First Bulgarian Empire

The First Bulgarian Empire was a medieval state that existed in Southeastern 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, and secured Byzantine recognition and their right to settle south of the Danube by defeating the Byzantine army. During its time, the empire grew to stretch from the Danube Bend to the Black Sea and from the Dnieper River to the Adriatic Sea, becoming a major power in the region.

The First Bulgarian Empire had a long and complex relationship with the nearby Byzantine Empire. At times they were enemies, fighting in several wars, and at other times they were allies. One famous moment was when the Bulgarian army helped stop the Second Arab Siege of Constantinople, preventing an Arab invasion of Europe. Over time, Bulgaria adopted many Byzantine ways, including Christianity in 864, which helped shape its culture and society.

As the empire grew, the people known as Bulgars mixed with local South Slavic tribes and began to speak a Slavic language. This helped create a shared Bulgarian identity. The empire became an important center for Slavic Europe, especially after creating the Glagolitic alphabet and the Early Cyrillic alphabet. These writing systems spread across Eastern Europe and helped preserve the culture of the Slavic peoples.

In its later years, the First Bulgarian Empire faced many challenges from its neighbors. Powerful leaders like Simeon I led great battles against the Byzantines, expanding the empire’s lands. However, after a serious defeat by the Byzantines under Basil II in 1014, the empire weakened. By 1018, the First Bulgarian Empire came to an end, but its legacy lived on through its culture, language, and the later Second Bulgarian Empire that began in 1185.

Nomenclature

The First Bulgarian Empire became known simply as Bulgaria after it was recognized by the Byzantine Empire in 681. Some historians use different names like Danubian Bulgaria, the First Bulgarian State, or the First Bulgarian Tsardom (Empire) to describe it.

Between 681 and 864, the country was also called the Bulgarian Khanate or the Danubian Bulgarian Khanate, named after the title khan borne by its rulers. After it became Christian in 864 and adopted Old Church Slavonic as its official language in 893, its leaders took the title of Tsar, and the land became known as the Tsardom of Bulgaria. In English, it is often called the Bulgarian Empire.

Background

Balkans during the early Migration Period

See also: Thracians and Migration Period

The eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula was home to the Thracians, a group of ancient tribes. Over time, the Roman Empire took control of this area. But when the Roman Empire weakened, groups like the Goths and Huns moved in, causing chaos. The remaining part of the Roman Empire, known as the Byzantine Empire, tried to keep control but struggled, especially in the interior regions away from the coast.

Slavic migrations to the Balkans

Main article: South Slavs

The Slavs lived north of the Danube River before moving into the Balkans. They arrived in large numbers in the 500s and 600s, settling in areas such as Thessaly, Thrace, and Peloponnese. The Byzantines could only hold onto places like Salonica and some coastal towns.

Bulgars

Main articles: Bulgars and Old Great Bulgaria

The Bulgars were groups of nomadic people who lived near the Black Sea and the Volga River. They spoke a Turkic language and were skilled horse riders. In the 600s, a leader named Kubrat united many Bulgar tribes into a large group called Old Great Bulgaria. After Kubrat died, his sons split up, with one group, led by Asparuh, moving toward the Danube River.

History

The First Bulgarian Empire was a powerful medieval state in Southeastern Europe from the 7th to the 11th centuries. It began in 680–681 when Bulgars, led by Asparuh, settled in the northeastern Balkans after defeating the Byzantine army. The empire grew to stretch from the Danube River to the Black Sea, becoming a major power rivaling the Byzantine Empire.

Bulgaria had a long history of interactions with the Byzantine Empire, sometimes friendly and sometimes hostile. During its peak in the 9th and 10th centuries, Bulgaria expanded its territory widely and played a key role in the region’s history. Leaders like Simeon I helped shape the empire’s golden age, fostering culture and strength. However, by the late 10th century, external pressures and internal struggles led to the empire’s decline, eventually falling under Byzantine control.

Government

The First Bulgarian Empire was a hereditary monarchy. The ruler, initially called a Khan, later became a Knyaz or Tsar. The monarch served as the leader of the armed forces, a judge, and a high priest during the pagan period. Important decisions were often made by the People's Council, which included nobles and representatives of the people.

The second most important official was the kavhan, who helped govern and lead part of the army. Another key figure was the ichirgu-boila, who also led soldiers and managed foreign affairs. Bulgaria had social classes including nobles called boilas and common people. The nobles held significant power, but their influence decreased after some opposed the adoption of Christianity.

Military

Main article: Medieval Bulgarian army

The First Bulgarian Empire needed a strong army to protect itself from attacks by the Byzantine Empire and other nearby groups. The soldiers were equipped with weapons like sabres, swords, battle axes, spears, pikes, daggers, arkans, and bows and arrows. They wore helmets, mail armor, and carried shields for protection.

The Bulgarian army was especially known for its heavy cavalry, which included riders with armor and horses also protected by armor. They were skilled in using clever tactics such as ambushes and feigned retreats to outsmart their enemies. The army also used siege engines like catapults, scorpions, siege towers, and battering rams when attacking fortified cities.

Economy and urbanism

Agriculture was the main part of the First Bulgarian Empire's economy, helped by the rich soils in areas like Moesia, Thrace, and Macedonia. People grew wheat, rye, and millet for food, and grapes for wine. They also raised animals such as cattle, sheep, and horses for food, clothing, and work. Crafts like making metal, stone, and wood items were also important, especially in cities like Preslav.

