 Nyorai kuenderera mberi kweiyi ndima - Munguva yekutonga kwaMambokadzi Zoe muna 913919, Leo akanyorwa zvakare seMudzidzisi weZvikoro uye akabata chiremerera che magistros. Muna 917, akaiswa mutariri wehondo huru yokurwisa vaBulgaria. Urongwa hwacho hwaisanganisira kurwiswa nemativi maviri, rimwe kubva kumaodzanyemba neuto guru reByzantium raitungamirirwa naLeo Phokas, uye rimwe kubva kuchamhembe nemaPechenegs, ayo aifanira kuyambutswa neByzantium navy yaitungamirirwa naRomanos Lekapenos. Zvisinei, muzviitiko izvi, maPechenech haana kubatsira maByzantine, zvimwe nokuti Lekapenos akanga apopotedzana nomutungamiri wavo kana, sezvinoratidzwa naRunciman, angadai akatopihwa chiokomuhomwe nevaBulgaria uye zvimwe nokuti vakanga vatotanga kupamba vari voga, vasingateereri hurongwa hweByzantine. Asisiri kutsigirwa nevaPechenecs uye nezvikepe, Phokas akakundwa zvine mutsindo naTsar Symeon muHondo yeAcheloos. Mauto oumambo akapotsa aparadzwa, uye Phokas pachake akapukunyuka. Sezvo Symeon akafamba kumaodzanyemba akananga kuguta guru reumambo, Constantinople, Phokas akaunganidza simba rakasiyana-siyana ndokuedza kumisa kufambira mberi kwake, asi akakundwa zvakare naSimeon mukurwiswa kwehusiku husiku paKatasyrtai. 