Once upon a time in the year 969, Milno was a bustling diocesan hub, but oh, how things were about to change! To the west, the legendary Macedonian medieval state was slowly coming to life, thanks to the mighty Tsar Samuel. The centuries-old dream of a new Macedonian Kingdom was now a thrilling reality, and soon enough, Strumica would join the party.
The Strumica Valley and Vodocha’s roles in this epic saga would grow even more significant. Their importance was further confirmed when Samoil’s very own brothers took personal charge of the Strumica fortress. First up was Moses, who ruled until his death, then passed the baton to Aaron, his younger bro.
Nestled in a prime spot with strategic importance, the Strumica Valley soon became a hotbed of heated skirmishes between Samoil’s soldiers and the Byzantines. Interestingly, the Byzantine Emperor Basil happened to be part of Byzantium’s Macedonian dynasty. Talk about a family feud for the ages!
The Macedonian dynasty’s name came from Basil I (a.k.a Basil the Great), who ruled Byzantium from 867 to 1056. Born in Edirne, Basil I was from an Armenian-Macedonian family with a truly incredible story. Seeking his fortune, Basil ventured to Constantinople, where his Herculean strength landed him a job as a stable boy at the imperial court. From humble beginnings, Basil climbed the ladder to sit on the imperial throne, establishing one of the most important Byzantine dynasties.
Now, back to “our” Basil, who was hell-bent on stopping Samuel’s kingdom. To achieve his goal, he launched frequent maneuvers and attacks, forcing Samuel to study the Byzantine army’s every move. Samuel and his trusty generals devised a brilliant plan: block the entrance to the Strumica Valley, right on the so-called “royal road.” And so, a wooden fortress was built to halt the Byzantine advance.
Here above the wooden dema (partition), Samuel placed the best-trained soldiers, and on the slopes, he deployed his best archers. Such information comes from Jovan Skilica (Byzantine historian), who also calls the gorge Kimba Longa (the side where Petrich is), which means “long field” in translation and is a word of Vlach origin and Klidis (Strumica side) which means key, a is a word of Greek origin.
The Battle of Belasica: An Epic Showdown
In the summer of 1014, Basil II embarked on yet another “excursion,” crossing the Struma River with his sights set on Strumica. But little did he know, he was in for a big surprise! The dam Samuel built proved to be a formidable obstacle, and Basil’s army faced heavy losses in the ensuing battle.
Feeling emboldened, Samuel made a bold move that would ultimately lead to his downfall. He sent his general Nestorica and part of his army to Thessaloniki, hoping to divide the Byzantine forces. But the plan backfired when Nestorica’s army was utterly crushed by Votaniatus, ruler of Thessaloniki, and his son Michael.
Enter Nicephorus Xiphia, who suggested a cunning plan to Basil just as he was considering retreat. Xiphia’s idea was to sneak around Mount Belasitsa with his troops, then launch a surprise attack on Samuel’s forces from behind. Meanwhile, Basil would charge the wooden fortress head-on.
And so, on July 29, 1014, an epic battle between the two rulers ensued at the foot of Mount Belasica. Samuel’s soldiers were defeated, and Samuel himself narrowly escaped capture. His son Radomir, who bravely resisted the Byzantine onslaught, managed to whisk him away to safety.
Following the battle, Basil II went on a fortress-demolishing spree, first destroying Matsukion at the foot of Belasitsa Mountain, and then moving on to Termitsa near present-day Bansko bath. However, Termitsa remained unconquered, so Basil shifted his focus to Strumica.
As the siege of Strumica unfolded, Byzantine ruler Theophylact Votaniatus was sent with part of the army to ensure a safe return to Thessaloniki. But Gavril Radomir, Samuel’s son, had other plans. He laid multiple ambushes, and while Theophylact managed to avoid them on the way to Thessaloniki, his luck ran out on the return journey. Gavril Radomir exacted his revenge for the Battle of Belasica by personally killing Theophylact.
Furious about his military leader’s death, Basil II went mad with rage and decided to take bloody vengeance. Legend has it that before raising the sieges of Strumica, Mosinopol, and Melnik, he camped in the village of Vasilevo (possibly named after his camp) and ordered that all captured soldiers be blinded.
The Vodochnica River gorge, with its natural barriers, provided an ideal location for imprisoning these unfortunate soldiers. For every hundred blinded soldiers, one was allowed to keep an eye to lead the rest back to Samuel. The exact number of blinded soldiers is disputed, but the figure of 14,000 or 15,000 is most commonly cited today.
The grim aftermath of this battle left its mark on the Strumica region, influencing the names of villages such as Svidovica, Robovo, and Koleshino. Folklore suggests that Svidovica was named for the widows left behind, Robovo for the villagers taken into slavery, and Koleshino for the terrible massacre that occurred there.
The river Crna Reka also got its name from this tragic event. As the crippled soldiers made their way towards Prilep, many drowned while crossing the swollen river. This harrowing battle would forever remain etched in Macedonian history. The sight of his blinded soldiers would cause Samuel to suffer a heart attack and die, hastening the dissolution of the Macedonian state.
As for Vodocha, this wasn’t the end of the story. The village would undergo a transformation, evolving from Milno to Vadi ochi, then Vadiocha, and finally, Vodocha. Some theories suggest the name Vodoča comes from the word “voda” (water) with the suffix “-ocha,” meaning the original name was Vodica.
Though marked by tragedy and strife, the story of Vodocha, the Strumica Valley, and the Battle of Belasica remains an unforgettable chapter in the rich tapestry of Macedonian history.
(below the river canyon where the soldiers were blinded)
