European Kingdoms

First Bulgarian Empire (Danubian Bulgaria)
AD 913 - 971

Eastern Europe All Modern States Baltic Tribes Caucasus Slavic Tribes The Rus / Old Russia

The Danubian Bulgar kingdom was first formed in the late seventh century AD. Its people followed the tribal chieftain, Asparukh, son of the late ruler of Great Bulgaria. Wanting to avoid Khazar domination following their termination of this state, he led his large train of tribal Bulgars westwards from the Pontic steppe region which lies to the north of the Sea of Azov.

In what is now Romania, they set up a tribal kingdom close to the mouth of the Danube as the Danubian Bulgarians of a Danubian tribal state, and set about harassing and seizing territory from the Eastern Roman empire while it was engaged in fighting the Islamic empire in the east and south.

These Danubian Bulgars expelled recently-settled groups of Slavs (or at least their leaders - principally of the Antes tribe), and probably also conquered other tribes which had been settled there for two or three centuries, such as the Bastarnae, and any remnants of the Goths and the Huns.

More than enough Slavs remained though, enough to be integrated into the new kingdom, to add a Slavic layer of culture to it, and to replace Turkic as the main language. Principally these Slavs involved the Severians, along with what was known as the 'Seven Clans' or 'Seven Slavic Tribes'.

The Danubian kingdom largely prospered during the eighth and ninth centuries, gradually solidifying into a medieval state. It expanded outwards to occupy much of the Balkans, especially eastern and central regions. Anarchy in the Eastern Roman empire and the non-payment of the Bulgarian tribute allowed the knyaz, Simeon, to besiege Constantinople in 913 until its internal struggle to find a new emperor also resulted in Simeon himself being accepted as emperor of the Bulgarians.

His kingdom was now raised to become the (First) Bulgarian empire. The knyaz ('prince' or 'ruler') swapped that title for 'emperor', using the former Western Roman term of Caesar, in the abbreviated form of 'tsar' (originally 'tsěsar') which was, in theory, subtly junior to the Latin 'imperator' and Greek 'basileus' (both also meaning 'emperor'), but which was generally rendered in Slavonic as 'Cěsar/Car' ('tsar').

(Information by Peter Kessler, with additional information from Viking-Rus Mercenaries in the Byzantine-Arab Wars of the 950s-960s: the Numismatic Evidence, Roman K Kovalev, from Istorija Khazar, M I Artamonov (Leningrad, 1962), from The Bulgarians: from pagan times to the Ottoman conquest, David Marshall Lang (Westview Press, 1976), from Istorija Khazar, M I Artamonov (Leningrad, 1962), from Hungarians and Europe in the Early Middle Ages: An Introduction to Early Hungarian History, András Róna-Tas (Central European University Press, 1999), and from External Link: Bulgaria (Worldstatesmen), and Turkic History.)

913 - 927

Previously knyaz of Bulgaria. Bulgaria's 'Golden Age'.

914

Shortly after Simeon has happily accepted the title of 'tsar' from Patriarch Nicholas, Zoe, the powerful mother of the young Emperor Constantine VII, returns to the Eastern Roman court. The regents are removed, Zoe takes control of the throne, and the patrician is entirely sidelined from his office. Recognition of Simeon as 'tsar' is negated, even by removing it from some official documents.

The shy, young Emperor Constantine VII of the Eastern Roman empire ruled with some reluctance, preferring the peace of his studies to the hurly-burly of court life

917

The promised war between Zoe's Constantinople and Simeon now erupts. Leo Phokas 'the Elder' invades Bulgaria with naval support. His forces stop en route to rest, close to the River Acheloos, and also close to the port of Anchialos (today's Pomorie).

This is where Simeon finds them, unprepared, and slaughters them. The Eastern Romans are utterly routed, with the Bulgarians chasing them to the outskirts of Constantinople. Another victory sees some of the last remaining cohesive Eastern Roman military units destroyed.

Immediately afterwards, Simeon sends two commanders to trick Petar Gojniković, ruler of the Serbs, into handing himself over for having intended to mobilise in support of the Eastern Romans. He is duly seized and imprisoned. Simeon replaces him with a Serb exile by the name of Pavle Branović who had been living at the Bulgarian court.

