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BayanIAncientHistoryEncyclopedia

BayanI

byJoshuaJ.Mark
publishedon16December2014

BayanI(reigned562/565-602CE)wasakingoftheAvars,aconfederationofheterogeneous
peoplewhomigratedfromtheregionofMongolia,northofChina,in552CEandcameincontact
withtheEasternRomanEmpireinc.557CE.BayanIisconsideredthegreatestkingoftheAvars
forhismilitaryandpoliticalskills.HenotonlyprotectedhispeoplefromtheGokturks,whopursued
themfromMongoliaafterthefalloftheRouranEmpire(knownastheRouranKhaganate)inthe
east,butheledtheminaseriesofsuccessfulcampaignstodefeattheGepidsofPannonia,outwittedtheLombardking,Alboin,forcontroloftheland,andchallengedthesupremacyofthe
EasternRomanEmpire.HefoundedtheAvarEmpireintheregionofPannonia,establishinghis
capitalatthesamespotthatAttilatheHunhadclaimedashisown,andexpandedthatempireto
encompassterritoryfarbeyondtheoriginalbordersofthePannoniathey'dfirstarrivedin.After
BayanI'sdeathin602CE,theAvarEmpirebegantodeclineuntilitwasfinallyconqueredbythe
Franksin796CE,andtheAvarsceasedtoexistasadistinctculturalandpoliticalentity.

BAYANI&THEEASTERNEMPIRE
BayanIfirstentershistorywiththemigrationoftheAvarstotheregionofthePonticGrassSteppe
(anareacorrespondingtomodern-dayUkraine,Russia,Kazakhstan)fromCentralAsiaafterthefall
oftheRouranEmpire.TheywerepursuedbytheirenemiestheGokturks,whohadtoppledthe
supremacyoftheRouransinMongoliaand,asrefugees,theywereseekingasecurehomelandthey
couldsettleandthendefend.ThehistorianErikHildingerdescribesBayan'sinitialrisetopower
followingtheAvar'smigration:"Shortlythereafter,in565,BayanascendedtheAvarthroneas
Kaghan,orGreatKhan.TheAvarswerethefirsttousethisterm,whichwouldpersistthereafter
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amongthesteppepeoples.Bayanwasthegreatestoftheirleaders"(76).

LIKEATTILA,BAYAN'SCOMMANDINGPERSONALITYAND
MILITARYBRILLIANCEWOULDNOTLIVEONINHISSONS.
ThehistorianH.H.Howorthstateshow,"TheAvarswereatthistimeledbyachiefwhom,ifwe
knewmoreof,weshouldprobablycomparewithAttilaandGenghisKhan.HisnamewasBayan"
(732).BayanIisthefirstrecordedkingoftheAvarsand,likeAttila,wastheleaderwhounifiedand
empoweredhispeople.HeraisedtheAvarsfromabandofrefugeesfleeingtheiroppressortothe
dominantpeopleoftheregionofPannonia.
RegardingtheoriginoftheAvarsandtheirflighttothewest,historianPeterHeatherwrites:
[TheAvars]werethenextmajorwaveoforiginallynomadichorsewarriors,
aftertheHuns,tosweepofftheGreatEurasianSteppeandbuildanempire
incentralEurope.Thankfully,weknowrathermoreaboutthemthanabout
theHuns.TheAvarsspokeaTurkiclanguageandhadpreviouslystarredas
thedominantforcebehindamajornomadicconfederationonthefringesof
China.Intheearliersixthcenturytheyhadlostthispositiontoarivalforce,
thesocalledWesternTurks[Gokturks],andarrivedontheoutskirtsof
Europeaspoliticalrefugees,announcingthemselveswithanembassythat
appearedatJustinian'scourtin558(401).

