Were they Emperor Basil II's greatest enemy? - Battle of Setina, 1017 AD
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- Опубліковано 4 лют 2025
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🚩 Emperor Basil defeated the Bulgarians time and again. But they stubbornly kept getting back on their feet, proving that the greatest threat to Constantinople lay in the west. Now, Basil and his army are once more tied down fighting a brutal attritional war in the Balkans.
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🚩 Big thanks to History Rhymes for collaborating with me on this video: / @historyrhymes1701
📢 Narrated by David McCallion
🎼 Music:
Epidemic Sounds
Filmstro
#history #documentary #medieval
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🚩 Basil II Playlist: ua-cam.com/play/PLWwyDn76LiH1ILQgm32Kyqj3-_FBluiPW.html
🚩 Emperor Basil defeated the Bulgarians time and again. But they stubbornly kept getting back on their feet, proving that the greatest threat to Constantinople lay in the west. Now, Basil and his army are once more tied down fighting a brutal attritional war in the Balkans.
You're the Best man! LOVED the video! Please consider the ottoman sieges of vienna
Hello can you do the Bocskai Uprising (1604-1606). I think this is one of the most underrated wars of the 17th century.
your best video ever ! thankyou sir!!!
Rashka bulgaria?Wtf?
might be wise to put part 6 in this video title. I though this was unconnected to the series which lead me to thinking it was unfinished for months 🤣love your videos btw best warfare history channel on youtube
Basil II was definitely the greatest byzantine emperor. Some people say Justinian,but they should look it up and realize that land isn't everything or Heracles,but the arabs really put a stain on his legacy. Basil left a strong empire with a huge treasury and defeated the Bulgarians which tormented the empire for centuries. Respect and hate from a bulgarian.
I remember from history classes that Justinian used up the entire treasury during his reconquests, so near the end of his reign he had to reduce his army from around 600k to only 150k. He even had some trouble defending his northern border against Slavs and Avars before he died. Of course, the plague from that time should not be forgotten, it also had a massive impact
Justinian wouldn’t even be in the discussion without Theodora and Belisarius.
@Maus_Indahaus Agreed, Justinian, more or less, was like what Charles XII did for Sweden, which HM showcased in their last video for the Battle of Poltava. It's like how if Justin I gave Justinian keys to a new car and who later crashes it immediately afterward.
Justinian was highly stubborn to personal glory (amid Theodora's manipulations regarding religious matters and disputing Beliarius's loyalty to the Emperor) and dreams that his hasty actions doomed the Eastern frontier and the mint of Anitoch in his exchange for the rapid manpower shift to acquire the former Roman provinces amid his growing feud with the new Papacy in Rome.
Like the wall in Game of Thrones, only garrisons of Romans (mainly mercenaries who depended on Justinian's gold from the local mints) defended the Eastern frontier, and Justinian underestimated Khrosow I's cunning to break their truce to invade his greatest enemy when Byzantine manpower was at it's weakest point.
Thus, the razing of Antioch and destroying any hopes of Justinian's new reforms & projects for the empire were similar to the construction of the Hagia Sophia back at Constantinople. Not to mention the economic stability of Justinian's provinces east of Constantinople, which would later be influenced by Byzantum's rivals to change Anatolia's geopolitical & religious future in the coming centuries.
Basil II made the right, competent decisions like Heraclius and later Alexios I did for the Byzantine Empire by having that almost perfect balance of competent military leadership with a good knowledge of administrative skills to maintain the empire. Understanding your nation's economic health, geopolitical situation, and overall manpower makes all the difference.
We can easily skip over the two primary historical sources that have a level of hearsay and by using our knowledge of common sense & understanding the nature of geopolitical awarness alongside military science to know that Justinian truly made some mistakes that in the end, that define the trajectory of the Byzantine Empire in coming centuries.
(Edit) To those who might heavily disagree on this, I would recommend that everyone go watch HM's good friend Flash Point H on UA-cam. They have an amazing Byzantium series covering Justinian and his true legacy in human history.