919 - 924

With Zoe now removed from power and sent back to a monastery, her replacement is Romanus I Lecapenus, equally powerful and politically wily. He marries his daughter - once promised to Simeon - to Constantine VII and creates himself co-emperor in 920.

This artist's reconstruction shows the Roman city of Singidunum, the name originating in the preceding Celtic town, while the Serbs would settle it from the 520s, making it their on-off capital of Belgrade

Now unable to seal peace through marriage with Constantinople, Simeon instead wages a long and bloody war against the Eastern Romans. Zaharije Pribisavljević in Serbia is persuaded by the imperial court to rebel in 924.

He already has the support of many Bulgarians who have tired of the unceasing campaigning. An initial force of loyal Bulgarians is routed, but a larger force deposes Zaharije, while much of the leading Serb nobility is beheaded. Simeon takes direct control of Serbia.

927 - 969

Son. Ruled a generally peaceful empire. Suffered a stroke.

930 - 933

There are two family-led rebellions: one in 930 by a younger brother named Ivan, and then a second, more serious attempt by Tsar Peter's elder half-brother, Michael. Taking advantage of the tsar possibly being unsettled, the Serbs in 933 successfully rebel under the leadership of Prince Časlav Klonimirović, re-establishing the independence of the Serb state.

This lead bulla seal depicting the Bulgarian 'First Empire' Tsar Peter I was reportedly found together with a hoard of solidi of Romanus I, Constantine II, and Romanus II, with the seal perhaps being tied a leather bag which contained the coins, possibly to make a Bulgarian imperial payment

By the 930s some Magyar groups in what is becoming Hungary are further incurring into the Bulgarian empire but, after some initial disturbance, Tsar Peter is able to accept them and even employ them against the Serbs and Eastern Romans.

These groups are allowed to settle in Bulgarian territory on the northern side of the Danube, where they initially remain outside the control of the leading Magyar Árpád dynasty.

967

Around a decade after her own conversion to Christianity when visiting Constantinople, the pagan son of the late Grand Princess Olga of the Rus - Svyatoslav - now fights against the Danubian Bulgars, having ended the threat posed by the once-mighty Khazars. His latest campaign is at the request of the Eastern Romans, who promise an advance payment of fifteen hundred pounds of gold.

At the peak of its prosperity the nomadic Turkic Khazar state controlled the northern Caucasus, the lower and Middle Volga regions, part of Kazakhstan, and part of what is now Ukraine, including Crimea

968

The Pechenegs invade Rus territory for the first time, besieging Kyiv with a large army at the encouragement of the Bulgarians. According to tradition they are tricked into raising the siege by local forces who then assure them that Svyatoslav himself has just arrived to finish the job.

The Pechenegs withdraw in good order without having fought anybody, but the pressure on the Bulgarians has at least been temporarily lifted.

969 - 971

Son. Roman prisoner from 971. Freed in 977.

970 - 971

Having just defeated the Bulgarians again (in 969), Svyatoslav of Kyiv finally breaks the long peace with the Eastern Romans which had been encouraged and supported by his late mother (who has only just died). He launches an invasion of the lower Danube in 970 and engages the Eastern Roman armies there in major battles between then and 971.

Unfortunately for him, the forces of Emperor John I Tzimisces are stronger than his. Tsar Boris of Bulgaria, his own forces unable to beat off the Rus, has become an unwilling Rus ally, and it is his capital which bears the brunt of the Eastern Roman attack.

The Bulgarian tsar is captured there and is taken to Constantinople where he is divested of his imperial title and given a replacement honorary one.

Eastern Roman Emperor John I Zimiskes returns in glory to Constantinople, with the captured Preslav icon and Tsar Boris II of Bulgaria (second from right)

The (first) empire of Bulgaria is ended, with lower Moesia and Thrace now in the hands of Eastern Roman governors. Only western Bulgaria remains independent. This is led by the 'sons of the count', the Cometopuli, in the name of the captive Tsar Boris.