# Siege of Dorostolon (971)

URL: https://history-russia.com/timeline/971-siege-of-dorostolon
Categories: battle

After conquering much of Bulgaria, Sviatoslav was besieged by Emperor John I Tzimiskes at Dorostolon on the Danube for three months in 971. He was forced to make peace and abandon the Balkans. Sviatoslav had hoped to make Pereyaslavets on the Danube the centre of his realm. The defeat ended Kievan ambitions to build an empire in the Balkans.

## Why it matters
The defeat ended Kievan ambitions to build an empire in the Balkans.

Ruler at the time: [Sviatoslav I](https://history-russia.com/rulers/sviatoslav-i)

## Sources
- [Wikipedia — Siege of Dorostolon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Siege_of_Dorostolon)
- [Wikipedia — Sviatoslav's invasion of Bulgaria](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sviatoslav's_invasion_of_Bulgaria)
- [Wikipedia — Kievan Rus'](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kievan_Rus')
- [Encyclopaedia Britannica topic lookup — Siege of Dorostolon](https://www.britannica.com/search?query=Siege+of+Dorostolon)
- [Wikipedia — Timeline of Russian history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_Russian_history)