64:
1304:
48:
1093:
814:
417:
1000:
429:
405:) that have been unearthed in the eastern part of the castle are equally old as the fortifications. A well tower was positioned in the vicinity of the river in order to control access to the fortress and provide water for the defenders. An ancient bridge crossed the river near the tower, and an underground passage served as another way for the inhabitants to enter or leave Markeli.
441:
348:
71:
389:
Archaeological research of the fortress has been conducted since 1986. It has revealed that the castle was built in Late
Antiquity (the early Byzantine period). The fortifications were constructed out of crushed stones with integrated rows of bricks and are thought to date to the reign of either
287:. Constantine V's army advanced into Thrace and was engaged by Bulgarian forces at Markeli, which at the time was a border fortress. The Byzantines came out victorious in the skirmish, and to prevent a further invasion, the Bulgarian ruler Vineh had to send hostages to Constantinople.
398:(527–565), i.e. the late 5th to mid-6th century. The ramparts were up to 10 metres (33 ft) high and had over 3-metre (9.8 ft) ditches before them. The entire fortress, including the embankments dating to the early 9th century, had an area of 173 acres (0.70 km).
253:. It would often change hands between Bulgarians and Byzantines, who would use it as a favourable starting point for military campaigns southwards and northwards respectively. Markeli first came under Bulgarian rule in 705, when it, together with the whole region of
302:
each invading foreign territory in the past few years. Due to strategic errors, the
Byzantines suffered a heavy blow in this battle. Some of the emperor's personal servants and eminent
1328:
802:
1081:
359:), on the western tip of the Hisar highland, which is part of the southeastern Balkan Mountains. The stronghold's location was selected so as to defend the
315:'s forces departed from Markeli in their ill-fated invasion of Bulgaria, which saw the emperor being killed at the hands of the Bulgarians in the
96:
780:
768:
743:
638:
605:
554:
488:
1059:
795:
507:
63:
1074:
672:"Маркели — древният страж на старопланинските проходи ("Markeli — the ancient guardian of the Balkan Mountain passes")"
294:. The second battle of Marcellae came during a long period of aggression between Byzantium and Bulgaria, with Bulgarian ruler
1323:
788:
479:
428:
291:
149:
1333:
1067:
1097:
844:
1338:
979:
929:
874:
1030:
959:
919:
854:
849:
416:
230:
153:
1343:
949:
974:
312:
761:
History of the
Eastern Empire from the Fall of Irene to the Accession of Basil: A.D. 802-867, Parts 802-867
440:
374:
crossing the mountains. The area was inhabited before the castle's construction, as indicated by traces of
899:
391:
246:
202:
1268:
1148:
1128:
944:
818:
1273:
1158:
511:
1035:
234:
157:
703:
630:
370:. It was the starting point of a chain of Bulgarian fortifications along the route to the capital
1293:
1223:
1168:
1153:
1133:
324:
295:
284:
245:
Markeli acquired its strategic importance in the late 7th century, when the establishment of the
170:
1118:
735:
546:
1238:
1198:
1188:
1178:
964:
914:
884:
764:
739:
634:
601:
578:
550:
503:
484:
474:
265:
515:
1183:
909:
727:
622:
316:
250:
198:
17:
1303:
1253:
1243:
1208:
889:
570:
308:
were killed by the
Bulgarians, who also captured the emperor's tent, treasury and horses.
254:
206:
34:
623:
229:. It was the site of two notable medieval battles between Byzantines and Bulgarians, the
1228:
1163:
1113:
1108:
539:
299:
280:
214:
190:
178:
1317:
1143:
728:
671:
367:
364:
268:
47:
383:
320:
258:
999:
271:
organized a campaign against
Bulgaria. The previous year, Bulgarian forces under
395:
375:
249:
and its expansion turned it into a vital frontier stronghold just south of the
1248:
984:
969:
869:
339:). The fortress was manned and populated until some time in the 12th century.
205:
frontier stronghold, the ruins of which are located in
Karnobat Municipality,
582:
111:
98:
1263:
1123:
894:
879:
360:
328:
304:
272:
218:
347:
1213:
1173:
1138:
1092:
939:
829:
813:
402:
379:
226:
210:
38:
730:
The other Europe in the Middle Ages: Avars, Bulgars, Khazars, and Cumans
508:"Крепостта Маркели спасява Плиска ("The Markeli Fortress saves Pliska")"
355:
Markeli is situated near the
Mochuritsa River (a major tributary of the
1278:
924:
904:
864:
859:
356:
1283:
1258:
1233:
1203:
1193:
954:
371:
332:
276:
1288:
989:
934:
346:
222:
1063:
784:
16:"Marcellae" redirects here. For the Marcellae sisters, see
290:
In 792, Markeli was once more in the centre of a major
577:(in Bulgarian). София: Наука и изкуство. p. 270.
