“St. St. Cyril and Methodius” also known as the Solun’s brothers are Methodius and Konstantin philosopher , creators and distributors of the first slavic alphabet the Glagolitic alphabet or just Glagolitsa. They are canonized as saints for the transliteration and popularization of the holy bible on Old Church Slavonic.
Methodius and Constantine philosopher were born in Sоlun (known as Thessaloniki), the Byzantian empire during the XIX century, at family of nine persons in the family of brass hat military superintendant Luv and his wife Maria. Methodius is the bigger one, he was born during the 810 year, Konstantin was born in 827 and almost at the end of his life he gets the name Cyril. Their father dies too early and they pass under the guardianship of their uncle Teoktisto, who’s a highly placed official at the Empire. During the year 843, Cyril arrives at Constantinople and starts his studies at the prestige University of the palace hall of Magnaura. For Methodius, Teoktisto has found another service as governor of administrative area, populated almost with Slavs from the bulgarian group.
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Priest Stoiko Vladislavov (born as he describes at the work “passional” at 1739), receiving later the name Sofroniy Vrachanski as born in Kotel at the family of trader. He is learning later at monastery school at his born town slavic and greek monastery books. He is working as dealer in frieze at this period, but his aspiration to spirit entertaining become bigger.

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Fourteen golden coins from the time of Justinian and Justin has been found near the Saint Petka’s stronghold, near the town of Peshtera, that are attesting for the last days of the stronghold, during the sixth century by compounded Avarian-slavic-bulgarian onslaught.
Continue reading Another new finds, near the town of Peshtera and Ivailovgrad

As it turned out, Byzantium had little reason to rejoice. In the next few decades the Bulgarians conquered a large part of the empire’s Balkan territories step by step and by engaging in open warfare. By the middle of the 9th century Bulgaria already included all of Macedonia, most of the territories of present-day Albania, and had gained a firm foothold on the Adriatic coast. Slavs of the Bulgarian language group inhabited most of these territories. The state had become one of the largest in Europe. Bulgaria’s sovereign Tsar Boris I (852 - 889) was full of self-esteem but suffered from the fact that Byzantium did not regard him as an equal. The empire saw his state as an unstable barbarian alliance. At that, being heathen, it did not meet one of the fundamental requirements to be accepted in the family of peoples headed by the basileus.

The fact that there were two basic religions in the country was also an obstacle in the way of Bulgarians and Slavs blending into one.
Continue reading The Rise of the First Bulgarian Kingdom part II

The Bulgarians found themselves on the Balkans at times that were difficult for Byzantium. Inspired by Islam, Arabs had begun the persistent onslaught from the east that was to continue for three centuries and at times bring the empire to the brink of ruin. The state borders so dear to the heart of contemporary man were practically nonexistent. The garrisons along the border were weak and could not stop invaders. There was a niche in power, which the Bulgarians were quick to fill. They began a series of pillaging attacks to the south. And what was more disconcerting from the point of view of Constantinople, the newcomers began to ally themselves with the Slavs on the time-honoured principle that the enemy of one’s enemy is one’s friend.

Emperor Constantine IV Pogonates decided to follow the example of Alexander the Great and cut through the Gordian knot of increasingly complex problems with one blow. He loaded a large army on ships, sent another by land, and besieged the Bulgarians in their fortified camp. The adversary, however, was experienced in making fortifications. The siege dragged on. There were also numerous Bulgarian parties in the steppe, which attacked the Byzantines from the rear.
Continue reading The Establishment of Danubian Bulgaria

The resettlement of people be ongoing to the Bulgarian branch actually had quite old traditions. After deflecting the advance of the Huns, part of the Bulgarians headed for Central Europe as early as the beginning of the 6th century. For some time they lived in what are today Bavaria and southern Germany. It is unclear how they came into conflict with the local lord who ordered them killed to the last man. Those who survived turned south. They lived on the territory of present-day Italy for centuries and gradually mixed with the local population to the point where only names like Bulgar and Bulgarelli remind of their centennial presence there. After the fall of Old Great Bulgaria part of the people crossed half of Europe and settled in Italy. After three or four centuries they had blended entirely into the local population.

Continue reading The Fate of the Bulgarians