Although,asHeatherclaims,"weknowmoreabout[theAvars]thanabouttheHuns",weknow
considerablylessaboutBayanIthanAttila.Afterleadinghispeopletothewest,healmost
immediatelymadecontactwiththeemperoroftheEastern(orByzantine)Empire.JustinianI(482565CE)agreedtohirethemtofightagainstothertribesintheregionasmercenariesandsentthem
ontheirway.TheAvarsruthlesslymassacredtheenemiesofJustinianIandexpectedthattheir
relationshipwiththeempirewouldcontinuebut,shoulditnot,triedtofindaregiontheycould
settlein.
AlthoughtheywerenowemployedbythepowerfulByzantineEmpire,theystillneededtheirown
homelandwheretheycouldfeelsecurefromthepursuingTurks.BayanItriedtoleadhispeople
southoftheDanubeRiverbutwaspreventedbytheRomans.HethenledtheAvarsnorthbut
encounteredresistancefromtheFranksundertheirkingSigebertI.Theycontinuedasnomadsin
theserviceofRomeuntilthedeathofJustinianin565CE.Hissuccessor,JustinII(c.520-578CE),
canceledtheircontractand,whentheAvarembassyaskedforpermissiontocrossthesouthern
Danube,itwasdenied.Theyagainsoughttobreakthroughtothenorthbutwererepelledby
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Sigebert'sarmy.BayanIthenturnedhisattentiontoPannoniaor,accordingtoothersources,was
invitedtogotherebyJustinIItodisplacetheGepids.

BAYANI&ALBOIN
TheLombardsunderAlboinwerealreadyinPannoniainconflictwiththeGepidswhocontrolled
mostoftheregion.AswiththeAvars,sourcesconflictonwhethertheLombardsmigratedto
PannoniaontheirownorwereinvitedbytheempiretodriveouttheGepids.BayanIwantedto
takethecapitalcityofSirmiumbutdidnotknowtheregionandneededthehelpofthosebetter
acquaintedwithit.HealliedhimselfwithAlboinandtheLombardsand,in567CE,thetwoarmies
joinedtocrushtheGepidsbetweenthem.BayanIhadalreadynegotiatedthetermsofthealliance
withAlboin:iftheyshouldwin,theAvarswouldbegiventheGepidlands,wealth,andpeopleas
slavesandtheLombardscouldcontinuetoliveunmolestedintheregion.Alboinmostlikelyagreed
totheseunequaltermsbecauseBayanIthreatenedhimwithconquestifherefused.Thisremains
speculation,however,anditisnotknownwhyAlboinchosetoacceptthepoortermsofthealliance.
ThearmiesmetinbattlesomedistancefromSirmium,andtheGepids,undertheirkingCunimund,
weredefeated.Sourcesdifferonwhathappenedintheaftermath:accordingtosomeaccounts,
BayanIkilledCunimundandhadhisskullturnedintoawinecup-whichhethenpresentedto
Alboinasacomradeinarmswhile,accordingothers,AlboinkilledCunimundandmadehisskull
intoacupwhichhethenworeonhisbelt.WhomeveritwasthatkilledtheGepidking,hisskull
wouldlatercontributetoAlboin'sdeath.
ThearmiesoftheAvarsandLombardsmarchedonSirmium,buttheGepidshadalreadycalledfor
helpfromtheEasternEmpire,agreeingtosurrenderthecitytotheminexchangeforassistance;by
thetimeBayanIandAlboinreachedSirmium,itwasheavilydefendedandtheyweredrivenback.
Sincetheyhadnotpreparedthemselvesforanextendedsiege,thearmieswithdrew.

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EastRomanEmpire,6thcenturyCE

THERISEOFTHEAVAREMPIRE
AlthoughSirmiumremaineduntaken,theAvarsnowcontrolledmostofPannoniaandtheLombards
foundthatthedealtheyhadbrokeredearlierwasapoorone.Albointriedtoformanalliancewith
theGepidsagainsttheAvarsbymarryingCunnimund'sdaughterRosamundwhomhehadtaken
afterthebattle.Itwasnowtoolate,though,astheAvarsweresimplytoopowerfultocontest.In568
CE,AlboinledhispeopleoutofPannoniatoItalywhere,in572CE,hewouldbeassassinatedina
plothatchedbyhiswifetoavengeherfather.AccordingtoPaultheDeacon,Alboin'smurderwas
theresultofhisdrunkeninsistencethathiswifedrinkfromherfather'sskull.
WiththeLombardsgone,andtheGepidsdefeated,BayanIthensetaboutbuildinghisempireon
theplainsofPannonia.Thatthereseemstohavebeenacore"Avar"ethnicityamongthelargerAvar
confederationisseeninsomeofBayanI'smilitarydecisionsanddecrees.Thehistorianandscholar
DenisSinorwrites:
TheethniccompositionoftheAvarstatewasnothomogeneous.Bayanwas
followedby10,000Kutrighurwarriorsubjectsalreadyatthetimeofthe
conquestoftheGepids.In568hesentthemtoinvadeDalmatia,arguingthat
casualtiestheymaysufferwhilefightingagainsttheByzantineswouldnot
hurttheAvarsthemselves(222).