Trade was very important because Bulgaria was located between big powers like the Byzantine Empire and Central Europe. Bulgarian traders had their own area in Constantinople and traded goods such as gold, silks, and wine. Cities like Preslav and Preslavets were very busy with markets and workshops. Even though the empire did not make its own coins, people paid taxes with goods like crops and animals. Many towns and cities grew up, with Preslav becoming one of the largest cities in Europe at the time.

Religion

For almost two centuries after it began, the Bulgarian state practiced paganism. The Bulgars and Slavs worshipped their own gods. The main Bulgarian god was Tangra, the God of the Sky. Leaders played a big role in religious ceremonies.

Christianity was also present during this time, especially after Khan Krum’s wars. Some Christians were treated badly, but the religion kept spreading. Eventually, Khan Boris I decided to adopt Christianity in 863. This helped Bulgaria become a stronger partner with other Christian nations. Boris I was baptized and took the name of his godfather, Emperor Michael.

After becoming Christian, Bulgaria created its own church. Leaders wanted the church to be independent from Byzantine control. Over time, the Bulgarian Orthodox Church grew and became an important part of the country’s culture and identity. Monasteries also became important places for learning and religion.

Main article: Christianization of Bulgaria

Main article: Bogomilism

Formation of Bulgarian nationality

The Bulgarian state began before the Bulgarian people fully formed. Before this, Slavs mixed with the local Thracian people. After 681, as settlements grew and connections improved, differences between Slavic tribes faded. By the late 9th century, Bulgars, Slavs, and Romanized or Hellenized Thracians had lived together for almost two hundred years. Many Bulgars began using the Slavic Old Bulgarian language, while the original Bulgar language slowly disappeared.

The Christianization of Bulgaria, along with establishing Old Bulgarian as the language of the state and church under Boris I and creating the Cyrillic script, helped form a unified Bulgarian nation in the 9th century. This included areas such as Macedonia, where another Bulgarian leader, Kuber, had established a state alongside Asparuh’s Bulgarian Empire. Using Christianity, which had roots outside both Slavic and Bulgar cultures, helped unite these groups into one culture. By the end of the 9th century, the Bulgarians had become one Slavic nationality with a strong sense of identity.

Main article: Christianization of Bulgaria

Culture

The First Bulgarian Empire had a rich culture, known as the Pliska-Preslav culture, named after its first two capitals, Pliska and Preslav. Many important monuments from this time have been found in places like Madara, Shumen, Novi Pazar, and Han Krum in modern Bulgaria, as well as in Romania, Ukraine, Moldova, North Macedonia, Albania, and Greece. Writings from the time describe a prosperous society with many books, monasteries, and wealthy people.

The first capital, Pliska, was large and well-protected with strong walls and towers. It had a palace, temples, and homes for important people, along with baths, shops, and workshops. The second capital, Preslav, was also big and had many buildings, including palaces, churches, and homes. The city had good roads and places for trading and living. After Bulgaria adopted Christianity in 864, many churches and monasteries were built, changing the look of cities and forts. These buildings were often decorated with beautiful carvings and tiles, showing the empire's wealth and skill. One famous monument is the Madara Rider, a large carving of a horseman on a cliff, which was made to remember a victory and is now a UNESCO World Heritage List site.

Literature

Creation of the Slavic writing system

See also: Old Church Slavonic, Glagolitic alphabet, and Cyrillic script

Boris I wanted to teach his people the new religion, but many religious books were still in Greek. Between 860 and 863, two Byzantine monks named Saints Cyril and Methodius created the Glagolitic alphabet, the first alphabet for Slavic languages. They used a local Slavic dialect from the area of Thessaloniki, which later became known as Old Church Slavonic or Old Bulgarian. Although their mission in Great Moravia failed, their disciples Clement, Naum, and Angelarius went to Bulgaria and were welcomed by Boris I. They started teaching in Bulgaria, saving the work of Cyril and Methodius.

Boris I asked these disciples to start schools to train Bulgarian priests. Clement went to Kutmichevitsa in Macedonia and founded the Ohrid Literary School, teaching many students. Naum started a school in the capital Pliska, which later moved to Preslav. In the late 9th or early 10th century, the Cyrillic script was created at the Preslav Literary School. It was based on the Greek alphabet but added new letters for sounds not found in Greek. Over time, Cyrillic replaced Glagolitic in Bulgaria and spread throughout the Eastern Orthodox Slavic world. Today, more than 250 million people use it.

Literary activities

Main article: Medieval Bulgarian literature

The creation of Old Church Slavonic helped keep the South Slavs distinct from nearby cultures and strengthened Bulgarian identity. At first, writers translated books from Greek on topics like theology, history, and geography. Literature grew during the rule of Simeon I, who loved learning and brought many scholars to his court. They translated many books from Greek and wrote new ones. Important writers included Constantine of Preslav, John the Exarch, and Chernorizets Hrabar. They wrote stories about saints, poems, and religious songs.

One early original work was On the Letters by Chernorizets Hrabar, where he defended the Cyrillic alphabet. Constantine of Preslav wrote the Didactic Gospel, the first systematic collection of sermons in Slavic literature. John the Exarch wrote the Shestodnev, which described life in the Bulgarian Empire under Simeon I. Later, Cosmas the Priest wrote a book criticizing some religious groups and social problems in Bulgaria.

Besides official writings, people also enjoyed apocryphal stories. One famous tale was Tale of the Cross Tree by Jeremiah the Priest, which talked about Bulgarian hopes and fears. These stories were later banned by the Orthodox Church. Bulgarian literature influenced many other Slavic countries and regions, including Kievan Rus', medieval Serbia, medieval Croatia, Wallachia, and Moldavia. Unfortunately, after the Byzantine conquest of Bulgaria, many Bulgarian books were destroyed, and most surviving works are copies made in other countries, mainly in Russia.