Siege of Braničevo (1154)

Siege of Braničevo (1154)

Background
Emperor Manuel's cousin, Andronikos Komnenos, who administered Belgrade, Braničevo and Niš sent a letter to Géza II in 1154, offering to hand over those towns to him in exchange for his support against the emperor. Géza II sent his envoys to Sicily to sign a new alliance with William I of Sicily around the end of the year, but William I was fighting with his rebellious subjects.

Siege of Braničevo
Although Andronikos' plot was discovered and he was captured, Géza II invaded the Byzantine Empire and laid siege Braničevo in late 1154. Géza II was aided by Cumans, who had been raiding the Danube at the time. As a Hungarian vassal, Borić, the ban of Bosnia took part, alongside a Bohemian detachment, in the attack. Braničevo was besieged and the surroundings were ravaged. After hearing of the imprisonment of Andronikos, Géza II abandoned the siege and returned for Hungary.

Battle near Belgrade
Manuel answered by dispatched troops towards the battlefield. Through Serdica (Sofia) and Niš, Manuel arrived in the Smilis province near Paraćin where he set up camp. The Hungarian Army retreated towards Belgrade. The pursuing Byzantine troops, under general Basil Tzintziluces, entered into battle with them, but the Byzantines were annihilated before the Hungarians returned to Hungary.

Aftermath
In early 1155, the Byzantine and Hungarian envoys signed a new peace treaty. In the same year, a Byzantine army expelled Géza II's ally, Desa, from Rascia and restored Uroš II who had promised that he would not enter into an alliance with Hungary.