According to Skylitzes, after Vojislav escaped from Constantinople in 1039,[8] he began expanding in Byzantines districts (including Serbia by defeating Theophilos Erotikos), and looted a Byzantine ship full of gold which did not want to return to the emperor Michael IV the Paphlagonian provoking arrival of an imperial army led by Georgios Probatas in 1040 but was defeated by Vojislav.

[1] According to CPD, Vojislav (called as Dobroslav), then a subordinate of the Byzantines, started a silent revolt with local Slavs because the Greeks commited adultery with their wives and rape of their daughters.

[11] Then the emperor sent piles of imperial gold and silver to the Župan of Rascia (i.e. Serbia[12]), Ban of Bosnia and Ljutovid of Zahumlje to military assist the army of Cursilius, the toparch of Dyrrachium, against Vojislav.

[10][14][9][15] According to Skylitzes, the Byzantine 60,000 strong army,[16] led by the dux Michael, moved towards Duklja in order to suppress the revolts, and they set up camp in the area near Bar.

[2][11] After the conflict, Vojislav reportedly invaded Zachlumia and captured "all the lands of Dyrrachium as far as the river Vjossa" (but in vain as soon died, causing rift between his sons).