European Kingdoms

Bulgaria

Present day Bulgaria was formed as a tribal area from the late seventh century AD onwards. Prior to that, throughout much of antiquity, large swathes of southern Bulgaria traditionally formed the territory of ancient Thrace.

Proto-Bulgarians settled in the area of the Caucuses, north and east of the Black Sea, in the fourth to fifth centuries, and mixed with Slavic groups which arrived in the sixth century. By the early seventh century, the Bulgarians had set up a powerful tribal amalgamation known as Great Bulgaria. Its ruler was Khan Koubrat, who established friendly relations with the Byzantine empire, but after his death the state crumbled under pressure from the Khazars.

Some Bulgarians remained in the area and were subdued by the Khazars, but others travelled, reaching the Volga where they set up Volgan Bulgaria with its capital at Kazan. This existed up until the thirteenth century when it was wiped out by the Tartars. Another group of proto-Bulgarians, lead by Kouber, settled first in Pannonia, and subsequently in the region of Bitolya (Macedonia).

Great Bulgaria
AD c.632 - c.651

c.632 - c.651

Khan or Qaghan Kubrat / Koubrat

Created the Great Bulgarian state.

c.632 - c.651

Khan Kubrat is the first to lay the foundations of Bulgar military and tribal alliance and forms a capital at Phanagoria on the Taman Peninsula. By this time the Altyn Ola Horde has been absorbed, along with the Kutrigur and Utigur Bulgars. Kubrat makes peace with the Byzantine empire and is awarded the title of patrician by Heraclius. Kubrat dies some time after 651 and Great Bulgaria gradually falls apart.

Kingdom of Bulgaria
c.AD 681 - 889

The kingdom was formed by a third group of proto-Bulgarians (the first group forming the core of Great Bulgaria and the second reaching the Volga). These Bulgarians were led by the tribal chieftain Asparouh, who headed for the west and reached the Danube at the beginning of the last quarter of the seventh century. There, his people founded an independent kingdom that conquered territory from the Byzantine empire while it was fighting the Arabs in the east and south. They probably also conquered local tribes that had been settled there for two or three centuries, such as the Bastarnae, remnants of the Goths, and the Huns.

The rulers were known as khans, in the Asiatic tradition, and remained independent of Byzantium until 971. There is some archaeological evidence to suggest an element of continuity between this peoples and the Huns who had previously conquered the region. The most characteristic weapon of both peoples, their long bows, are almost identical.

c.681 - 701

Qaghan Asparukh / Asparouh

Kubrat's fifth son. Founded a permanent Bulgarian state.

c.701 - c.718

Tervel

c.718 - 750

Sevar

750 - 762

Kormesios

762 - 763

Vinekh

762 - 763

Teletz

763

Umar

763 - 765

Baian

765

Tokt

c.765 - 777

Telerig

c.777 - c.803

Kardam

c.803 - 814

Krum

Killed Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus.

814

Dukum

814 - 815

Ditzevg

815 - 831

Omurtag

831 - 852

Malamir

852 - 889

Qaghan Boris I

852 - 889

Michael I

869 - 870

The conversion of Bulgaria is announced at the Eighth Church Council in Constantinople, thwarting several attempts by the Catholic Church at Rome to convert the Bulgarians themselves.

889

The Bulgarians declare their kingdom to be an empire based on the Byzantine model.

Empire of Bulgaria
AD 889 - 971

889 - 893

Emperor Vladimir

893 - 927

Emperor Simeon I the Great

Bulgaria's Golden Age.

927 - 969

Emperor Peter I

969 - 972

Emperor Boris II

Died c.977.

971

Bulgaria is conquered by Byzantine emperor, John I Tzimisces. An independent Macedonian Bulgarian splinter state is set up in western Bulgaria and northern Macedonia by the Cometopuli, 'Sons of the Count.'

Cometopuli Bulgarian State
c.AD 977 - 1018

c.977 - 997

Tsar Romanus

Figurehead. Captured 991.

988

Bulgaria takes the Greek region of Epirus from the Byzantine empire.

997 - 1014

Tsar Samuel

His army was annihilated by Basil II.

1014

Byzantine emperor Basil II 'Bulgar Slayer' captures and blinds most of the 15,000-strong Bulgarian army on 29 July. The defeat fatally weakens the Bulgar state.

1014 - 1015

Gabriel Radomir

1015 - 1018

John Vladislav

1018 - 1186

Bulgaria is annexed by Basil II.

