

Forces & casualties

Commanders (2)