First Bulgarian Empire
Bulgaria, 681 CE–1018. Draft, not yet reviewed
The First Bulgarian Empire was a medieval state that existed in Southeastern and southeastern Central Europe between the 7th and 11th centuries AD. It was founded in 680-681 after a group of Bulgars, led by Asparuh, moved south to the northeastern Balkans. Boris I converted to Christianity in 864, assuming the title Knyaz (Prince). During the late 9th and early 10th centuries, Simeon I achieved a string of victories over the Byzantines.
Seat of power: Pliska
Rulers
Peter I of Bulgaria
King of Bulgaria, 927 CE–969 CE
Peter I was the emperor (tsar) of Bulgaria from 27 May 927 to 969. Peter secured more success later in life, and he ensured the retreat of the invading Rus by inciting Bulgaria's allies, the Pechenegs, to attack Kiev itself. Traditionally seen as a weak ruler who lost land and prestige, recent scholarship challenges this view, emphasizing the empire's affluence and internal peace.
Portrait of Peter I of Bulgaria: User:Cplakidas (uploader), CC BY-SA 2.5, file
Roman of Bulgaria
King of Bulgaria, 977 CE–997 CE
Roman was the second surviving son of Emperor Peter I of Bulgaria.
Samuel of Bulgaria
King of Bulgaria, 997 CE–1014
Samuel was the Tsar (Emperor) of the First Bulgarian Empire from 997 to 6 October 1014. Samuel struggled to preserve his country's independence from the Byzantine Empire, and his rule was characterized by constant warfare against the Byzantines and their equally ambitious ruler Basil II. In the late 10th century, the Bulgarian armies conquered the Serb principality of Duklja and led campaigns against the Kingdoms of Croatia and Hungary.
Portrait of Samuel of Bulgaria: Shakko, CC BY-SA 3.0, file
Gavril Radomir
King of Bulgaria, 1014–1015
Gavril Radomir was the Emperor (Tsar) of the First Bulgarian Empire from October 1014 to August or September 1015. Having inherited Samuel's war with the Byzantine Empire, Gavril Radomir raided Byzantine territory, reaching as far as Constantinople. Vladislav murdered Radomir while hunting near Ostrovo, and then took the throne for himself.
Portrait of Gavril Radomir: Juan Skylitzes, Public domain, file
Ivan Vladislav of Bulgaria
King of Bulgaria, 1015–1018
Ivan Vladislav served as the emperor (tsar) of the First Bulgarian Empire from approximately August or September 1015 until February 1018. During his period of rule, Ivan Vladislav tried to strengthen the Bulgarian army, reconstructed many Bulgarian fortresses and even carried out a counter-offensive, but he died at the Battle of Dyrrhachium in 1018. After his death his widow, Empress Maria, the Patriarch and most of the nobility finally surrendered to Basil II, who soon suppressed the last remnants of resistance and brought about the end of the First Bulgarian Empire.
Portrait of Ivan Vladislav of Bulgaria: Madrid Skylitzes, Public domain, file
Culture
- Bulgaria's position as a leading cultural power was further strengthened by the adoption of the Glagolitic alphabet and the invention of the Early Cyrillic alphabet in the capital Preslav.
- The first capital, Pliska, initially resembled a huge encampment spanning an area of 23 km2.
- Preslav was adorned with tens of churches and at least eight monasteries.
Picture
The Madara Rider is a large early medieval rock relief carved on the Madara Plateau east of Shumen in northeastern Bulgaria.
Image: No machine-readable author provided. Dom2002 assumed (based on copyright claims)., Public domain, file
Sources
Text adapted from the Wikipedia articles listed as sources, CC BY-SA 4.0.