TIMELINE
What follows below is a timeline of the medieval period of the Hunno-Bulgars.
Chapter One
The Source : 354 AD – 480 AD
354 AD The First Bulgars: The first mentioning of the Bulgars by an
unknown chronicler who wrote in Latin. In the chronograph it goes on
to mention a Bulgar named, Shem, whose son was called, Ziezi. The
'Anonymous chronograph' as it is called, lists the Bulgars as one of
the new tribes of barbarians to the east of the Black Sea. Here the
Bulgars were known as the Vh'nduri, and were a mixture of Altaic
Nomadic Horsemen Tribes, Sarmatians (Iranian Peoples), and Oguri (Uguri)
Turkish Peoples.
ca. 360 AD The Huns crushed the toughest of the Sarmatian Tribes,
The Alans.Soon after this, the Huns had the Sarmatians as their
allies.
ca. 370 AD The Bulgars and the Ostrogoths were beaten by the Huns.
Those whodo not join in the Hunnish ranks, fled before them.
373-376 AD AD The Alano-Gothic War: The Alans and the Goths began a
war over the lands within Dacia. At its conclusion the Alans came to
Dacia, the Ostrogoths were beaten once again, and the Visigoths were
forced to invade Thrace.
378 AD The Huns crossed the Kerch Stait in the Crimea.
ca. 380 ADTribes of Sarmatians (Alans) began to migrate westward
into the Pannonian Steppes and in the middle of the Danubian area.
406 AD Gaul Attacked!: The Alans and the Vandals attacked Gaul to
the west.
409 AD The Alans and the Vandals continued their 'World Tour' by
invading Spain, raping, looting, and burning the countryside
410 AD The Sacking of Rome: Rome was sacked by the Visigoths.
418 AD The Visigoths attacked the Alans in Spain, and defeated them.
TheAlans due to depleted numbers in the Western Horde, merged
withtheir buddies, the Vandals.
420 AD Base In Pannonia: The Huns made their home in the Pannonian
Steppes as a stranglehold on the Roman and the Byzantine Empires.
422 AD King's Daughter Taken!: The Bulgars engaged the Lombards in a
pitched battle along the northern slopes of the Carpathians and were
victorious! After the defeat of the Germanic Lombards, the Bulgars
carried away King Agelmund's daughter with the other spoils of war.
427 AD The Taking of Carthage: The Alans (Sarmatians) and the
Vandals attacked Tunisia in North Africa. Carthage was taken!
434 AD The Death of Sublime Khan Ruga: Sublime Khan Bleda came to
power after the death of Sublime Khan Ruga. At the time Attila, the
brother of Bleda, was Khan over a Hunnish ulus (or in other words
was Bleda's 2nd in command). With this event, Bleda and Attila then
decided to exact a heavy peace treaty with the Byzantine Empire
which they got. In the treaty it stated that every year 700 pounds
of gold would be given as tribute to the Huns. Also in the
provisions of the treaty, all Huns previously enlisted into the
Byzantine military would have to be extradited, and they would not
be allowed to enlist anymore. Lastly, a free trade agreement was
struck up in the treaty which said that merchants of the Huns would
be allowed free access in any of the Byzantine border towns.
434-440 AD Bulgars Causing Trouble: Khan Attila was sent by his
brother eastward to retake control over the North Caucasus Area
where tribes of Sarmatians and Bulgars were getting out of hand.
Khan Attila was victorious and everybody fell back in line. At the
conclusion of this, King Gaiseric of the Vandals and the Western
Alans, as well as the Sassanian Shah, Yazdagard II, had a great deal
of respect for Attila.
441-443 AD More Tribute Needed: Khan Attila was sent by Sublime Khan
Bleda to assault the Byzantine frontier to extract a heavier tribute
from their empire. Attila Khan first attacked the Danubian frontier
and pushed through the Byzantine fortresses without too much
problem. By 443 AD, the Huns reached well into the South within the
empire, and so the Byzantine Emperor Theodosius II (408-450 AD),
sued for peace paying 6,000 pounds of gold per year to the Huns.
444 AD The Rise To Power: Sublime Khan Attila came to power as the
absolute ruler of the Huns and their allies after his brother Bleda
died. Some say it was a hunting accident, others say it was
self-defense, and others treachery.
