The Bulgarian-Croatian War During the Rule of Emperor Simeon I the Great and Dux Tomislav

In the first decades of the 10th century, the Bulgarian Empire was embroiled in a fierce duel with the Byzantine Empire, during which Roman diplomacy succeeded in attracting various tribes and peoples to its side. One of its allies was the Croatian prince Tomislav (c. 910 – c. 928), under whose rule Croatia became a regional power. The allied relations between Byzantium and the Croats led to the Bulgarian-Croatian war, which ended in a defeat for the Bulgarian army, which some scholars define as a military “disaster”. In the present study, the Bulgarian military expedition against the Croats is dated to the spring of 927. The same year, Pope John X brokered peace through his legates bishop Madelbert and Duke John. The peace treaty between Bulgaria and Croatia was concluded in May 928 at the latest, but it is very likely that it became a fact in the second half of 927 along with the settlement of relations with the Byzantine Empire. It is beyond any doubt that the Bulgarian army suffered a serious military setback, which, however, cannot be described as a military “disaster”, since even after the death of emperor Simeon, the Bulgarian Empire still had the ability not only to resist but also to military pressure against their opponents. The fact that the Croatian army did not undertake a counteroffensive against Bulgaria and Serbia remained part of the Bulgarian state for a few more years should not be overlooked.