283:, though by 756 the Bulgarian throne was occupied by
52:
Markeli's Well Tower on the banks of the
Mochuritsa.
1044:
1023:
1007:
837:
575:История на българската държава през средните векове
145:
140:
132:
127:
90:
25:
598:Greek East and Latin West: the church, AD 681-1071
538:
434:Part of the defensive wall with a tower entrance.
721:
719:
717:
541:Southeastern Europe in the Middle Ages, 500-1250
1075:
796:
8:
1329:Buildings and structures in Burgas Province
600:. St Vladimir's Seminary Pres. p. 63.
1082:
1068:
1060:
803:
789:
781:
665:
663:
661:
659:
22:
704:"Book VII: War with the Scyths (1087-90)"
483:, Oxford University Press, p. 1300,
351:Ruins of the basilica within the castle.
335:who had pitched their tents at Markeli (
327:had conflicts and negotiations with the
457:
412:
386:burial mounds in the surrounding area.
70:
545:. Cambridge University Press. p.
726:Curta, Florin; Roman Kovalev (2008).
469:
467:
465:
463:
461:
7:
14:
401:The ruins of a Christian church (
1302:
1091:
998:
812:
573:(1970). Петър Хр. Петров (ed.).
439:
427:
415:
69:
62:
46:
706:. In Elizabeth A. Dawes (ed.).
323:writes that in 1089 her father
480:Oxford Dictionary of Byzantium
1:
629:. Osprey Publishing. p.
625:Byzantium at war: AD 600-1453
422:Overview of the castle ruins.
763:. Cosimo, Inc. p. 339.
670:Стоянов, Юлий (2007-06-26).
292:Byzantine–Bulgarian conflict
708:The Alexiad of Anna Comnena
477:, ed. (1991), "Markellai",
446:Cross section of a rampart.
257:, was ceded to Bulgaria by
1360:
235:Battle of Marcellae of 792
231:Battle of Marcellae of 756
225:) from the modern town of
217:, the castle lay some 7.5
15:
1300:
1104:
996:
825:
182:
174:
154:Battle of Marcellae (756)
112:42.6376333°N 26.8965222°E
57:
45:
32:
621:Haldon, John F. (2002).
343:Location and description
279:and reached the capital
275:had plundered Byzantine
150:Byzantine–Bulgarian Wars
1036:2nd Battle of Marcellae
1031:1st Battle of Marcellae
692:Златарски, pp. 330–331.
653:Златарски, pp. 316–317.
313:Nikephoros I Logothetes
710:. Medieval Sourcebook.
596:Louth, Andrew (2007).
537:Curta, Florin (2006).
352:
298:and Byzantine Emperor
247:First Bulgarian Empire
194:
117:42.6376333; 26.8965222
1324:Karnobat Municipality
1149:Castra ad Montanesium
1129:Belogradchik Fortress
819:Karnobat Municipality
674:(in Bulgarian). Черга
350:
759:Bury, J. B. (2008).
319:. Byzantine scholar
1334:Castles in Bulgaria
1098:Castles in Bulgaria
158:Battle of Marcellae
108: /
1224:Matochina Fortress
1134:Bozhenishki Urvich
518:on 29 October 2013
475:Kazhdan, Alexander
353:
325:Alexios I Komnenos
1339:Forts in Bulgaria
1311:
1310:
1239:Palace of Omurtag
1179:Kipilovo Fortress
1057:
1056:
915:Krumovo Gradishte
770:978-1-60520-421-5
745:978-90-04-16389-8
734:. BRILL. p.
640:978-1-84176-360-6
607:978-0-88141-320-5
556:978-0-521-81539-0
504:Димитров, Божидар
490:978-0-19-504652-6
266:Byzantine Emperor
197:) was a medieval
164:
163:
1351:
1306:
1184:Kovachevsko kale
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1070:
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587:
586:
571:Златарски, Васил
567:
561:
560:
544:
534:
528:
527:
525:
523:
514:. Archived from
510:(in Bulgarian).
500:
494:
493:
471:
443:
431:
419:
382:settlements and
317:Battle of Pliska
251:Balkan Mountains
184:
176:
128:Site information
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122:
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119:
118:
113:
109:
106:
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104:
101:
73:
72:
66:
50:
41:
23:
18:Claudia Marcella
1359:
1358:
1354:
1353:
1352:
1350:
1349:
1348:
1344:Byzantine forts
1314:
1313:
1312:
1307:
1298:
1254:Shumen Fortress
1209:Lovech Fortress
1119:Asen's Fortress
1100:
1090:
1088:
1058:
1053:
1040:
1019:
1003:
994:
890:Ekzarh Antimovo
833:
821:
811:
809:
779:
778:
771:
758:
757:
753:
746:
725:
724:
715:
702:Comnena, Anna.