447 AD Hunnish Warriors Attack!: A great invasion was launched by
Sublime Khan Attila on the Byzantine Empire. As said in the
biography of St. Hypatius, "The barbarian nation of the Huns, which
was in Thrace, became so great that more than a hundred cities were
captured. There were so many murders and blood-lettings that the
dead could not be numbered." Attila rode as far south as Thermopylae
and devastated a large Byzantine army commanded by a German named
Arnegliscus after taking heavy losses. Marcianople, the greatest
city in Thrace, was burned down to the ground. Unfortunately,
disease infected the Huns, and the Hunnish blitzkrieg was slowed.
Constantinople and the Emperor once again sued for peace, and
payment was in excess of 10,000 pounds of gold. Even Senators and
the rich were taxed this time to come up with the gold, with their
wives having to sell their jewelry as well as old family heirlooms.
448 AD The Height of the Hunnish Empire: The Huns became so rich
with gold that no taxation was imposed on any of the Sublime Khan's
people.
451 AD Campaign In The West: Sublime Khan Attila launched a campaign
in the West attacking Gaul. The campaign was initiated after the
Princess Honoria, sister of the Roman Emperor, Valentinian III
(425-455 AD), was denied to Attila in marriage. Sublime Khan Attila
only wished a mere half of the Roman Empire to be given as her
dowry. The Gaulic cities of Reims, Langres, and Besancon were sacked
and put to the torch.
451 AD The Battle of The Catalaunian Fields: This battle was fought
in June, 451 AD, in a large plain with a small hill in Gaul. In this
most severe of battles, Sublime Khan Attila assembled Huns, Bulgars,
Ostrogoths, Gepids, Heruls, the Eastern Alans, and a section of the
Franks. His enemy, the Roman Commander Aetius, commanded the Romans,
the Burgundians, the Visigoths, the Western Alans, and another
portionof Franks. On each side many leaders fought and died
throughout theday as the battle grew "fierce, confused, monstrous,
unrelenting" asreported by the historian Jordanes. The total numbers
of infantryand horsemen, have been calculated by modern historians
at 50,000who fought in the battle. After great amounts of casualties
were taken on both sides, Aetius, won an indecisive victory, in that
Sublime Khan Attila was forced to leave the Gaulic theater of war.
452 AD Italian Campaign To Sack Rome: Sublime Khan Attila set off on
his Italian Campaign to sack Rome itself still pursuing the Princess
Honoria's hand in marriage. The city of Aquileia was taken after a
protracted siege and was destroyed thus securing Northern Italy for
Attila. Aetius, in the meantime had lost support of the Western
Alans who did not like fighting their cousins back in 451 AD, and
thus left the Romans to rot with their own problems with Attila.
Aetius also had lost the Visigoth's support, and so he did not press
for battle with Attila. Sublime Khan Attila took city by city, all
the way Rome, but famine, and disease (Malaria) struck at the Huns
and their allies (with the Bulgars amongst them). After meeting with
a delegation from Rome, Sublime Khan Attila received thousands of
pounds of gold to conclude peace with the Romans. He then withdrew.
453 AD The Death of Sublime Khan Attila: Sublime Khan Attila died on
his wedding night with a young, German bride named, Ildico, where he
was found in the morning with blood coming from his head. Ellak,
Attila's eldest son was made Sublime Khan of the Huns. Dengizik,
Attila's 2nd eldest son, was made Khan of the people who would later
become the Kutriguri, while Ernak, the youngest son, was made Khan
of the people who would later become the Utiguri.
454 AD Dengizik Khan, and Ernak Khan, came to disagreements with
Sublime Khan Ellak and began to engage him in battle along thelower
Danube region. Ellak won a decisive victory against theDengizik's
and Ernak's hordes, so the other two brothers were forced to retreat
with their people to the east to Ugol or Bessarabia. However, his
Hunnish forces (the people who would later become the Sabiri) were
weakened by that engagement.
454-455 AD The Germans Revolt!: King Ardaric, leader of the Gepids
and other Germanic peoples, revolted against Hunnish rule with the
support of the Byzantine Emperor Marcian. By 455 AD, a battle was
fought in the Pannonian Steppes near a river called Nedeo. The
Battle of the Nedeo River was won decisively by King Ardaric, and
Sublime Khan Ellak was killed in combat. After 455 AD, the Hunnish
Empire began to collapse. As a consequence of this victory, the
Gepids, Heruls, Skirians, and Ostrogoths were assigned territory
given to them by the Emperor Marcian (450-457 AD) to serve as a
buffer against the warlike Huns, Bulgars, and Sarmatians.
