Michael Shishman of Bulgaria - Relations With Serbia

Relations With Serbia

The divorce with Anna Neda in 1324 worsened the relations between Bulgaria and Serbia which had been cordial since the beginning of the 14th century. Anna Neda had to leave the capital Tarnovo with her sons and sought refuge from her brother Stephen Dečanski, the king of Serbia. Dečanski, who was engaged in war against his cousin Stephen Vladislav II, was in no position to oppose Michael Shishman. The Bulgarian emperor even acknowledged his rival as King of Serbia but his help to Vladislav was insufficient. In the spring of 1324 Dečanski sent the future Serbian archbishop Danilo II to negotiate with the Bulgarian emperor in Tarnovo but his mission was inconclusive. The two countries were again on the opposite sides in the Byzantine civil war when the Bulgarians allied with Andronikos III while the Serbs supported his grandfather.

After the agreement with Andronikos III in 1329, Michael Shishman started preparations to attack while the Serbs were pillaging the areas around Ohrid. According to the Serbian chroniclers, he arrogantly demanded the submission of the Serbian king and threatened to "set up his throne in the middle of the Serbian land". In 1330, expecting to join the army of Andronikos III advancing from the south, Michael Shishman marched on Serbia with a large force of 15,000 troops, including reinforcements from his vassals and allies from Wallachia and Moldavia. At first he headed to Vidin, where historians believe he wanted to join forces with the soldiers of his brother Belaur, and then marched to the south. Due to poor coordination with the Byzantines, the Bulgarian army met the Serbs, whose army numbered 15,000 men as well, alone near Velbazhd (Kyustendil). On a personal meeting, the two rulers agreed to a one-day truce as both were expecting reinforcements. Backed on the agreement, Michael Shishman allowed his army to disperse in search for provisions. However, in the morning of 28 July, the main Serbian reinforcements, 1,000 heavily armed Catalan horsemen under the command of the King's son Stephen Dušan arrived, and the Serbs broke their word and attacked the Bulgarians. Despite the unexpected assault, Michael Shishman tried to bring his army to order but it was too late and the Serbs were victorious. The outcome of the battle shaped the balance of power in the Balkans for the next decades to come and although Bulgaria did not lose territory, the Serbs could occupy much of Macedonia.