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The Battle of Kreta occurred in 1009 near the village of Kreta to the east of Thessaloníki. Since the fall of the Bulgarian capital Preslav under Byzantine rule in 971, there was a constant state of war between the two Empires. From 976, the Bulgarian noble and later Emperor Samuil successfully fought against the Byzantines but, from the beginning of the 11th century, the fortune turned to Byzantium, which recovered from the severe losses. From 1002 Basil II launched annual campaigns against Bulgaria and seized many towns. In 1009 the Byzantines engaged the Bulgarian army to the east of Thessaloníki. Little is known for the battle itself but the result was a Byzantine victory. Five years later, the Byzantines decisively defeated the Bulgarian army at Klyuch and by 1018 the country was thoroughly conquered by Basil II.