Battle of Boruy

Infobox Military Conflict


caption=
conflict= Battle of Boruy
partof= Bulgarian-Latin Wars
date=June, 1208
place= Stara Zagora
territory=
result= Bulgarian victory
combatant1=
combatant2=
commander1= Boril
commander2= Henry of Flanders
strength1= Unknown
strength2= Unknown
casualties1= Unknown
casualties2= Heavy

The battle of Boruy ( _bg. Битка при Боруй) took place in June 1208 near the city of Stara Zagora, Bulgaria between the Bulgarians and the Latin Empire. It resulted in a Bulgarian victory.

Origins of the conflict

In the summer of 1208 the new Emperor of Bulgaria Boris who continued to war of his predecessor Kaloyan against the Latin Empire invaded Eastern Thrace. The Latin Emperor Henry gathered an army in Silivri and headed to Odrin.

The battle

Upon the news of the Crusader's march the Bulgarians retreated to better positions in the area of Boruy (Stara Zagora). In the night they sent the captured Byzantines and the spoil to the north of the Balkan mountains and moved in a battle formation near the Latin camp which was not fortified. At dawn they suddenly attacked the enemy. The Crusaders who were in duty started a fierce fight to give time for the rest to prepare for battle. While most of the Latins formed their squads they suffered heavy casualties inflicted by the numerous and well-experienced Bulgarian archers before putting their armour. In the mean time the cavalry managed to go roung the Latin flangs and attacked their main forces. In the battle that followed the Crusaders lost many men and Emperor Henry himself was lariated and barely escaped from captivity - a knight managed to cut the rope with his sword and protected Henry with his heavy-armoured body from the Bulgarian arrows. In the end the Crusaders forced to Bulgarian cavalry to pull backed and then the Latin army began to retreat to Plovdiv in battle formation.

Aftermath

The retreat continued for 12 days in which the Bulgarians closely followed and harassed their opponents inflicting casualties mainly to the Latin rear-guard which was saved several times from complete collapse by the main Crusader forces. However, near Plovdiv the Crusaders finally accepted the battle and the Bulgarians were defeated.

References

*Йордан Андреев, Милчо Лалков, Българските ханове и царе, Велико Търново, 1996.