Literature First_Bulgarian_Empire

the old bulgarian alphabet

although boris i had succeeded in securing autonomous church, higher clergy , theological books still greek, impeded efforts convert populace new religion. between 860 , 863 byzantine monks saints cyril , methodius created glagolitic alphabet, first slavic alphabet order of byzantine emperor, aimed convert great moravia orthodox christianity. language used called later historians old church slavonic , based on local slavic dialect spoken in region of thessaloniki, hence known old bulgarian. ultimately, brothers mission establish slavic liturgy in great moravia failed. in 886 disciples clement, naum , angelarius, had been banished great moravia, reached bulgaria , received warm welcome boris i. began preach in bulgaria , work of slavic mission of cyril , methodius saved.

the bulgarian monarch commissioned creation of 2 theological academies headed disciples future bulgarian clergy instructed in bulgarian vernacular. clement sent southwestern province kutmichevitsa in macedonia, founded ohrid literary school. there, educated 3,500 pupils between 886 , 907. naum established literary school in capital pliska, moved later new capital preslav. eventually, naum sent ohrid. rationale centre literary activities far away capital @ time byzantine archbishop still resided in pliska. in late 9th or 10th century cyrillic script created @ preslav literary school. based on greek letters , included number of original ones sounds non-existent in greek, adding 14 letters existing 24 greek ones. in next few decades new script replaced glagolitic alphabet in bulgaria , spread in whole eastern orthodox slavic world. today more 250 million people in eurasia use official alphabet national languages.

literary activities

distribution of cyrillic script worldwide

the development of old church slavonic literacy had effect of preventing assimilation of south slavs neighbouring cultures, while stimulating formation of distinct bulgarian identity. translation byzantine greek of texts on theology, history , geography priority. literary activities flourished during reign of simeon i had personal interest in literature. gathered many scholars in court translated enormous number of books greek , wrote many new works. among prominent figures constantine of preslav, john exarch , chernorizets hrabar, believed historians had been simeon i himself. wrote hagiographies, panegyrics, acolouthia, poetry, liturgical hymns, treatises on church music, etc.

a page alphabet prayer constantine of preslav

one of first original works on letters (О писмєньхъ) chernorizets hrabar, defended cyrillic alphabet against byzantine greek critics , proved not right existence superiority greek alphabet arguing greek letters neither oldest known man, nor divine. in form of rhetoric questions , answers on letters demonstrated excellent historic , linguistic knowledge of chernorizets hrabar, indicated god did not first create hebrew or greek language, syrian adam spoke... , underlined before greeks had no alphabet of own wrote speech phoenician letters. constantine of preslav , john exarch combined translated , adapted byzantine works original texts. latter compiled shestodnev (Шестоднев – hexameron) included valuable first-hand evidence bulgarian empire under simeon i. constantine of preslav s didactic gospel first systematic work treating sermons in slavic literature featured poetic preface azbuchna molitva (Азбучна молитва – alphabet prayer), first original poetry in bulgarian language. later, cosmas priest wrote anti-bogomil treatise sermon against heretics apart theological arguments contained criticism on contemporary bulgarian society, particular attention religious , social issues.

apart official literature, apocryphical texts written , received impetus after second half of 10th century, imperial patronage ceased during byzantine conquest , subsequent byzantine rule in bulgaria. 1 such work expressing bulgarian aspirations , fears tale of cross tree jeremiah priest considered heretical , banned orthodox church.

the flourishing literary activity , experimentation various genres developed style, flexibility , expressiveness of language. literature produced in old bulgarian language spread north , became lingua franca of balkans , eastern europe. bulgarian scholars , works influenced of slavic world, including kievan rus , medieval serbia, , medieval croatia, non-slavic medieval wallachia , moldavia. thriving activity came abrupt end byzantine conquest of bulgaria. in following 150 years byzantines systematically destroyed texts in old bulgarian language. none of works of first empire have survived in original within territory , have survived later copies reproduced abroad, in russia.