460-465 AD A New Home: Dengizik Khan and Ernak Khan began to forge a
small empire for themselves centering in Bessarbia, and stretching
into Dacia as well as Dobrudja. Slavic peoples (Antes), one Alanic
tribe, and some Germanic tribes were beaten up by the Huns and sent
away to the South in the Byzantine Empire.
463 AD Constantinople received an embassy of Saraguri and
Onogunduri(Onoguri) ambassadors.
464-465 AD The remains of Ellak's forces, began to intermingle and
breed with the Bulgars in the east near Daghestan close to the
Caucasus Mountains and the Black Sea. The resultant mixture of
Vh'nduri, Saraguri, Onoguri (Onogunduri), and Alans, started the
genesis of the Hunno-Bulgars (more commonly called Bulgars after 500
AD).
466-467 AD The Byzantines under Emperor Leo I (457-474 AD), began a
tradeembargo with all Hunnish merchants in border cities and towns
oftheirs near the Danube River.
467-469 AD The Danubian War (468-469 AD): Dengizik Khan of the
nation who would later become the Kutriguri, crosses the Danube
River with his horde during the winter (467) and demanded payment in
gold. Once this was refused, Khan Dengizik attacked Byzantine
possessions in the South thus beginning The Danubian War (468-469
AD). The Byzantine Commander, Anagast (Anagestes), immediately was
put to the task of bringing down the Hunnish attacks. After two
years of bitter combat, Dengizik Khan and his horde, were defeated.
Dengizik Khan was killed in combat, and his people were routed. His
head was taken atop a spear and paraded before the Circus in the
capital, Constantinople before the Emperor. The remainder of his
nation went eastward to the region of land between the Dniepr and
Don rivers, settling with the nomadic horsemen people of that area.
469-470 AD Ernak Khan and his people, were admitted into the
Byzantine Empire as federates, and given land in Dobrudja (under
Byzantineimposed conditions of peace).
480s AD After Ernak Khan's death, his successors and people settled
to the east of their relatives in the Azov-Taman region (or blended
in with their cousins, the Bulgars right there in the Danubian
region). Like Ellak's people, who had settled in Daghestan, Ernak's
ulus began to intermingle with the Bulgars, Sarmatians, and Eastern
Antes to give rise to the Hunno-Bulgars. Note that because the Huns
had been dealing with Goths, Gepids, Heruls, and Rugii for the last
100 or so years, it is not unreasonable to assume that interbreeding
had gone on between them and the Germans (as Sublime Khan Attila had
married Ildico, a German woman)(thus the Hunno-Bulgars were part
German also).
Chapter Two
The Early Days: 480 AD – 558 AD
480-481 AD Bulgar Mercenaries: The Emperor
Zeno (474-491 AD) hired Bulgar mercenaries to fight against the
Ostrogoths under King Theodoric the Great, when they attacked
Constantinople. The Bulgars and the Byzantines killed many of the
Ostrogoths, and were victorious. King Theodoric the Great was forced
to retreat.
487 AD The Bulgars under Khan Lalbertem were hired by the Emperor
Zeno again to fight against a different Theodoric, son of Triarius,
whose forces encompassed more Germanic tribes. After being initially
repulsed by the Germanic tribes, the Bulgars with the Byzantines
forced this other Theodoric to retreat after an attack on the
capital, Constantinople.
488 AD Khan Lalbertem and the Bulgars, with help from the Gepids,
were hired again to stop King Theodoric the Great from entering
Italy with his Ostrogoths. After a pitched battle near the River
Ulka, at a place called Sirmium, the Khan Lalbertem and his Kavkhan
Buzan were slain with the Bulgars losing the battle. King Theodoric
the Great, went on with his Italian Campaign unhindered.
493 AD The Hunno-Bulgars attacked and ravaged Thrace.
498-499 AD The Hunno-Bulgars attacked and ravaged Thrace again. This
time they defeated an enormous Byzantine army of 15,000 soldiers in
a battle near the River Curta. In this fight, the Byzantines lose
4,000 men, and four of their generals to the glorious Bulgars!
Illiricum and Thrace are now left open for further exploitation.
499-502 AD The Hunno-Bulgars lay waste to the countryside of
Illyricum and Thrace within the Byzantine Empire.
