Marwan II vs Nikephoros I

Marwan II became the last Umayyad caliph after a period of civil war and succession disputes. He was a military commander who seized power amid the weakening of the dynasty.

Marwan II's army was decisively defeated by the Abbasid forces at the Battle of the Zab in Iraq. This battle ended Umayyad rule and led to the establishment of the Abbasid Caliphate.

After the Battle of the Zab, Marwan II fled to Egypt where he was captured and killed by Abbasid forces. His death marked the end of the Umayyad Caliphate, though a surviving prince founded a dynasty in Spain.

Nikephoros I implemented fiscal reforms to replenish the treasury depleted by Irene. He increased taxes, reorganized the tax system, and imposed new levies on the church and monasteries. These measures strengthened the state finances but caused resentment.

Nikephoros I overthrew Empress Irene in a palace coup. As a former logothete (finance minister), he was experienced in administration. His accession marked a shift from the iconoclast policies of previous emperors.

Nikephoros I led a large expedition against the Bulgarian Khan Krum. Initially successful, he captured the Bulgarian capital Pliska and plundered it. However, the campaign ended in disaster when the Byzantine army was ambushed in a mountain pass.

Nikephoros I was killed in the Battle of Pliska, where the Byzantine army was annihilated by the Bulgars. His skull was reportedly made into a drinking cup by Khan Krum. This was one of the worst Byzantine military defeats.