The Battle of LitosoriaMichael Palairet, Macedonia: A Voyage through History (Vol. 1, From Ancient Times to the Ottoman Invasions), Cambridge Scholars Publishing, 2016, , p. 174. or LithosoriaDennis P. Hupchick, The Bulgarian-Byzantine Wars for Early Medieval Balkan Hegemony: Silver-Lined Skulls and Blinded Armies, Springer, 2017, , p. 59. ()Златарски, В. История на българската държава през средните векове, том I, част 1, Изд. "Наука и изкуство", София 1970, стр. 304. occurred between the Bulgaria and the Buzantines in the fall of 774 at an unknown place named Litosoria. It was located in the border area between both states,Panos Sophoulis, Byzantium and Bulgaria, 775-831, Volume 16 of East Central and Eastern Europe in the Middle Ages, 450-1450, BRILL, 2011, , pp. 94-95. in the region of Zagore,Ilse Rochow, Byzantium in the 8th century in the view of Theophanes: source critical-historical come to the Jahven 715-813, Volume 57 of Berlin Byzantine works, Akad.-Verlag, 1991, , p. 215. probably north of the line Kirklareli - Vize in modern Turkey.Karl Krumbacher, Byzantinische Zeitschrift, Volumes 65-66, Walter de Gruyter & Co, G.G. Teubner, 1971, p. 392. The result was a Byzantine victory.
After an unsuccessful campaign of the Byzantine Emperor Constantine V earlier that year, the Bulgarian Khan Telerig decided to strike back to the southwest and sent a small raiding army of 12,000 to capture Berzitia.
The Byzantine emperor was informed of the raid in due time by his spies in Pliska and gathered an enormous force. The Byzantines surprised the Bulgarian army, and after a long fight they managed to defeat them due to their greater superiority in the number of soldiers.
Constantine V was eager to follow up his success and led another campaign against the Bulgarians, but once again it failed. However, Telerig learned during this event that all his plans were known to Constantine through a network of spies within his government. He decided to eliminate them once and for all and sent a message to Constantine, stating that he was going to flee in exile to Constantinople. In exchange, Telerig asked the emperor to reveal the spies to his associates in Pliska for their own safety. As Telerig was not the first ruler to flee to Constantinople, Constantine revealed his information and sent the Bulgarian government the list of spies; however, Telerig deceived him and did not travel to Constantinople. When Telerig learned of their names, he executed them all and eliminated the Byzantine spy network within his government.John V.A. Fine, Jr. (1991). The Early Medieval Balkans: "A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century", p. 77.
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