Atlas of Battles

battle, major, medieval

Battle of Ongal

Battle of Ongal was a battle fought in AD 680 at Danube Delta, in what is now Romania. Its exact site is not recorded; the atlas places it at Danube Delta. It was part of the Byzantine–Bulgarian Wars, which ran from AD 680 to 1355. The recorded result: Bulgar victory. Recorded strength: Around 10,000–12,000 against "all the themata" from 15 – 25,000.

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The foundation of the First Bulgarian Empire
The foundation of the First Bulgarian Empire. Kandi, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons.
FoughtAD 680
WhereDanube Delta, Romania45.200N, 29.500E, placed at the location, approximate
OutcomeBulgar victory
BelligerentsBulgars; Seven Slavic tribesagainstByzantine Empire
Casualties and lossesLightandHeavy
Part ofByzantine–Bulgarian WarsAD 680 to 1355

Where it sits in the Byzantine–Bulgarian Wars

Battle of Ongal, AD 680Battle of Anchialus, AD 708Battle of Marcellae, AD 756Bulgarian campaigns of Constantine V, AD 756Battle of the Rishki Pass, AD 759Battle of Anchialus, AD 763Battle of Berzitia, AD 774Battle of Marcellae, AD 792Siege of Serdica (809), AD 809Battle of Pliska, AD 811Siege of Adrianople (813), AD 813Battle of Versinikia, AD 813Battle of Mesembria, AD 814Battle of Adrianople, AD 914Fall of Great Preslav, AD 971Battle of Spercheios, AD 997Battle of Thessalonica, 1004Battle of Kreta, 1009Battle of Thessalonica, 1014Battle of Strumica, 1014Battle of Bitola, 1015Battle of Setina, 1017Battle of Dyrrhachium, 1018Battle of Thessalonica, 1040Battle of Thessalonica, 1040Siege of Lovech, 1187Battle of Arcadiopolis, 1194Battle of Serres, 1196Siege of Varna (1201), 1201Battle of Adrianople, 1205Battle of Klokotnitsa, 1230Siege of Constantinople, 1235Battle of Adrianople, 1254Battle of Rhoupelion, 1255Battle of Bizye, 1256Battle of Devina, 1279Battle of Skafida, 1304Battle of Adrianople, 1331Battle of Rusokastro, 1332Battle of Adrianople, 1341AD 6801341Battle of Ongal, AD 680
40 placed engagements of the Byzantine–Bulgarian Wars in time order; taller ticks are more widely documented. Each tick is a link.

Record

DateAD 680 (year precision)
PlaceDanube Delta, Romania
45.200N, 29.500E
KindBattle, medieval
Territorial changeFormation of Danube Bulgaria
StrengthAround 10,000–12,000"all the themata" from 15 – 25,000
Casualties and lossesLightHeavy
Commanders
  • Asparuh of Bulgaria
  • Constantine IV
Battle of OngalBattle of OngalBattle of JibrieniAction of 26 June 1941Battle of Cape BurnasBattle of MăcinBattle of GalațiBattle of JibrieniAction of 26 June 1941Battle of Cape BurnasBattle of MăcinConstanțaCălărașiCahulTulceaIllichivskSlobozia100 km45.200N, 29.500E
Placed at Danube Delta; the exact site is not recorded. with the nearest other engagements in the atlas. Present-day coastlines, rivers and borders; towns from Natural Earth.

The ground today

Relief of the ground around the site of Battle of Ongal
Relief within about 10.0 km of the site, contours every 5 m. Copernicus DEM GLO-30, ESA.
Satellite view of the site of Battle of Ongal today
The same ground from Sentinel-2 on 2024-08-24. Contains modified Copernicus Sentinel data 2024.

The recorded site stands at about 2 m; within 10.0 km the ground runs from -1 to 9 m, 11 m of relief, flat country and today it is 76% wetland, 19% cropland, 4% water.

wetland: 76%cropland: 19%water: 4%wetland 76%cropland 19%water 4%
west to east, 10.0 km0 to 3 mnorth to south, 10.0 km0 to 3 m
Elevation from the Copernicus DEM GLO-30 (ESA, Airbus); land cover from ESA WorldCover 2021 (CC BY 4.0), within about 5 km of the recorded site. Computed, not recorded.

Nearest engagements

In the same war

Elsewhere in AD 680

Battle of Ongal is one of 203 engagements of the 7th century in the atlas and one of 135 in present-day Romania.

Sources

Identity, coordinates, dates and the war from Wikidata Q903378, released under CC0. Result, belligerents, commanders, strength and casualties from the infobox of the English Wikipedia article Battle of Ongal, revision 1377873973, read 2026-11-14, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0; the article's text is not reproduced here. Present-day country and state from Natural Earth. Dates before 1582 follow the Julian calendar as recorded.