I believe their video goes more into the controversial record of Justinian and why some people might not know why others dispute his legacy.
You’re right it’s definitely basil it’s a sight to marvel at. Justinians work is definitely respectable but basil is the best because he was grate with domestic and most importantly warfare which he was able to stabilize Justinian’s victories came from all his generals he was stationary most if not all his rain
Well for me it's Justinian, also shout out to Alexis komenous
Props to that guy who discouraged the Pechenegs from allying the Bulgars. A true impact in the war.
That shows how powerful and feared byzantium was at the time
Shows the importance of having good diplomacy.
@@nikitaostrovsky8416 Diplomacy is why Byzantium was so great despite the disadvantages. It's responsible for arguably more victories than military campaigns.
Indeed and how they ended up with one of their most elite military units the Vangarian guard through a military and marriage alliance treaty made with Rus.
@freeloaderuser6Itd It's good to know when you should cooperate rather than compete.
All of these History Marche videos have showed me , that those Bulgarians were really masters of the ambush .
Honestly a tv show about the Bulgarian and the Roman empire would be 5x more interesting that even game of thrones
I am a bulgarian and I am proud of our history - most of our battles are for freedom and peace. For example, Bulgaria was the only one old antient countries where were no slaves! Everyone is welcome here :)
Basil 's series is one of the best series History Marche has produced. Thank you!!!
This general Constantine Diogenes is the father of the future emperor Romanos Diogenes who was defeated and captured in the battle of Manzikert in 1071.
Excellent work HistoryMarche. This is what is best about UA-cam - thank you for all your hard work.
Many thanks!
This series is one of your best ! Thanks For this man! 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥
Agreed
If you guys could do another video on Kaloyan and the formation of the Second Bulgarian Empire it would be awesome I’d love to learn more on that. Your work is awesome!
I live a few miles away from Veliko Tarnovo and Tsarevets still stands. You should go there, it is magnificent. Hotels are quite cheap and flights do not break the bank!
@@khankrum1this comment was months ago, but I am looking for a place to travel. Would you consider it safe? Is there any heightened chance of harm, like a country like India or Mexico?
@@rosshugecaulk You have absolutely nothing to worry about as long as you use some common sense mate.
Here are some of the key reasons why Basil II is considered one of the greatest Byzantine emperors:
- Military victories - Basil II spent most of his long reign (976-1025 CE) expanding the territories under Byzantine control through extensive military campaigns. He conquered Bulgaria, parts of Georgia and Armenia, Syria, and lands in the Balkans from the Serbs. This greatly strengthened the power and influence of the Byzantine Empire.
- Defeated the Bulgarians - One of Basil's greatest achievements was finally defeating and subjugating the Bulgarians in 1014 CE. The Bulgarians had been a major threat to Byzantium on its northern frontier for centuries until Basil crushed them at the Battle of Kleidion and took 15,000 prisoners.
- Political stability - Despite some challenges from powerful aristocratic families early in his reign, Basil's military successes and firm handling of power meant the empire was largely stable and free from civil wars during his rule. This allowed economic prosperity.
- Administrative reforms - Basil reformed provincial administration and finances. He divided the empire into new military-civilian districts called Themata to provide greater localized defense and control.
- Patron of culture - Basil promoted Byzantine Greek culture and learning. He founded the University of Constantinople, which became the main center of learning in the medieval eastern Christian world.
- Left a strong empire - At the time of Basil's death in 1025 CE, the Byzantine Empire had reached its greatest extent in centuries. His reign marked the peak of Byzantine power and civilization in the medieval period. He left a stable, prosperous empire.
So in summary, Basil II's military conquests, defeats of enemies like the Bulgarians, political stability, administrative reforms, and cultural patronage make him stand out as one of the greatest Byzantine rulers.
wow 😅thanks😅 for the whole essay😅
😅 what I ain't reading allat😂
@@retishe7660Justinian still better😅
Justinian still better 😂
Honestly Basil is underrated
Excellent work thank you HistoryMarche
Much appreciated! Thank you for supporting my work, very kind of you.
