User:Iazyges/Nikephorian Dynasty Foreign Relations

Abbasid Caliphate
The reign of Nikephoros was a violent era in the long history of the Arab–Byzantine Wars; while Empress Irene had secured a truce with the Abbasid Caliphate under Harun al-Rashid, in 782 and again in 798, in exchange for annual tribute, these measures were repealed by Nikephoros. More inclined to war, and resolute in refilling the imperial treasury, Nikephoros soon ended the payment of tribute. Harun was quick to retaliate, sending his son al-Qasim to raid the Byzantine Empire. Nikephroos was not able to respond quickly as he was preoccupied with the revolt of Bardanes Tourkos, but after defeating Bardanes he gathered his army to meet another, even larger, invasion lead by Harun himself. The two armies faced each other for two months in central Asia Minor, but no battles were fought. After an exchange of letters, the two arranged for a truce for the remainder of the year in exchange for a single payment of tribute. In August 804, Harun again began to raid the Byzantine Empire, sending an army under Ibrahim ibn Jibril, which crossed into Asia Minor by means of the Cilician Gates and begin to pillage the lands. Nikephoros prepared an army to confront them but was forced to withdraw before a battle could be made, for unknown reasons. Historian Warren Treadgold suggest he may have been forced to do so as a result of the news of a conspiracy reaching him. However, in the process of matching home, the army of Ibrahim launched a surprise attack near Krasos in Phyrgia, in the Battle of Krasos, defeating his army, and nearly slaying Nikpehoros himself. Harun himself was preoccupied by issues in Khurasan, and therefore accepted a peace treaty in exchange for tribute.

However, as Harun continued to be preoccupied in Khurasan, Nikephoros repaired the walls of the towns of Safsaf, Thebasa, and Ancyra, and launched the first Byzantine raid in two decades, assaulting the frontier area of Cilicia. One force succeded in capturing the Arab stronghold of Tarsus., while another raided Upper Mesopotamia, and led an unsuccessful siege of Melitene. The Byzantines also instigated a rebellion in Cyprus, against the local garrison. Harun soon retaliated with a massive invasion in 806, capturing Tyana and Heraclea Cybistra, storming Ancyra, and pillaging the Anatolic Theme. With a disorganized army and Bulgarian raids, Nikephoros was forced Nikephoros to seek humiliating terms, paying an annual tribute of 30,0000 nomismata and six great gold medals, three for Nikephoros and three for Staurakios. Nikephoros soon broke this truce, and defeated Abbasid expeditions sent against him in 807, and Harud, facing resurgent issues in Khurasan, signed a peace treaty with Nikephoros in 808 that left the Byzantine borders intact and removed any tribute payment.