Byzantine army and fleet 2,000 Serbian/Cuman cavalry Genoese fleet
Casualties and losses
Heavy, few survivors
Unknown
The Battle of Gallipoli was fought at the end of 1312[1] or in 1313,[2] between the Byzantines and the Turcopoles led by Halil Pasha.[1] For two years, Thrace was occupied by Halil Pasha[1] (or Halil Edje).[3] Earlier, Byzantine Emperor Michael IX Palaiologos had raised an army which defeated the Turcopoles, and confined them to a fortified camp in the Gallipoli peninsula.[2] These Turcopoles numbered less than 2,000.[1] Michael next asked assistance from his son-in-law, Serbian King Stefan Milutin, and received a 2,000-strong Serbian cavalry troop (possibly Cumans or Serbian heavy cavalry).[a] Milutin had earlier subdued the Turcopoles that took refuge in Serbia.[2] The Byzantine and Genoese ships completed the blockade,[2] the Genoese preventing the Turcopoles from escaping by sea.[1] The Turcopoles first made unsuccessful attempts at breaking free, but decided to surrender to the Genoese, thinking they would not be harsh.[2] However, in the night, by mistake, many Turcopoles fell into the hands of the Byzantines, who slaughtered them and took their belongings.[2] The Genoese executed only those Turcopoles that had many valuables, so they could not get into the hands of the Byzantines, and the rest they sold as slaves.[6] Halil and his men were all massacred.[1] The Serbian contingent took share in the spoils.[3] The Turcopoles had heavy casualties,[1] with few survivors returning to Byzantine service, though little is heard of them afterwards.[5] The victory was made a poem by Manuel Philes.[6] In two chrysobullsofAndronikos II Palaiologos to the Serbian Hilandar monastery, dating to October 1313 and July 1317, he showed gratitude to Stefan Milutin for his aid, as detailed in the prefaces.[7]
^Milutin lent Michael 2,000 cavalry troops.[1][2] According to Danilo II, Archbishop of Serbs (1324–37), these were Milutin's relatives and friends, yet not impossible these cavalry consisted of Cuman warriors.[4] According to the historian Mark Bartusis, these were possibly Cumans earlier lent to the Byzantines,[5] while Hungarian Turkologist István Vásáry mentioned the possibility as well, correlating with later mentions of Cumans in Byzantine service.[4] According to this view, the 2,000 Cumans arrived as allied troops sent by Milutin, then settled the lands and became reserve troops.[4] Byzantinist Nikolaos Oikonomides mentions the cavalry as Serbian, as the first of two sent by Milutin.[2]