The pronunciation of Bulgarian cities was so extraordinary I thought you were swearing at one point
Thanks!
Thank you so much for supporting my work. Very kind of you.
Amazing work HM! love Basil II series!
Hey hey, thank you very much man
Cruelty can't be respected.
The amount of quality content you guys pump out is insane! Thank you.
It was an informative and wonderful historical coverage video about Byzantine emperors ( Basiel II ) Battles, which were the majority of those battles wagered against Bulgarians 🇧🇬 ... thank you 🙏( history Marche) channel for sharing this remarkable episode about emperors ( Basiel II )
Respect to Bulgarians, they faced the most powerful empire in the world and still managed to put up some resistance
Love hearing more about Basil II and his military campaigns. Great video.
Undoubtedly one of my favorite videos on this subject of all time!!!
Amazing good video! I haven't knew this aspects of bulgarian history. Thank you, autor!
Im glad to be a supporter of your channel your content is so addicting. Im rewatching it all over again. You also help with my history classes thank you for all you do!!!
Jezz... I rememeber this bro, nothing better than visiting the good old days
Always a good day when HistoryMarche drops new content.
Really enjoy the videos on the Byzantines especially Basileios Gigachadicus, i hope the series on byzantium dont end and we see a series in the komnenian restoration, there are plenty of videos covering alexios life but few to none cover john II's life and Manuel's life, if your channel covered it it would be great and something new
Basil II, like Heraclius, and later Alexios I, were three men who became the greatest Byzantine Emperors known in history. Unlike Justinian's reign, these men made their enemies fear them while having a good grasp of military science/manpower, economics, and an understanding of the geopolitical situation.
(Edit) For those who want to dispute my comment about Justinian I would recommend Flash Point History's video assessment about Justinian in their amazing Byzantium
video series which takes a more common sense approach regarding the controversial debate during that period.
Wish Heraclitus would've taken the Arabs more seriously from the start. Things would've been different for the empire
The thing with Justinian is that his reign also coincided with one of those devastating plagues and a brief Ice Age, stuff like that tends to throw things off giving some leeway or even some extra credit for what he was able to achieve regardless of those disasters.
*Heraclius not Heraclitus
Id say that a proper emperor should be in the palace and not risk his life on the battlefield. That shows that the system is working. During Basil’s or Alexius’ time, they had to be the head of the army or risk getting deposed. This shows how broken their system was.
Basil II and Justinian are better than Heraclius. Heraclius is one of the worst Emperors in terms of the loss that occured during his reign with most of the Empire's richest provinces permanently lost to the Arabs.
Imagine the love Samuil had for his soldiers that had him killed seeing them blended
Always appreciate your history documentaries!
Let's go!!! HistoryMarche just uploaded!
Yoo man I love your channel and your narrating voice, it’s so dramatic better than watching a move to be honest for real man keep it up 👍
Good job, @HistoryMarche
amazing as always, loved it!
Thank you for these amazing videos!
Wow,I wish I could learn the whole history this way.thank you so much for this joy
Thats a great series,I definitely look forward to watching the next episode as soon as its out!Great job!
Btw,are you going to continue the Hannibal series?
Basil II Playlist: ua-cam.com/play/PLWwyDn76LiH1ILQgm32Kyqj3-_FBluiPW.html
Yes sir, working on Hannibal part 20. I have 4 revisions of it, but it's looking good.
@@HistoryMarche That's Great!!!Thanks HM
@@HistoryMarche niice. I love that series
Seriously you're documentaries on eastern Roman history are definitely the most detailed. And I have been studying ancient and medieval Roman history for quite a long time.
Thank you!
Wonderful story and great presentation, definitely expanded my knowledge of the Byzantium history of the era. 👍 Excellent teaching tool IMO. Thx.