505 AD The Hunno-Bulgar, Mund, a commander of Byzantine federates in
the region of the middle Danube, revolted against the Byzantine
Empire with groups of Hunno-Bulgars, Gepids, and Goths. The
commander of Byzantine forces of Illyricum, Sabinian, took 10,000
troops and forced Mund to retreat North after a fierce battle at
Margum. Sabinian was helped with Hunno-Bulgar cavalry, so
Hunno-Bulgar was seen fighting Hunno-Bulgar.
512 AD The Beginning of The Long Wall: The Long Wall was built from
Derkos on the Black Sea to Seylmbria on the Sea of Marmora by the
Byzantines under Emperor Anastasius I (491-518 AD) which stretched
some 50 miles to protect against the Hunno-Bulgar raids.
513 AD Vitalian: Vitalian the Thracian, revolted against the
Byzantine Empire, and brought to his aid many Hunno-Bulgar warriors.
Vitalian's total army numbered some 50,000 people which he then led
through The Long Wall without too much resistance. After reaching
the capital, Constantinople, gifts and gold were sent to Vitalian
which appeased him, and so the assault was called off. Vitalian, now
went back to Dobrudja, and was attacked by a new Byzantine army of
80,000 men under the command of Hypatius. Vitalian annihilated the
Byzantine army and captured the former Magister Hypatius. Vitalian
now went back to Constantinople and was bribed once again to call
off the assault for 5,000 pounds of gold and the Byzantine
appointment to Magister Militum of Thrace (Master of Soldiers).
515-516 AD The Bulgars Called In: Vitalian summoned the help of Ogus
Sabiri and more Hunno-Bulgars after he suspected the Emperor
Anastasius I, not to keep his word. Sure enough the Emperor declared
at court, "There is no law which orders the emperor to lie and to
violate his oath if it is necessary for the well-being of the
empire.", in 516 AD. Vitalian then led his rebel forces and
Hunno-Bulgar allies to the gates of Constantinople for a third time.
Unfortunately, the imperial troops were led by a skillful and
courageous general, Justin, who was also a Thracian like Vitalian.
The battle was joined between the two, and Justin was victorious in
that his navy used 'Greek Fire' which wasted Vitalian's naval
assault. Once the navy was destroyed, the land forces were thrown
into disarray, and Justin took advantage of it. Vitalian was forced
to retreat back to Dobrudja with his army.
517-518 AD An army of Slavs (Antes), then descended on Thrace,
destroying the countryside in the wake of the fight (Illyricum and
Macedonia hit). Justin I (518-527 AD) then attacked and destroyed
the Slavic force.
518 AD The Murder of Vitalian: The Emperor Anastasius I died, and
was replaced by Justin I. The new emperor lured Vitalian from
Dobrudja promising him amnesty and to make him a Consul once at
Constantinople. Vitalian then came to the city and was murdered
after he was bestowed Consul by Justin I.
519 AD The Hunno-Bulgars out of their dislike for the Byzantines,
descended down South into Illyricum, and sacked the countryside out
of revenge for Vitalian. Justin I soon put to the field a force to
contend with the Bulgar menace, but the Byzantine army was soundly
defeated. 527 ADThe Emperor Justin I died and was replaced by his
nephew Justinian. The reign of Justinian I lasted from 527-565 AD.
Looking for new allies for the empire, Justinian I, asked the
Kutriguri for help.
528 AD Grod The Traitor: Khan Grod, not too long thereafter did come
to Constantinople and in an act of cultural stupidity, was baptized
becoming the emperor's ally. When Grod returned home to Taurida, the
Kutriguri put him to death, because the head of the Christian Church
in the East was that of the Byzantine Emperor himself, which meant
Grod was a traitor since there was no division of Church and State.
Grod had further aggravated the situation by trying to destroy
Altaic Shamanistic beliefs amongst his people. Grod's brother, Mugel
then became Khan of the Kutriguri.
530 AD The Emperor Justinian I let the Hunno-Bulgar, Mund, rule in
Sirmium to help defend the empire from other invaders. Soon enough
Mund was put to the field of battle with his army of Hunno-Bulgars,
and Gepids against an opposing force of Hunno-Bulgars who tried to
invade Thrace. Mund and his forces were victorious, and the other
army of Hunno-Bulgars were killed, driven off, or were captured. The
captured Hunno-Bulgars were later enlisted in the Byzantine armies
in Armenia and Lasica.
