Emperor
Nikephoros II receives a Bulgarian embassy led by Prince
Boris (the son of Tsar
Peter I of Bulgaria), with a plea for help against the invading
Kievan Rus'. Nikephoros, occupied in the East, is unable to support him. Instead he sends envoys to summon the
Pechenegs to aid Boris. They
besiege Kiev, but Grand Prince
Sviatoslav I (on campaign in Bulgaria) returns with a Kievan relief force, and defeats the Pechenegs. He drives them out into the
Steppe, and sets up
viceroys to rule his Rus' territory.[1]
Europe
Spring – Emperor
Otto I (the Great) travels to
Capua to meet there with
ambassadors of Nikephoros II, who again reiterate their friendship, but refuse to consent to his
dowry demands (see
967). Otto invades the Byzantine
Theme of Langobardia with a
Lombard expeditionary force. With the assistance of
Benevento-
Capua and naval support from
Pisa, Otto attempts to take
Bari by assault, but Byzantine resistance is stiff, and Otto withdraws back to
Ravenna.
Battle of Silistra: A Kievan army (60,000 men) led by Sviatoslav I crosses the
Lower Danube and defeats the Bulgarians at
Silistra. He occupies most of the
Dobruja by seizing 80 fortresses in northeastern Bulgaria. They are looted and destroyed but not permanently occupied. During the winter, Sviatoslav transfers the capital from Kiev to
Pereyaslavets.
Pandulf I (Ironhead), a Lombard prince, takes over the territory of Benevento and Capua after the death of his brother
Landulf III. He appoints his son
Landulf IV as co-prince of Benevento, and disinherits
Pandulf II (a son of Landulf III) as lord of
Sant'Agata (located northeast of
Naples).