UnderBayanI'sleadership,theAvarsexpandedacrossPannoniaineverydirectionand,through
conquest,heenlargedhisempire.AnumberofSlavicpeoplehadfollowedtheAvarsintoPannonia
andthesewerenowsubjectsofAvarruleandseemedtobetreatedwiththesamelackofregard
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accordedtheKutrighursoldiers.BayanIoversawtheselectionoftheAvarbaseofoperationsin
theirnewhomeland.HistorianErikHildingercommentsonthis,writing:
TheAvarsestablishedtheirheadquartersnearAttila'soldcapitalofahundred
yearsbeforeandfortifiedit.ItwasknownasTheRing.Nowwellestablished
inPannonia,BayanfoughttheFranksofSigebertagainanddefeatedthemin
570.AdozenyearslaterBayanattackedByzantineterritoryandseizedthecity
ofSirmiumontheSavaRiver.Hefollowedthiswithfurthercampaigns
againsttheByzantines,theAvarstakingSingidunum(Belgrade)andravaging
MoesiauntiltheyweredefeatednearAdrianoplein587.TotheByzantines,it
musthaveseemedlikearepriseoftheHunnicaggressionofthefifthcentury
(76).

AVARCONQUEST
WithSirmiumnowtaken,andoperatingefficientlyfromTheRing,BayanIcontinuedhisconquests.
ChristophBaumerwriteshowBayanIdrovehisarmiesintotheBalkansanddemandedtributefrom
theEasternEmpireforpeaceandthen,"togetherwiththebeatenSlavs,whomtheyabusedasa
kindof`cannonfodder',theinvadedGreeceinthe580's"(VolumeII,208).Theyoperatedin
warfarewithtacticssimilartothoseusedbytheHunsacenturybefore.LiketheHuns,theAvars
wereexperthorsemen.Baumernotesthat,"TheironstirrupcametoEuropeonlywiththeinvading
Avarsinthesecondhalfofthesixthcentury."Thestirrup"enabledridinginasquattingoralmost
standingposition,whichimprovedtherider'smobility,butalsoincreasedtheimpactofanattacking
cavalry"(VolumeI,86).ThestirrupgreatlyenhancedthealreadyformidableAvarcavalryandmade
themthemostfearedandinvinciblemountedmilitaryforcesincetheHuns.Baumerwrites:
InhisfamousmilitaryhandbookStrategikon,theByzantineemperorMaurice
(reigned582602)aptlydescribedthebattlestyleoftheAvars,whomhe
comparedtotheHuns,asfollows:`theypreferbattlesfoughtatlongrange,
ambushes,encirclingtheiradversaries,simulatedretreatsandsudden
returns,andwedgeshapedformations...Whentheymaketheirenemiestake
toflight,theyarenotcontent,asthePersiansandtheRomans,andother
peoples,withpursuingthemareasonabledistanceandplunderingtheir
goods,buttheydonotletupatalluntiltheyhaveachievedthecomplete
destructionoftheirenemies...Ifthebattleturnsoutwell,donotbehastyin
pursuingtheenemyorbehavecarelessly.Forthisnation[thesteppenomads]
doesnot,asotherdo,giveupthestrugglewhenworsenedinthefirstbattle.
Butuntiltheirstrengthgivesout,theytryallsortsofwaystoassailtheir
enemies(VolumeI,265267).