535 AD The Hunno-Bulgars of the North and East (Kutriguri,
Onogunduri, and Sabiri), decided to attack and invade Mysia. Also,
mentioned are the Bulgars being involved with the Battle At The
River of Jatrus.
537-538 AD The Byzantines under the commander, Belisarius, were
attacked by Goths in Rome. The Hunno-Bulgars (1,600) came to the
rescue of the small garrison force defending Rome, and helped drive
away the Goths by March, 538 AD. These Hunno-Bulgars were the same
ones enlisted earlier in the Byzantine armies in Armenia and Lasica.
538-540 AD The Hunno-Bulgars, most likely Ogus Kutriguri and Ogus
Utiguri under the leadership of Khan Drogo and Khan Vulger begin to
invade Thrace. By 539 AD, the invasion picked up momentum and the
intensity of the attacks increased. From the Aegean to Illyricum
down to the Adriatic Sea, the Bulgars ravage and destroy 32
Byzantine fortresses. 120,000 Byzantine citizens are taken captive
and are moved back into Kutriguri and Utiguri lands (those who
weren't were ransomed back for gold). By 540 AD, large groups of
Slavs follow in the hoof prints of the Bulgars by looting Thrace.
The Hunno-Bulgar Mund is either dead by this time or was annihilated
by Khan Drogo and Khan Vulger. The Byzantine federates of Mund
either joined or died. Considering some of the fortresses were taken
without any preliminary siege it was possible that Mund's
Hunno-Bulgar federates possibly ended up helping their cousins
actually capture the target fortresses (from within).
544-545 AD More and more Slavs decided to invade the Balkan
Peninsula with Thrace, Dobrudja, Sirmium, and Illyricum as their
targets. First came the Antes from the Northeast and then came the
Sclaveni from the North. By 545 AD, the Antes agreed to become the
Empire's federates serving to garrison the Fortress of Tyras and to
help stop Kutriguri horsemen from invading.
546 AD Hunno-Bulgars living within the Byzantine Empire as
federates, frequently were requested by Commander Belisarius, who
was stationed at Rome, to help kill Goths that were invading Italy.
The Hunno-Bulgar federates were now given control over the Fortress
of Perusia by the Emperor to a Hunno-Bulgar local leader named,
Odolgan.
547 AD More Antes (Slavs) were used to assist Byzantine armies
against the Ostrogoths. Antic families commonly settled down within
the borders of the Byzantine Empire by this time. Invasions became
more subtle.
547-552 AD Sclavinae (Slavs) invaded Thrace with more vigor than
their cousins, the Antes.
548 AD The Hunno-Bulgars federates revolted and sided with the Goths
to attack Byzantine interests in Italy.
548 AD Ogus Kutriguri crushed the Tetraxite (Trapezite) Goths
occupying their abodes and forced this branch of Goths to become
servants of Ogus Utiguri to the Southeast.
551 AD Ogus Kutriguri under Khan Khinialon pushed through the Antic
defense barrier, and attacked Byzantine possessions with 12,000
Kutriguri warriors as well as a force of Gepids (Germans). The
Fortress of Tyras garrisoned earlier by Antes was overwhelmed. Soon,
the Emperor Justinian I (527-565 AD), bribed Ogus Utiguri under Khan
Sandilch with rich presents and gold to attack their cousins from
the north. Khan Sandilch with the Utiguri decided to take up the
offer and mounted an offensive against the Kutriguri. With the
Utiguri, Tetraxite (Trapezite) Goths took part as well in order to
exact their revenge. After a time, a fierce battle was fought and
the Kutriguri lost with Khan Khinialon losing his life (many
Kutriguri prisoners were taken as well as their herds of horses via.
the words of the historian, Procopius). Khan Sandilch was so
effective, that Justinian I offered his protection to the Kutriguri
to settle in Thrace and money to retire, now under Khan Sinnion. The
Utiguri and the Kutriguri then talked things over, and saw the
treacherous policy of the Byzantines. Ogus Kutriguri now decided to
join with their cousins, Ogus Utiguri, but first the two withdrew
back to the northeast because Justinian I gave the Utiguri tribute
in gold each year. Some tribes of Kutriguri decided to stay in
Thrace as federates instead, induced by more bribery.