Great work as always! Thank you HistoryMarche
Fantastic series
Always love your videos - this one no exception!!
Great video!
Thank you.
I absolutely love this channel
I very much appreciated this video!
Thx you make history more fun!
Incredible documentary as always
Great content, as always!
Great series man
Yet he was deceived...
In time, another "slayer" would emerge...
This time a - "Roman Slayer" 🥶😈
Props to the great series. Would love for you to cover the later Bulgarian resistance up to the independence gained in the 12th-13th century.
This is an amazing series and i hope you guys do more series on byzantine emperors (like Alexios komnenos or maybe Manuel I)
Love ur videos..Basil was definitely the Bulgaria slayer, the wise and warrior emperor. Love the fact that mentioned my ancestors the Albanians.
Bitola, Ohrid. So much more interesting as we were just in these cities last summer. ❤️
Just an small correction, bellow the image of Samuel it says Krum but he was not part of that dynasty, the last tsar of that family was his predecessor, tsar Roman.
In fact he was most probably part of the Krum dinasty. The rank of his father shows that as well as the names his family used (Gavril and Presian). Some roman sources also suggest such conection.
And now comes Basil's campaign at Caucasus, against the Iberians (today's Georgia), and the battle at Ovest, in Italy, against the Longobards and the Normans (2nd Battle of Cannae in 1018 SD)!
Pretty rare and incredible to hear about such a well executed ambush fail and turn into a slaughter of the ambushers- really just goes to once again prove that morale is perhaps the most important factor in any battle, for both sides.
Another great video. Thanks!
Very informative ❤
10:49 I like the statement: " The Bulgarian fort of Tsetina"! :)
Nicely done!
I very much enjoyed your video and I gave it a Thumbs Up
Thank you very much!
@@HistoryMarcheyou're the Best 🎉🎉🎉🎉❤❤❤
The Bulgars were quite helpful back in 717!
We created the cyrilic alphabet. After the ottomans occupied Bulgaria for 500 years, now we are the bottom of Europe, while we were on the top before :( This is what will happen to Western Europe in they keep accepting muslims and arabs. So sad
Interesting. I thought that Kleidion was the effective end of Rome's Bulgarian problem. I'm rarely more happy to be corrected than with videos like this.
Basil II, the Orthodox Christian version of Cao Cao-a great warrior and conqueror, a capable administrator who loved his army and worked to preserve them against the power of the local elite, and a terror to those who fought him, leaving behind a stable foundation that his later successors squandered. I bet the two men would've had a lot to talk about in the next world.
🇬🇪🤝🇬🇷 გამარჯობა ბერძნებს საქართველოდან ჩვენ არ გვავიწყდება თორნიკე ერისთავი 🇬🇷🇬🇪❤❤❤❤
one hell of an emperor and a great manager across the board for the empire
I think this is the first time I ever saw good reconnaissance actively hurting the war effort.
I totally expected the scout to report that Basil was advancing with the rest of the army and Ivan casually ordering his troops back to the fortified camp.
awesome! I love playing age of empires 2 and watching HistoryMarche. Makes playing and watching so immersive
Great episode! Really puts you in the minds of the people that were alive at the time. I could feel the embarrassment and hatred of Samuels sons after the defeat, Basil, What a legend.
History always repeats itself. How about Kaloyan, rex Bulgarorum et Blachorum, ἐκ Θεοῦ ἄρχον. Who won, after all this blood, for our land?
One of the best Roman Emperor ever! We really need a movie about his life !
Great vid!!! Any news on the Hannibal video???
Working on part 20, 4th revision lol. But it's looking good.
@@HistoryMarche That's great!! Thanks a lot for all your hard work, we all really appreciate it
Thank you for another amazing video! If I may humbly offer one critique, it seems your East vs West is backwards. At 8:05 you say Northwestern fringes while it appears to be in the Northeastern fringes of the shrinking Bulgarian Tsardom. I have noticed this in other videos as well. But honestly you could call it Uppity lefty fringes and I’d still watch every video you will ever make lol, thank you again for your hard work and dedication!
