Byzantium sensed Bulgaria’s weakening and, although an open attack was to be feared, it had nothing against someone else being its cat’s paw. Thus the prince of Kievan Rus’ was encouraged to attack Bulgaria. At that time, Tsar Peter had already passed away, and it is widely known that the change of guard presents the best time for attack. Pagan Russian hordes came and galloped through the eastern Bulgarian territories. They liked the fertile and sunny land, however, and Prince Sviatoslav declared he intended to move his capital to the mouth of the Danube. Byzantium had not counted on such a turn and had to resort to its favorite tactics yet again. This time it was the Pechenegs who were driven to attack the Russians and the Bulgarians helped in this respect. Sviatoslav returned to defend his capital, where he was surprised by his enemies one night and lost his life.

Bulgaria was in chaos and its southern neighbour took the opportunity. The Byzantine army crossed the passes of the Balkan range, took the capital of Great Preslav without any particular resistance, subjected it to plunder, took the Bulgarian tsar prisoner and had him marched through the streets of Constantinople in his ceremonial clothes as a sign of his subjugation. It seemed yet again, as it had happened on so many occasions, that the patience, cunning, and why not even the military might of the Byzantine Empire, had prevailed over a small barbarian state.

Things were not as they seemed, however. Bulgaria was too large to be conquered by a single march and that left only its northeastern territories under Byzantine control. In the west, local feudal lords had been enjoying a measure of semi-autonomy for years. The most powerful of them, one Kometopouloi Nikola, had four sons (and probably also daughters but women did not count for anything in those years). They rose against Byzantium, not as independent feudal lords but under the flag of preserving and restoring the Bulgarian state within its erstwhile boundaries. As a sign that they regarded themselves the legitimate heirs to the Bulgarian throne they solemnly welcomed the Patriarch who had managed to escape the Byzantines. He was received with all possible honors and accommodated in Muglen, one of the fortified towns in Western Bulgaria.

Samouil was the youngest of the four brothers. As usual in folk tales, the youngest brother proved the most intelligent and ambitious of the family. Gradually he came to head with the struggle against the time-honored enemy. He reorganized the army and managed to win back northeastern Bulgaria with several campaigns. Then he turned south and conquered territories in Central Greece. Constantinople began to fear the returning power of state. To create problems they released the deposed Tsar Boris and his brother, Roman. Boris was accidentally killed by a border guard while crossing the border. Roman, contrary to Byzantine expectations, was welcomed with pomp by Samouil, who declared him the legitimate tsar of Bulgaria. Thanks to the ministrations of the Byzantines, however, the new tsar could not have offspring and probably as a result of this failing did not show any particular interest in ruling his realm. Samouil was the ruler in all but title. When Roman died, there was none to question Samouil’s right to the crown.

When he had to, the tsar could be sentimental. He could also be cruel. The problem was that in both cases he made mistakes.

Samouil killed his elder brother Aaron, whom he suspected of secretly negotiating with the Byzantines behind his back. To be on the safe side, he also ordered that Aaron’s entire family be wiped out. He left only one of the sons, whose life was saved upon the insistence of his own son. Years later, Aaron’s son was to return the gesture with black ingratitude by murdering the cousin who had saved his life.

Samouil captured one of the Serbian princes in battle and had him thrown in the dungeon. This prisoner was visited by the daughter of the ruler, Kossara, as it was her Christian duty to those denied their freedom. She was full of compassion for the sorry fate of the young prince, a compassion, which soon became love. Instead of cutting it off at the roots Samouil had pity on the young couple, married them and sent the young prince to rule his land as a vassal. His second daughter also entered into a similar marriage - this time with an imprisoned Byzantine aristocrat. Samouil gave his new son-in-law the most important Bulgarian port on the Adriatic, Dyrrachium, but he soon gave it over to Byzantium. The last quarter of the 10th, and the first quarter of the 11th century were both tragic and heroic for Bulgarian history. The Bulgarians fought to preserve their independence for nearly half a century. Samouil had the bad luck to face one of the most able Byzantine rulers, Basil II, the founder of the Macedonian dynasty. Basil marched against the Bulgarians almost every year. At times he prevailed, at others he lost. Once Basil barely escaped capture and on another occasion Samouil was saved from imprisonment and death only thanks to his son.

Gradually, however, Bulgaria lost its power. The country could not cope with the constant tension. The local feudal lords were tired of providing troops for the endless battles year in and year out. Their wealth was spent on military effort and they lent an ear to the whispered Byzantine promises of honors and riches should they take their side.

Similar Topics from Ancient Bulgaria Archive