Chapter Three
Storm of the Avars: 558 AD – 610 AD
558 AD The Rise of Khan Zabergan: Khan
Zabergan of the Kutriguri (House Dulo) invaded the Byzantine Empire
with the rest of his kinsmen and Slavic forces to get back at
Justinian I. After crossing the Danube River, Zabergan divided his
horde into three separate armies, with one targeting the Adriatic
side of the empire, another attacking Thrace, and the largest for
the emperor himself at Constantinople. Khan Zabergan after
demolishing his way down through The Long Wall and into the suburbs
of Constantinople, attempted to press the city by sea. The Slavs
then set forth in a number of improvised rafts, but were annihilated
by the 'Greek Fire' of the Byzantine Navy under the aged General
Belisarius. After this, General Belisarius forced Khan Zabergan's
main army back beyond The Long Wall by prolonged battle after battle
losing many imperial troops. Zabergan's other two armies fought as
far as Thermopylae and The Fortress of Cherson. The Emperor
Justinian I, in reaction to the Hunno-Bulgars, concluded a deal with
a new people coming to the steppes around the Black Sea called the
Avars, to attack the Bulgars.
559-560 AD After realizing the war was not going quicker than
planned, Khan Zabergan set up his headquarters at Arcadiople so that
he could form a stranglehold on the majority of Thrace. Justinian I
then sent rich gifts of gold and silver to bribe the Kutriguri to
return to their homes in Azov Steppes (near Taurida), which they
accepted because trouble was forming to the east of Taurida with the
coming of the Avars.
559-560 AD The Storm of the Avars: The powerful, nomadic horsemen
people, the Avars swept into Pontic and Azov Steppes, led by their
mighty Khagan Kandich. First, the Turkic Avars with their new
invention involving the iron stirrup, conquered the Sabiri (559 AD).
Then, they attacked the Utiguri under Khan Sandilch, and the Utiguri
were subjugated (560 AD). Next, Khan Zabergan and the Kutriguri went
to fight with the Avars. The Kutriguri asked the Antes for help, but
the Slavs wanted no part in the upcoming battle. So, after a time,
the Kutriguri were beaten and became a subject race of the Avars.
Khan Zabergan was forced to bow before the Khagan.
561 AD The Avars crossed the Dniester River and came into the lands
of the Antes (Slavs), Bessarbia. An Antic envoy, Mezamer, tried to
open diplomacy with the Avars to avert further fighting, but was put
to death instead on the advice of Khan Zabergan given to the Khagan.
The Avars then resumed the struggle and crushed the Antes at the
pleasure of the Kutriguri.
562 AD Khagan Kandich died and was replaced by Khagan Bayan (562-617
AD) as absolute leader of the Avars. The Avars then rode into
Dobrudja to the South of Bessarabia (on the doorstep of Byzantium).
The Byzantines didn't care for this too much, and so Avaro-Byzantine
relations started to turn sour.
565 AD The Byzantine Emperor Justinian I died and was replaced by
Emperor Justin II (565-578 AD).
567 AD The Avars with their Hunno-Bulgar allies rushed forward to do
battle with the Gepids (Germans) in the Pannonian Steppes.
Beforelong, Pannonia was in Avar hands with the Gepids slaughtered
ordriven out. With the Gepids, it seems there were some Bulgars
living with them who also resisted the Avars, and subsequently
joined their cousins (the Kutriguri) or were chased away. Khagan
Bayan then came to make Pannonia the headquarters of the Avars.
568-569 AD Lombards (Langobards), Gepids, and Hunno-Bulgars (the
same that were defeated with the Gepids back in 567 AD), under the
command of the German King Albion, decided to invade Italy.
568-572 AD Ogus Utiguri was challenged and conquered by the Turkish
Kaganate with the Avars losing control of these Hunno-Bulgars to the
Turks. The leader of the Turks was Khagan Sildjibu
573 AD Byzantine Emperor Justin II concluded a peace treaty with the
Avars which required hostages to be exchanged on both sides. The
Avars offered the children of Hunno-Bulgar Khans to satisfy the
Byzantine Empire's aims.
576 AD The Turkish Kaganate focused it's interests in the Crimea
which was controlled by the Byzantine Empire. Several Utigur
detachments with a Turkish brigade, crossed the Kerch Strait and lay
siege to the Fortress of Bosporus. The fortress soon fell to the
Turks. 578 ADByzantine Emperor Justin II died and was replaced by
Emperor Tiberius I Constantine (578-582 AD). The Hunno-Bulgar
hostages given to the Byzantines in 573 AD were likely given back to
the Avar Kaganate.
