uler ▁of ▁D uk l ja , ▁and ▁By z antine ▁forces ▁led ▁by ▁Michael us ▁An ast as ii . ▁The ▁battle ▁was ▁actually ▁a ▁sudden ▁attack ▁on ▁the ▁By z antine ▁camp ▁in ▁the ▁mountain ▁g orge , ▁which ▁ended ▁in ▁the ▁utter ▁defeat ▁of ▁the ▁By z antine ▁forces ▁and ▁the ▁death s ▁of ▁ 7 ▁of ▁their ▁command ers ▁( str ateg oi ). ▁Following ▁the ▁defeat ▁and ▁retre at ▁of ▁the ▁By z ant ines , ▁V oj is lav ▁ens ured ▁a ▁future ▁for ▁D uk l ja ▁without ▁imperial ▁authority , ▁and ▁D uk l ja ▁would ▁soon ▁emer ge ▁as ▁the ▁most ▁significant ▁Ser b ▁state . ▁ ▁In ▁memory ▁of ▁this ▁victory , ▁ 7 ▁October ▁is ▁comm emor ated ▁as ▁the ▁day ▁of ▁the ▁Military ▁of ▁Mont en eg ro . ▁ ▁Background ▁Prior ▁to ▁the ▁war , ▁D uk l ja ▁and ▁the ▁other ▁principal ities ▁were ▁sub ordin ated ▁to ▁the ▁su zer ain ty ▁of ▁the ▁By z antine ▁Empire . ▁However , ▁around ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 1 th ▁century , ▁Stefan ▁V oj is lav ▁w aged ▁a ▁series ▁of ▁successful ▁attacks ▁aim ed ▁at ▁independence . ▁ ▁The ▁By z antine ▁army , ▁led ▁by ▁the ▁du x ▁Michael , ▁moved ▁towards ▁D uk l ja ▁in ▁order ▁to ▁suppress ▁the ▁revol ts , ▁and ▁they ▁set ▁up ▁camp ▁in ▁the ▁area ▁near ▁Bar . ▁By z antine ▁historian ▁John ▁Sk yl itz es ▁described