Internal_instability_and_struggle_for_survival First_Bulgarian_Empire

a golden jug treasure of nagyszentmiklós depicting warrior captive. experts cannot agree if warrior bulgar, khazar or avar

with demise of khan sevar (r. 738–753) ruling dulo clan died out , khanate fell long political crisis during young country on verge of destruction. in fifteen years 7 khans reigned, , of them murdered. surviving sources of period byzantine , present byzantine point of view of ensuing political turmoil in bulgaria. describe 2 factions struggling power – one sought peaceful relations empire, dominant until 755, , 1 favoured war. these sources present relations byzantine empire main issue in internal struggle , not mention other reasons, have been more important bulgarian elite. relationship between politically dominant bulgars , more numerous slavs main issue behind struggle there no evidence aims of rival factions. zlatarski speculates old bulgar military aristocracy leaning towards war while other bulgars supported majority of slavs inclined peace byzantium.

the internal instability used soldier emperor constantine v (r. 745–775), launched 9 major campaigns aiming eliminate bulgaria. having contained arab threat during first part of reign, constantine v able concentrate forces on bulgaria after 755. defeated bulgarians @ marcellae in 756, anchialus in 763 , berzitia in 774, lost battle of rishki pass in 759 in addition hundreds of ships lost storms in black sea. byzantine military successes further deteriorated crisis in bulgaria on other hand rallied many different fractions resist byzantine advance in period of political volatility , military setbacks, shown @ council of 766 when nobility , armed people denounced khan sabin words you, romans enslave bulgaria! . in 774 khan telerig (r. 768–777) tricked constantine v revealing spies @ bulgarian court in pliska , had them executed. next year constantine v died during retaliatory campaign against bulgaria. despite being able defeat bulgarians several times byzantines able neither conquer bulgaria, nor impose suzerainty , lasting peace, testimony resilience, fighting skills , ideological coherence of bulgarian state. devastation brought country 9 campaigns of constantine v firmly rallied slavs behind bulgars , increased dislike of byzantines, turning bulgaria hostile neighbour. hostilities continued until 792 when khan kardam (r. 777–803) achieved important victory in battle of marcelae, forcing byzantines once again pay tribute khans. result of victory, crisis overcome, , bulgaria entered new century stable, stronger, , consolidated.