Administration.2C_territorial_division.2C_society Second_Bulgarian_Empire

the medieval bulgarian royal charters, such rila charter of ivan shishman issued in 1378, important source on medieval bulgarian society , administrative posts.

the emperor held supreme power on secular , religious affairs in autocracy; personal abilities played important role in country s well-being. when monarch infant, government headed regency included mother-empress, patriarch, , senior members of ruling dynasty. processes of feudal fragmentation accelerated in 14th century, became customary monarch’s sons receive imperial titles during father s lifetime; sons styled co-rulers or junior emperors.

unlike first empire, administration during second bulgarian empire heavily influenced byzantine system of administration. of titles of nobility, court, , administration directly adopted byzantine counterparts in byzantine greek, or translated bulgarian. there differences in ranking systems between 2 countries—there few surviving sources precise obligations, insignia, or ceremonial affairs of medieval bulgarian administration. bolyar council included greater bolyars , patriarch; discussed issues external , internal policies, such declarations of war, formations of alliances, or signing of peace treaties. highest-ranking administrative officials great logothete, had functions of first minister, , protovestiarios, responsible treasury , finance. high court titles such despot , sebastokrator awarded emperor s relatives not strictly concerned administrative functions.

panoramic view of tarnovo, capital of second bulgarian empire

the capital of second bulgarian empire tarnovo, centre of own administrative unit under direct authority of emperor. bulgaria divided provinces, numbers varied territorial evolution of country. in surviving primary sources, provinces named byzantine term hora or bulgarian terms zemya (земя), strana (страна), , oblast (област), named after main city. provincial governors titled duke or kefalia — both byzantine dux , kephale—and directly appointed emperor. provinces subdivided katepanika (sing. katepanikon, byzantine katepanikion), ruled katepans subordinated dukes. during reign of ivan asen ii (1218–41), provinces included belgrade, braničevo, boruy, adrianople, dimotika, skopje, prilep, devol, , albania.

during second empire, bulgarian society divided 3 social classes: clergy, nobility, , peasantry. nobility included aristocracy: bolyars, origin older bulgarian boilas first empire, judges, , whole army . bolyars subdivided greater , lesser bolyars. former possessed large estates, @ times included tens , hundreds of villages, , held high administrative , military posts. peasants formed bulk of third class , subordinated either under central authorities or under local feudal lords. time, number of latter increased result of process of feudalization of bulgaria. main groups of peasants paritsi , otrotsi. both own land paritsi inherit property; latter not, since provided feudal lords.