Rise Second_Bulgarian_Empire

a map of bulgarian empire, showing territorial extent , campaigns between 1185 , 1197



the church of holy forty martyrs kaloyan buried.

the throne succeeded kaloyan, asen s , peter iv s youngest brother. ambitious , ruthless ruler, wanted gain international recognition , complete liberation of bulgaria. kaloyan wanted revenge byzantines blinding 14,000 of emperor samuel s soldiers. kaloyan called himself romanoktonos (roman-slayer) after basil ii, called bulgaroktonos (bulgar-slayer). allied himself brother s murderer, ivanko. byzantines killed ivanko, bulgarians took city of constantia. in 1201, kaloyan captured varna, last byzantine stronghold in moesia, defended large garrison. despite capturing city @ easter, kaloyan ordered every byzantine thrown in moat. negotiated peace byzantines, securing bulgarian gains in 1202. while bulgarians occupied in south, hungarian king andrew ii , serbian vassal vukan had annexed belgrade, braničevo, , niš, after negotiating peace, kaloyan turned attention north-west. in 1203, bulgarians pushed serbs out of niš, defeated hungarian army in several battles along valley of morava river, , recaptured former territory.

kaloyan knew byzantines never recognize imperial title; began negotiations pope innocent iii. based claims on predecessors in first bulgarian empire; simeon i, peter i, , samuel. pope willing recognize kaloyan king on condition bulgarian church submit rome. after lengthy negotiations in both acted diplomatically without changing positions, kaloyan crowned king in late 1204. archbishop basil proclaimed primate. kaloyan had no intention of submitting decision; sent pope letter expressing gratitude imperial title had received , elevation of bulgarian church patriarchate. papacy tacitly accepted bulgarian position regarding imperial title. union between bulgaria , rome remained strictly official; bulgarians did not change orthodox rites , traditions.

a map showing greatest territorial extension of second bulgarian empire during reign of ivan asen ii (1218–1241)

several months before kaloyan s coronation, leaders of fourth crusade turned on byzantine empire , captured constantinople, creating latin empire. bulgarians tried establish friendly relations latins rebuffed , latins claimed lands despite papal recognition. facing common enemy, kaloyan , byzantine aristocracy in thrace made alliance , latter promised accept kaloyan emperor. decisive battle between bulgarian army , crusaders took place on 14 april 1205, @ adrianople, @ latins defeated , emperor baldwin captured. battle blow newly founded latin empire, descended chaos. after victory, bulgarians retook of thrace, including important city of philippopolis. unexpected bulgarian successes caused byzantine nobility plot against kaloyan , ally latins. plot in tarnovo discovered; kaloyan made brutal reprisals against byzantines in thrace. campaign against latins continued; in 1206, bulgarians victorious @ battle of rusion , conquered number of towns in eastern thrace. following year, boniface i, king of salonica, killed in battle, kaloyan murdered before begin assault on capital.

kaloyan succeeded cousin boril, tried pursue predecessor s policies did not have capability. army defeated latins @ philippopolis, reversing of kaloyan s gains. boril failed maintain integrity of empire; brother strez took of macedonia himself, alexius slav seceded territory in rhodopes; in return suppressing major rebellion in 1211, boril forced cede belgrade , braničevo hungary. campaign against serbia in 1214 ended in defeat.

as result of growing discontent policy, boril overthrown in 1218 ivan asen ii, son of ivan asen i, had lived in exile after kaloyan s death. after coronation, ivan asen ii arranged wedding anna maria, daughter of hungarian king andrew ii, , received captured cities belgrade , braničevo dowry. signed alliance theodore komnenos, ruler of powerful byzantine successor state, despotate of epirus. northern border secured treaty, theodore komnenos conquered salonica, reducing size of latin empire. in 1225, theodore proclaimed himself emperor. 1228, situation latins became desperate; entered negotiations bulgaria, promising marriage between under-age emperor baldwin ii , ivan asen ii s daughter helena. marriage have made bulgarian emperor regent in constantinople, in meantime latins offered regency french nobleman john of brienne. concerned actions of bulgarians, while marching on constantinople in 1230, theodore komnenos invaded bulgaria huge army. surprised, ivan asen ii gathered small force , moved south engage them. instead of banner, used peace treaty theodore s oath , seal stuck on spear , won major victory in battle of klokotnitsa. theodore komnenos captured along whole court , of surviving troops. ivan asen ii released ordinary soldiers , marched on epyrote–controlled territories, cities , towns adrianople durazzo on adriatic sea surrendered , recognized rule. theodore s brother michael ii komnenos doukas allowed rule in salonica on southern areas of despotate bulgarian vassal. possible serbia accepted bulgarian suzerainty @ time counter threat catholic hungary.

in 1231, when john of brienne arrived in constantinople, ivan asen ii allied nicaean empire against latins. after nicaeans recognized bulgarian patriarchate in 1235, ivan asen ii broke union papacy. joint campaign against latins successful, failed capture constantinople. john of brienne s death 2 years later, ivan asen ii—who have again become regent of baldwin ii—decided end cooperation nicaea. decision further based on assumption after allied success, constantinople again have become centre of restored byzantine empire, nicaean dynasty ruling house. bulgarian–latin cooperation short-lived; ivan asen ii remained @ peace southern neighbours until end of reign. shortly before death in 1241, ivan asen ii defeated part of mongol army returning east after devastating attack on poland , hungary.