Asens of Bulgaria
AD 1186 - 1279

Bulgaria had been annexed directly to the Byzantine empire in 1018, but by 1186 the empire was at a low point, and the Bulgarian Asens, local feudal lords, rose in rebellion against Byzantine rule and declared a new independent Bulgar state, maintaining the title of tsar.

1186 - 1196

John I Asen

State recognised by Byzantium 1187.

1196 - 1197

Peter II Asen

1197 - 1207

Kaloyan

Stopped Fourth Crusade's advance 1205.

1207 - 1218

Boril

1218 - 1241

John II Asen

1221

After the defeat of Khwarazm, a large Mongol force under Subedei continues north into territory around the Caspian Sea and into the land of the Rus. Rus and Cuman forces assemble which greatly outnumber Subedei's men, but they are defeated at the River Khalka. Subedei extends his expedition farther to attack the Volga Bulgars before he returns to Mongolia in one of the greatest exploratory campaigns of the era.

1242 - 1246

Kaloman

1246 - 1257

Michael II Asen

1257 - 1277

Constantine Tich

1278 - 1279

Ivalio

1279

John III Asen

1279 - 1396

Bulgaria gradually deteriorates as a power as internal anarchy spreads and cross-factional fighting increases.

Terters of Bulgaria
AD 1279 - 1393

1279 - 1292

George I Terter

1292 - 1300

Smilech

1299 - 1300

The power struggle between Toqta of the Golden Horde and Nogai Khan of the Nogai Horde flares up into open conflict, and Toqta is the victor in 1300. Nogai's son, Chaka, flees first to the Alans and then to Bulgaria where he briefly gains the throne as emperor.

1300

Chaka / Caka

Son of Nogai Khan of the Mongol Nogai Horde. Killed.

1300

With the Bulgarians aware of the anger of Toqta of the Golden Horde at the position Chaka holds, Theodore Svetoslav sends Chaka's head to his Mongol overlord and replaces Chaka on the Bulgarian throne.

1300 - 1322

Theodore Svetoslav

1322

George II Terter

1323 - 1330

Michael III Shishman

1330 - 1331

John Stephan

1331 - 1371

John Alexander

1371 - 1393

John Shishman

1396 - 1878

The Bulgars are conquered and occupied by the Ottoman Turks.

1878

After the Russo-Turkish War, the Principality of Bulgaria is set up which includes Moesia and the Sofia region, but not southern Bulgaria (East Rumelia) or the Macedonian region. A German prince is elected as head of state.

Principality of Bulgaria
AD 1878 - 1908

1878 - 1886

Alexander of Hessen-Battenberg

German prince. Arrested by pro-Russians. Forced to abdicate.

1885

Bulgaria annexes East Rumelia.

1887 - 1908

Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha

German prince. Recreated the Bulgaria Tsarate.

Kingdom of Bulgaria
AD 1908 - 1943

1908 - 1918

Tsar Ferdinand

Forced to abdicate at end of the First World War.

1913

The First Balkan War brings Greek victory in the capture and permanent possession of Salonika (modern Thessaloniki - the second largest city in Greece), just beating a Bulgarian force which had also aimed at capturing it.

1915

Despite being courted by the Allies, especially Britain and France, Bulgaria has noted the failures of the Gallipoli campaign against Turkey and the Italian campaign against Austria-Hungary and signs four treaties with Germany and Austria on 6 September, agreeing to attack Serbia in return for territory.

1918 - 1943

Boris III

Son. Monarchical numbering continued from the Empire.

1943 - 1946

Simeon II

Son. Prime minister in 2001.

1943 - 1944

Cyril

Regent.

1946

The country is taken over by Soviet communist forces.

Modern Bulgaria
AD 1946 - Present Day

In the ancient world, areas of central and eastern Bulgaria formed parts of the kingdom of Thrace. Bulgaria was occupied by Soviet forces at the end of the Second World War and the monarchy was abolished. Modern Bulgaria has a long Black Sea coast and is a predominantly Slavic-speaking country. A large swathe of the south-eastern part of the country was, in ancient times, part of tribal Thrace.

1946 - 1993

The country a Soviet communist state.

1993

A democratic republic is declared.

2001 - 2005

Former king, Simeon II, is prime minister.

2004

Bulgaria joins NATO.

2007

In January, Bulgaria becomes a member state of the European Union.