THE ARMY OF THE BULGARIAN TSARDOM IN THE
PERIOD 976 – 1018.
PART 1. ARMAMENT, BRACHES OF ARMED FORCES
AND TACTICAL ABILITIES OF THE BULGARIAN
ARMY DURING THE TIME OF TSAR SAMUEL AND HIS
SUCCESSORS
Petyo Ivanov
(Summary)
The campaigns of the Kiev prince Svetoslav, as well as the subsequent
war between him and the Byzantine Empire in the period 967 – 972, were
of decisive importance for the fate of the Bulgarian Tsardom. The loss
of the central territories not only incurred a decrease in the economic,
demographic and military potential of the state, but also led to significant
changes in its organization. The changes that occurred in the Bulgarian
army were most noticeable in the way in which combat actions were
conducted before the mentioned conflicts.
While before AD 972 the
Bulgarian rulers and generals relied exclusively on direct confrontation
with the enemy in the open field, after AD 976 not a single battle of this
type is known. A careful examination of the available source base shows
drastic changes in the organization of the army. If before the campaigns
of the Prince of Kiev, the Bulgarians had an army with a dominant role of
cavalry formations, then after the renewal of hostilities by Samuel and his
brothers, the army had a predominantly infantry character. The Bulgarian
army in the period under review was composed of four branches: heavy and light cavalry and heavy and light infantry, each of which performed
a specific tactical task in the overall strategy of the Bulgarian rulers and
military leaders.
Regarding the armament, to a large extent there was
continuity with the previous period, and in its nature it was not inferior to
what was available to the soldiers of the Byzantine army. There is evidence
of a possible fifth branch of army, composed of people specialized in the
use of incendiary materials, used primarily in the defence of fortifications.
In tactical terms, the Bulgarian army was able to conduct successful
operations in mountainous terrain, but the lack of sufficient preparation
and accumulated experience did not allow it to face the enemy in an open
field. This imbalance ultimately played a decisive role in the collapse
suffered in the nearly half-century long conflict between the Bulgarian
Tsardom and the Byzantine Empire.
Keywords: Samuel’s Bulgaria, army and armament, branches of the armed
forces, military equipment, military strategy and tactics
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