JustinIIhadbegunawaragainsttheSassanidsin572CEand,withimperialforcesdrawntotheeast,
BayanIinvadedfurtherintoByzantineterritories.Hedemandedhigherandevenhighertributeand
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defeatedtheimperialarmiessentagainsthim.Itwasnotuntil592CE,withtheconclusionofthe
empire'swarwiththeSassanids,thattheemperorMauricewasabletosendanarmyofadequate
forceagainstBayanI.TheAvarsweredrivenfromtheBalkansandbackintoPannoniabythe
imperialtroopsunderthegeneralPriscus,almosttotheircapital.TheAvarswouldmostlikelyhave
beendestroyedenmassewereitnotfortheinsurrectioninConstantinopleknownasPhocas'
Rebellionin602CE.
Atthissametime,aplaguebrokeoutintheBalkansandsweptacrossthesurroundingregions.Itis
likelythatBayanIwasoneofthemanyvictimsofthedisease.ThehistorianH.H.Howorth,esq,
writingintheJournalofRoyalAsiaticSocietyofGreatBritainandIreland,notes:
WedonotreadagainofBayan,anditwouldappearthathediedaboutthis
time,perhapsfromthepestilencealreadynamed.Itisnotimpossiblethatit
wasthatpestilence,andthelossoftheirgreatleader,whichmadeitpossible
forPriscustowinhisvictoriessoeasily...TheAvarsneveragainrecoveredthe
vastpowerwhichtheyexercisedunderBayan,whomustbeclassedamongthe
mostsuccessfulofgeneralsandthemostpowerfulofrulers(777).

BayanIwassucceededbyhissonwhoattemptedtocarryonhisfather'sempire.In626CEheleda
campaignagainstConstantinople,alliedwiththeSassanids,inalandandseaattack.Theformidable
defensesoftheTheodosianWalls(builtunderthereignofTheodosiusII,408-450)repelledthe
landattackwhiletheByzantinefleetdefeatedthenavalassault,sinkingmanyoftheAvarships.The
campaignwasacompletefailureandthesurvivingAvarsreturnedhometoPannonia.AsHoworth
notes,theAvarswouldneveragainwieldthekindofmilitaryandpoliticalpowertheyhadunder
theleadershipofBayanI.LikeAttila,hiscommandingpersonalityandmilitarybrilliancewouldnot
liveoninhissons.After630CEtheAvarEmpirebegantodeclineandwasfinallyconqueredby
CharlemagneoftheFranksin796CEwithrelativeease.Inessence,theAvarempirebeganand
endedwithBayanI.

ABOUTTHEAUTHOR
JOSHUAJ.MARK
Afreelancewriterandpart-timeProfessorofPhilosophyatMaristCollege,New
York,JoshuaJ.MarkhaslivedinGreeceandGermanyandtraveledthrough
Egypt.Heteachesancienthistory,writing,literature,andphilosophy.

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HELPUSWRITEMORE
We'reasmallnon-profitorganisationrunbyahandfulofvolunteers.Eacharticlecosts
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BECOMEAMEMBER

BIBLIOGRAPHY
Baumer,C,TheHistoryofCentralAsia:VolumeI(I.B.Tauris,2012).
Baumer,C,TheHistoryofCentralAsia:VolumeII(I.B.Tauris,2014).
Heather,P,EmpiresandBarbarians(OxfordUniversityPress,2012).
Hildinger,E,WarriorsoftheSteppe:AMilitaryHistoryofCentralAsia(DaCapoPress,2001).
Howorth,H.H,JournaloftheRoyalAsiaticSocietyofGreatBritainandIreland,Volume21:TheAvars(W.H.Allen&Co.,
London,1939).
Sinor,D,TheCambridgeHistoryofEarlyInnerAsia(CambridgeUniversityPress,1990).
CITETHISWORK

LEGALNOTICE
WrittenbyJoshuaJ.Mark,publishedon16December2014underthefollowinglicense:CreativeCommons:
Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike .Thislicenseletsothersremix,tweak,andbuilduponthiscontentnoncommercially,aslongastheycredittheauthorandlicensetheirnewcreationsundertheidenticalterms.

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