Siege of Braničevo

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.^[1] 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.^[2]

Although Andronikos' plot was discovered and he was captured, Géza II invaded the Byzantine Empire and laid siege to Braničevo fortress [sr] in late 1154.^[3][4] Géza II was aided by Cumans, who had been raiding the Danube at the time.^[5] As a Hungarian vassal, Borić, the ban of Bosnia took part in the attack, alongside a Bohemian detachment.^[6][7] Braničevo was besieged and the surroundings were ravaged.^[7] After hearing of the imprisonment of Andronikos, Géza II abandoned the siege and returned for Hungary.^[2]

Manuel answered by dispatching troops towards the battlefield.^[8] Through Serdica (Sofia) and Niš, Manuel arrived in the Smilis province near Paraćin where he set up camp.^[8] The Hungarian Army retreated towards Belgrade.^[8] The pursuing Byzantine troops,^[8] under general Basil Tzintzilukes, entered into battle with them, but the Byzantines were annihilated before the Hungarians returned to Hungary.^[2][9]

In early 1155, the Byzantine and Hungarian envoys signed a new peace treaty.^[2] In the same year, a Byzantine army expelled Géza II's ally, Desa, from Serbia and restored Uroš II who had promised that he would not enter into an alliance with Hungary.^[10]

• Battle of Sirmium (1167)