581-584 AD Slavs (Antes and Sclaveni) settled in the Balkans in
large populations in response to the coming of the Avars and the
weakening of Byzantine power.
581-588 AD The Turkish Kaganate began a protracted civil war which
allowed Ogus Utiguri to be free of Turkish control. Here two new
nations were formed, the Eastern Turkish Khanate and the Western
Turkish Khanate.
582 AD The Avar Khagan Bayan appointed Gostun as the Khan of the
Kutriguri (582-584 AD)(House Ermi) after Khan Zabergan's death in an
invasion of Byzantium in northern Illyricum. Here the Avars and the
Hunno-Bulgars attacked and seized the Fortress of Sirmium on the
lower Sava River. Byzantium hastily concluded a peace treaty with
the Avars, promising to give them an annual 80,000 gold coins.
Late 582 AD Byzantine Emperor Tiberius I Constantine died and was
replaced by Emperor Maurice (582-602 AD) who agreed to pay the Avars
an annual 100,000 gold coins to Khagan Bayan.
583-590 AD Khagan Bayan demanded even more gold per year from
Byzantium, but when this was not fulfilled, the Avars and the
Hunno-Bulgars invaded Illyricum pillaging and burning Byzantine
possessions. The Avars and their allies then crossed the Balkan
mountain range. Once beyond this, they seized Anchialus and made
this into their headquarters (since there were comfortable spas
there which the Khagan's wives indulged in). From then on until 590
AD, the Avars were to push southward against a pathetic Byzantine
defensive.
590 AD The Byzantine Emperor Maurice signed a peace treaty with the
Avars since an ongoing war with the Persian Empire was being
conducted.
591-593 AD A peace treaty was signed with the Persians by the
Byzantines. Subsequently, the Emperor Maurice was able to turn his
attention to the problems in the Balkans, thus beginning a war at
first with the Slavs. The Byzantine General Priscus then attacked
north and destroyed two large armies of Slavs under their respective
leaders, Ardagast (Eastern Antic name), and Busok (another Antic
name). After this occurred, Khagan Bayan protested the invasion of
the Slavic domain, since he considered this his own. Priscus then
hearing this divided the booty, fearing a war with the Avars and the
Bulgars, which the Khagan accepted. 5,000 Slav prisoners were also
sent amongst the spoils to the Khagan. The Emperor displeased with
these diplomatic gestures with the Avars, replaced Priscus with his
own brother, Peter, temporarily until 593 AD.
593 AD The Breaking of Peace: The Avars, Bulgars, and Slavs attacked
south against Byzantine lands below the Danube-Sava Frontier
breaking the previous treaty. Once in striking distance of Beograd
(later called Belgrade), the allies laid siege, but were driven away
by the Byzantine forces under General Priscus. The Avars then signed
a peace treaty with the Byzantines. The Emperor Maurice then
replaced General Priscus again with General Peter, because the
Emperor was afraid Priscus would outshine his own previous career.
595-597 AD The peace treaty this time was broken by the Byzantines
after General Peter attacked a detachment of 1,000 Bulgars near the
frontier not far from the Danube River (at a place called Anasamus)
with a much larger amount of Byzantine soldiers. The Bulgars routed
the Byzantines after taking many trophies. This necessitated the
Emperor to send his apologies to Khagan Bayan, but to no avail. War
started, causing Maurice to send back the competent General Priscus.
597-598 AD The Avars and their allies started a major campaign
against the Byzantines through a blitzkrieg into Dalmatia and
Illyricum. Total carnage ensued with the victorious allies taking
some 40 Byzantine fortresses. In 597 AD, Belgrade was sieged and
finally taken by the Avars, Bulgars, and Slavs. By 598 AD, lower
Moesia and Dobrudja fell to the allies.
599-600 AD A final push by Khagan Bayan was made with his armies of
Avars, Bulgars, and Slavs all the way to the walls of
Constantinople. Luckily for the Byzantines, the allies were struck
with an epidemic and forced to reconsider their situation once
Khagan Bayan lost several sons to this plague. The allies in poor
shape now retreated away from Constantinople and took with them
17,000 captives from the suburbs.The Khagan then demanded the sum of
8,500 pieces of gold (1/2 gold a piece per prisoner), but the
Emperor refused. To this affect, Khagan Bayan then proceeded to slay
the hostages, which in turn made Maurice very unpopular amongst his
people.
