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Avar-Byzantine War

Type Event Region Europe Time 568–602

From 567 CE onward, after settling in Pannonia, the Avar tribal confederation entered into prolonged military conflict with the Eastern Roman Empire.…

Timeline

  1. 568–570Pannonian frontier · PannoniaAfter the Lombards migrated south to Italy, Avar khagan Bayan led his people into Pannonia and immediately presented Byzantine envoys with demands for territorial cessions and enormous tribute; after the empire refused, relations between the two sides rapidly deteriorated.
  2. 570–585Sirmium · SerbiaAvar cavalry repeatedly crossed the Danube to raid Byzantine fortresses, besieging strategic strongholds such as Sirmium. Byzantine frontier forces and Avar-Slavic coalitions fought back and forth on both banks of the Danube, and the empire was forced to pay tribute to secure temporary truces.
  3. 580–600Middle Danube · Danube BasinThe Avars simultaneously competed with the Frankish Kingdom for influence in Central Europe and drove their Slavic vassals to pressure Byzantium. Byzantium attempted to ally with the Franks and Bulgars to counterbalance the Avars, forming a complex multi-party diplomatic and military landscape.

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