ABSTRACT
At the end of July 811, a year before the Treaty of Aachen, the Byzantine emperor Nikephoros I's campaign against the Bulgars ended in disastrous defeat. This chapter attempts to shed some light on the events of 811 and their influence on the Treaty of Aachen in the following year. The Treaty of Aachen is closely linked to the military defeat of Nikephoros I by the Bulgars in 811. The emperor himself lost his life, together with countless Byzantine soldiers, including many high military dignitaries. Nikephoros' death on the battlefield and the confirmation of the peace are the only events linked to the Byzantine embassy registered by the Annales regni Francorum. Although the short sentence in the Annales regni Francorum does not contribute anything to the factual history of the campaign of 811, it is nevertheless an account that reflects the official view of the Byzantine court and could be the closest to the events described.