701:
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675:
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459:
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447:
444:
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432:
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368:mountain passes
345:
243:
209:, southeastern
207:Burgas Province
116:
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35:Burgas Province
33:
27:
21:
12:
11:
5:
1357:
1355:
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1229:Mezek Fortress
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1221:
1216:
1211:
1206:
1201:
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1191:
1186:
1181:
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1164:Gate of Trajan
1161:
1156:
1151:
1146:
1141:
1136:
1131:
1126:
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1116:
1114:Asara Fortress
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1109:Anevo Fortress
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1087:
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1052:
1051:
1048:
1046:
1045:Notable people
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506:(2005-12-19).
495:
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300:Constantine VI
281:Constantinople
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215:Late Antiquity
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1144:Castra Martis
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978:
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732:
731:
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664:
662:
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656:
650:
647:
642:
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603:
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458:
451:
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397:
394:(491–518) or
393:
387:
385:
384:Ancient Roman
381:
377:
373:
369:
366:
362:
358:
349:
342:
340:
338:
334:
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326:
322:
318:
314:
309:
307:
306:
301:
297:
293:
288:
286:
282:
278:
274:
270:
269:Constantine V
267:
262:
260:
256:
252:
248:
240:
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228:
224:
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121:
103:26°53′47.48″E
100:42°38′15.48″N
93:
89:
65:
56:
49:
44:
40:
36:
31:
24:
19:
1218:
1014:
828:
760:
754:
729:
707:
697:
688:
676:. Retrieved
649:
624:
616:
597:
591:
574:
565:
540:
532:
520:. Retrieved
516:the original
498:
478:
400:
392:Anastasius I
388:
354:
336:
321:Anna Komnene
310:
303:
289:
263:
259:Justinian II
244:
213:. Dating to
186:
166:
165:
141:Site history
945:San Stefano
678:27 December
522:27 December
396:Justinian I
376:prehistoric
115: /
91:Coordinates
1318:Categories
1269:Trapezitsa
1249:Perperikon
985:Zhitosvyat
970:Tserkovski
870:Devetintsi
845:Asparuhovo
452:References
219:kilometres
1294:Vishegrad
1274:Tsarevets
1264:Storgosia
1169:Hisarlaka
1159:Devingrad
1124:Baba Vida
1008:Landmarks
980:Zheleznik
930:Nevestino
895:Hadzhiite
880:Dragantsi
875:Dobrinovo
827:Capital:
583:405296440
337:Marcellae
329:Pechenegs
305:strategoi
273:Kormisosh
203:Bulgarian
199:Byzantine
195:Marcellae
187:Markellai
183:Μαρκέλλαι
171:Bulgarian
133:Condition
1214:Lyutitsa
1174:Kaliakra
1139:Byalgrad
960:Sokolovo
940:Raklitsa
920:Krushovo
855:Detelina
850:Cherkovo
838:Villages
830:Karnobat
512:Стандарт
403:basilica
380:Iron Age
365:Varbitsa
311:In 811,
264:In 756,
233:and the
227:Karnobat
211:Bulgaria
136:In ruins
39:Bulgaria
1279:Tsepina
1219:Markeli
1154:Cherven
1024:Culture
1015:Markeli
965:Smolnik
950:Sarnevo
925:Madrino
905:Klikach
885:Dragovo
865:Devetak
860:Glumche
409:Gallery
357:Tundzha
241:History
175:Маркели
167:Markeli
79:Маркели
77:Markeli
28:Маркели
26:Markeli
1284:Urvich
1259:Sostra
1244:Patmos
1234:Monyak
1204:Lardea
1199:Ktenia
1194:Krivus
1189:Krasen
975:Venets
955:Sigmen
910:Kozare
767:
742:
637:
604:
581:
553:
487:
372:Pliska
333:Cumans
296:Kardam
277:Thrace
255:Zagore
160:(792))
146:Events
1289:Ustra
990:Zimen
935:Ognen
900:Iskra
285:Vineh
223:miles
221:(4.7
191:Latin
179:Greek
765:ISBN
740:ISBN
680:2009
635:ISBN
602:ISBN
579:OCLC
551:ISBN
524:2009
485:ISBN
378:and
363:and
361:Rish
331:and
201:and
736:198
1320::
738:.
716:^
658:^
633:.
631:20
549:.
547:85
460:^
261:.
237:.
193::
189:;
185:,
181::
177:;
173::
156:,
37:,
1083:e
1076:t
1069:v
804:e
797:t
790:v
773:.
748:.
682:.
643:.
610:.
585:.
559:.
526:.
169:(
152:(
20:.
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