It shows how unintelligent most kings, tsars, emperors, etc. were. Basil’s strategies and tactics seem obvious, but so few used a similar MO.
this was a great series about possibly the best emperor in byzantine history
Netflix needs a series on this period of time
Yeah imagine a documentary on John II Komnenos, it would easily make 5 seasons, during his life he won more than 40 battles and sieges
Wishful thinking, but it will not happen.
Careful what you wish for because we just might see a non-binary Pansexual Asian as Basil II.
hello, i was very interested in the story of boudicca, i think it would make a great and epic video using your style of narative
Please complete Hannibal series
Thank you tooo
გამარჯობა საქართველოდან ბერძნებს 👋👋👋
My sacrifice ❤.
This small cavalry force of 200 mounted knights at the battle of Setina is very important for the European history because this force was fully plated and armored, including the horses, the first one of the modern European history. They all survived the battle when exhausted and surrounded had to surrender.
Krakra very strong !!!
You got it wrong! Samuel is not from the Krum dynasty. The last 2 representatives from that dynasty were Romanos and Boris the 2nd
Its probably a typo when they were making the video. Don't dwell on it
🐐 of UA-cam 🔥🔥🔥
I love the Basil II series. Looking forward to the next installment. Thank you very much. And thank your for the addition of "the SO-CALLED" to the psycheist slur attached to Al-Hakim's name. Much appreciated from a person with a psychological disability.
No notes at the end? (I always like the insight information of the characters or background stories)
"The cities garrison comprised soldiers mustered from all corners ..." This is how you use the verb "comprise" correctly.
Top 3 history channel
My sacrifice for another amazing video 😁
Its a matter of example,we can mention 1000, The Hellenic example is one of the most valuable if not the most.
The only negative thing about Basil the II was that he doubled the themas (provinces with an army from 30-59) so there was not much troops and he expanded the standing army (Tagma)and not the thema army
He did not start that policy, the soldier Emperors since the Reign of Romanos Lekapenos did. And those smaller administrations were united under regional commands called Doukaton/Katapantes.
Basil instead has ironically been said to have made the army too large as the Byzantine State couldn’t sustain it without conquests.
They were not thousand warriors lose they eyes but 10,000 . On each 100 man there was left only one warrior with one eye who to show the path to the others. Just imagine the picture.
Nobody truly knows. It is a speculation.
PLS UPDATE IF HANNIBAL GET NEW EPISODES OR NO???
HAVE YOU GIVEN UP ON HANNIBAL CAMPAIGN??????
Ya. We need that
Basil II was literally one step ahead of the Bulgarians
Great video as usual. What are the tools you are using to create these extraordinary maps and animations?
Great job, really enjoyed that. Are there any surviving Pechengs alive today?
Probably not, the pechenegs were a HUGE force and had immense power but after the battles of levounion and beroia they lost more than 100.000 men, after that they ceased to be an independent nation and slowly fell into non-existence
@@TheIronChancellor Source: Trust me, brother, I was with them in the battle
16:38 Well, that a true explanation for the Bulgarian nature of Ohrid Archiepiscopy.
The Pechenegs, one of Emperor Basil II's most formidable foes, in the Battle of Setina. For many years, the Pechenegs posed a menace to the Byzantine Empire through their frequent raids. They used lances, axes, and arrows in their furious combat. They also employed a novel strategy of establishing mobile bases and fortifications utilizing carts. However, Basil II defeated the Pechenegs and established his eastern boundary by using his superior troops, discipline, and tactics. Additionally, he made Kurya, their leader, an ally by capturing him.
Basil da great
He was conqueror like TRAJAN , he was reformer like ANTONINUS PIUS , he was in power for a long time like OCTAVIAN AUGUSTUS .
Basil was a Badass.