The famous defense of Dorostol is an episode of the Russian-Byzantine war of 970-971. After a series of battles near the Bulgarian fortress, Prince Svyatoslav of Kiev had to retreat to his homeland and abandon the plan to conquer the Danube shores.
Previous events
In 968, Byzantium sent ambassadors to Russia. The delegation was to persuade the young Kiev prince Svyatoslav Igorevich to go to the Danube and help the Greeks in their war against the Bulgarian kingdom. The Slavic squad really helped the emperor of Constantinople. However, Svyatoslav wanted to get these lands and, in turn, after the defeat of the Bulgarians declared war on Byzantium.
In addition, the prince decided to transfer his residence to the Danube. Svyatoslav briefly made Pereyaslavets his capital. The military campaign of 970 did not determine the winner. Svyatoslav went to winter apartments in Pereyaslavets. In his army there was a lack of manpower. Many soldiers were wounded and tormented by tribulations in a foreign country. The prince sent a messenger to Kiev with an order to assemble a new squad. By the spring of 971, reinforcements had indeed arrived at Svyatoslav.
In the first year of the war, the Byzantine Empire was unable to deliver a consolidated blow to the enemy due to the uprising of warlord Varda Foki in the country. When it was finally suppressed, the ruler John Tzimiskes himself went to Bulgaria to crush the Russian army. Svyatoslav retreated to Dorostol. This fortress became its main bastion. It was Dorostol’s defense that turned out to be a fundamental episode of that war when it was decided which side of the conflict would win.
First clash
Svyatoslav did not have time to fully prepare for the upcoming battle. The defense of Dorostol became for him a forced measure, which he did not want to go. It should be noted that at this time most of the Bulgarian population was on the side of the Kiev prince.
The Byzantine emperor was able to quickly cross the Bulgarian mountain passes. On April 23, 971, a skirmish of the Greek avant-garde and a small Russian detachment of scouts occurred. When a real battle ensued under the walls of Dorostol, the advancing Greek army marched on the Slavs, lining up in two lines. In the front row were infantry and cavalry. Archers covered them behind. In total, the defenders of the fortress repelled 12 attacks, after which the weakened garrison retreated beyond the walls of the city. The Byzantines achieved this thanks to the final blow of the cavalry.
Byzantine camp
It became clear that the defense of Dorostol would last at least a few days. Then John Tzimiskes gave the order to build a fortified camp under the walls of the city, where the besiegers could comfortably accommodate. Its center was a small hill around which a moat was dug. In addition, the camp was defended with spears stuck in the ground, on which shields were hung.
Blockade of the city
Even the day before, leaving the Greek provinces, the emperor gathered a fleet and sent him along the Black Sea coast to the mouth of the Danube. This squadron successfully climbed the river and on April 25 found itself next to Dorostol, which was now blocked. Svyatoslav was in the garrison all this time. He also had a small fleet of rooks. The prince ordered the burning of ships that could go to the enemy. The Byzantines unsuccessfully tried to force the besieged to leave the city and give a general battle. Instead, Slavs from the city walls fired at enemies with stones and arrows.
Finally, on the 26th, Svyatoslav ordered his squad to go out into the field and fight the enemy. He hoped that the defense of Dorostol would end so successfully. A year of continuous battles tempered his army, all soldiers were eager for battle. The battle continued on April 27, after the Russian army spent the night in the same place. During the battle, one of the main close associates of Svyatoslav Igorevich - Sfenkel was killed. His fate is known thanks to the detailed description of the Balkan events left by the writer Leo Deacon.
The emperor, hoping to break the enemy, sent a small detachment to the rear of the Slavs. Seeing the maneuver of the Byzantines, Svyatoslav with his army again moved back to the city. The Slavic prince was not in vain afraid that he might be cut off from the fortress walls.
Three-month siege
On April 29, a long siege began. It was a stubborn defense of Dorostol. The year of the war gave Svyatoslav and his soldiers rich experience, which was effectively used during the siege. The Slavs dug a deep moat, which did not allow the Byzantines to correctly install the machines necessary for the destruction of the fortress walls.
The besieged managed to carry out several successful sorties outside the city. There was not enough food in the fortress. Scouts brought to Dorostol new food, which helped the garrison to maintain strength. During one of the sorties, a Byzantine detachment was defeated, whose soldiers watered horses on the Danube. After this episode, the Greeks dug up all the roads that led to the besieged city.
In the next three months, the Byzantines successfully held the city in their grip. Food was running out. Famine began, after which the local Bulgarians began to move in small groups to the side of the enemy. If Svyatoslav had not taken action, the defense of Dorostol would have ended badly. What war could not do without repression? The Kiev prince arranged for the demonstration executions of doubting Bulgarians, thanks to which he restored discipline in the city.
By July, the situation remained the same. Tzimiskes hurried to end the siege as soon as possible, because in his absence a troubled time began in Constantinople. The defense of Dorostol continued, and then the emperor invited Svyatoslav to end the war by a tête-à-tête. However, the Kiev prince refused this, sending John a mocking answer.
Last battles
On July 19, the Slavic detachment set off on a sortie. The Byzantines lost their vigilance, they did not think that the besieged had the audacity to attack a large camp. But that is exactly what happened. Svyatoslav with his detachment destroyed the siege machines, leaving the Greeks with nothing.
The Slavs were encouraged by their success. The next day they left the city to give another battle to the Byzantines, whom the Northern War had already tired of . The defense of Dorostol was stopped only after the Slavs fought twice with the emperor’s army (July 20 and 22).
During the last battle, the Greeks managed to split the army of Svyatoslav. The prince suffered heavy losses. It became clear that the defense of Dorostol was ending. Date July 23 - this is the end of a long siege, during which four battles took place.
Peace making
Finally, Svyatoslav invited the emperor to discuss the terms of the peace treaty. The parties agreed to end the war. Tzimiskes promised to let the Slavs go home. At the same time, the Byzantines gave them all the necessary provisions. In exchange, Svyatoslav refused the Danube lands.
Perhaps the Kiev prince was hoping to resume the war after several years of peace. However, on the way back, his detachment was interrupted by the Pechenegs. This happened on the Dnieper rapids during the crossing. Not only the war ended, but also the life of Svyatoslav.