Bulgaria had been partly subjugated by John I after the invasion of Svyatoslav I of Kiev but parts of the country had remained outside Byzantine control under the leadership of Samuel and his brothers.
Bulgaria telah ditundukkan sebagian oleh Ioannes I Tzimiskes setelah invasi Sviatoslav I dari Kiev, tetapi sebagian negara itu tetap berada di luar kendali Bizantium, di bawah kepemimpinan Samuil dan saudara-saudaranya.