Battle of Apros

Battle of Apros
Date July 1305 Location Apros, Thrace Result Catalan victory
Belligerents
Byzantine Empire	Catalan Company
Commanders and leaders
Michael IX	Unknown
Strength
6,000	2,500

The Battle of Apros occurred between the forces of the Byzantine Empire, under co-emperor Michael IX Palaiologos, and the forces of the Catalan Company, at Apros on July 1305.

Background

Before the Battle of Apros, the Catalan company was originally owned by Roger de Flor, a former member of the Templar Order. Roger's mercenary group fought for Frederick of Sicily against the Anjou family for control of the island. When the war ended with the Peace of Caltabellotta on August 31, 1302, Roger's Catalan soldiers lost their jobs and needed new work. Roger decided to send messengers to the Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II, who required assistance because his lands were under attack by the Turks. Once the emperor accepted the offer, the mercenaries received higher wages. Andronikos didn’t realize that by hiring them, he was bringing in a group that would become just as dangerous as the Turks: the Catalan Company itself (Bachrach 120).

Shortly after, Michael IX Palaiologos, the son and co-emperor, raised an army to fight the Turks but suffered defeat (1294–1320). He then moved to the western parts of the empire, where he defeated the Bulgarians and later fought against the Catalan Company. After the Catalan Company came to Constantinople, trouble started quickly. Shortly after their arrival, some Catalans fought with the Genoese traders, ultimately leading to a small battle. The Catalans began fighting the Alan soldiers because the Catalans were paid more money, which made the Alans angry.

The Catalan Company had been hired by the Byzantines as mercenaries against the Turks, but despite the Catalans' successes against the Turks, the two allies distrusted each other, and their relationship was strained by the Catalans' financial demands. Eventually, Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos and his son and co-ruler Michael IX had the Catalan leader, Roger de Flor, assassinated with his entourage in April 1305.

Preparations

Leading up to the battle, although the Catalans, Alans, and Byzantine army worked together to fight off the Turks, their teamwork changed into a dispute once the Catalans began stealing from people, attacking villages, and even attacking a Byzantine city called Magnesia.

After seeing this, the emperor, Andronikos, quickly called the Catalans back to Europe, where they took control of the Gallipoli area. The emperor gave Roger de Flor, their leader, an important title to keep their support and planned to send the Catalans back to fight the Turks. Before they left, Roger visited Michael IX, the emperor’s son, near Adrianople. During the visit, the Alans killed Roger and many other Catalans outside Gallipoli. This started a big war between the Catalan Company and the Byzantine Empire, making things worse in the region (Bachrach 121).

Battle

The combat was fought near Apros in 1305, marking the name “Battle of Apros”.  The Company had two types of soldiers: knights on horses and Almogavars, who were special foot soldiers. The Almogavars fought close together against heavily armored knights. They used weapons like crossbows, javelins, and darts, carried shields, and were good at fighting with spears, swords, and daggers. These soldiers were supported by the mounted crossbowmen and light-armed horsemen in combat. On the other side of the forces, Alan's troops were made up of skilled horse archers. The battle took place in an urban area. When the Catalans met their enemies, they used their shields and buildings for protection. From there, they threw javelins and shot arrows at the horse archers. The Alans attempted to fight back with their horse archers, using their long distance to try to put pressure on the Catalans' troops, but it failed to work. Ultimately, after the fight, the battle resulted in the Catalans' great victory against the Byzantine Empire (Bachrach 122-123).

In July, the Byzantine army, comprising a large contingent of Alans as well as many Turcopoles, confronted the Catalans and their own Turkish allies near Apros in Thrace. Despite the Imperial Army's numerical superiority, the Alans withdrew after the first charge, whereupon the Turcopoles deserted en bloc to the Catalans. Prince Michael was injured and left the field and the Catalans won the day.

The Catalans proceeded to ravage Thrace for two years, before moving west and south through Thessaly, to conquer the Latin Duchy of Athens in 1311.

References

Bibliography

• Bartusis, Mark C. (1997). The Late Byzantine Army: Arms and Society 1204–1453. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania: University of Pennsylvania Press. pp. 79–82. ISBN 0-8122-1620-2.
• Kanellopoulos, Nikolaos S.; Lekea, Ioanna K. (2014). "Prelude to Kephissos (1311): An Analysis of the Battle of Apros (1305)". Journal of Medieval Military History. XII. Woodbridge: The Boydell Press: 119–137. ISBN 978-1-84383-936-1. ISSN 1477-545X.
• Bachrach, Bernard S., et al. “Contents.” Edited by Clifford J. Rogers et al. Journal of Medieval Military History, vol. xii–12, 31 Dec. 2014, pp. 119–138, https://doi.org/10.1515/9781782043126-toc.