600 AD Seven Slavic tribes under Avar permission, formed a
confederation amongst themselves from the Yantra to the Black Sea in
Dobrudja.
600 AD The Byzantines retook the Fortress of Sirmium and recaptured
a lot of the lands lost in the previous years below the Danube-Sava
Frontier. After this, they agreed to a peace treaty with the Avars,
which they intended to break before long since the treaty called for
120,000 pieces of gold to be paid to the Avars as annual tribute or
'protection money'. As quickly as the treaty was signed, it was
broken by the Byzantines, who then crossed the Danube River.
600-601 AD The Byzantines attacked with great vigor and pushed up
the Tisza River where they hoped to crush the Avars once and for
all. After winning a major battle in 601 AD against the Avars,
Bulgars, and Slavs, the Byzantines camped above in this new frontier
over the Winter. However, morale was poor amongst the Byzantine
forces and so a revolt broke out (when the soldiers had not been
paid in several months). A Byzantine named Phocas won out in the
fight against the loyalists, and then led the army back towards
Constantinople (Phocas was a mere junior officer in the ranks).
ca. 600 AD Organa became Regent of the Onogunduri after Khan
Houdbaad died. Khan Houdbaad, was probably placed there in his role
by the Avar Khagan Bayan as a puppet (Houdbaad does not sound like a
Bulgar name) and probably had no direct genetic relationship to
Kubrat (House of Dulo) who was too young to lead Ogus Onogunduri.
Organa was Kubrat's maternal uncle, which is why he became Regent
(600s-620s), instead of Khan. It is possible that Khan Houdbaad died
as a result of the plague in 599 AD, or in the Byzantine assault
near the Tisza River where the Avars and their allies lost a major
battle in 601 AD.
602 AD The new, Byzantine general, Phocas was admitted by the
disaffected people into Constantinople where the Senate greeted him.
The Emperor Maurice tried to flee, but was caught. Maurice and his
whole family were put to death. The Senate decreed Phocas as the new
Emperor (602-610 AD). Then the Persians declared war against the
Byzantines, which the Avars, and their allies were happy about.
602-604 AD The Avars, Bulgars, and Slavs recaptured Byzantine lands
just south of the Danubian Frontier (Dobrudja). They were then
bribed by the Byzantines for peace, which the allies accepted as
sufficient.
602-610 AD The Persians attacked Byzantine possessions in the East,
and won many victories. Eastern provinces within the Byzantine
Empire fell to the Persians and only began to be slowed when Emperor
Phocas was removed forcibly from office by General Heraclius.
Chapter Four
The Rise and Fall of the First State: 610 – 660 AD
610 AD Heraclius became the new Byzantine Emperor (610-641 AD). The
Emperor got to work, and the Persians were hindered in their
progress to an extent. During this time, Kubrat came to the capital,
Constantinople, and became educated in Byzantine ways. Organa
thought this was a good idea, since the Onogunduri had always wanted
eventually to gain their independence from the Avars. The Byzantines
in turn hoped to see the Bulgars do this since it would
significantly decrease Avar power. Organa may have done this under
some other pretext than having Kubrat be a hostage so as to not
endanger the Dulo dynasty should war break out between the Avars and
the Byzantines.
610-614 AD Khan Kubrat continued his education in Constantinople
presumably. When the Avars, Bulgars, and Slavs attacked in 614 AD
against the Byzantines in Dalmatia, Khan Kubrat may have left the
Empire out of preservation of his life. Khagan Bayan then proceeded
to sack and destroy the city of Salona. The city of Epidaurus also
fell to the invaders. However, the Byzantine city of Split was able
to hold out.
614-616 AD The Avaro-Byzantine War continued in the northwest in
respect to Constantinople with the Byzantine cities of Nis and
Sardica falling to the Avars, Bulgars, and Slavs. In 615 AD Persian
forces pressed from the east and got to the Bosphorus. At the same
time from the north, great numbers of Slavs (Sclaveni and Antic
tribes) made their way into the Balkans to settle there permanently.
Unfortunately, the Avars and their allies were stopped by the
stubborn resistance of the city of Thessaloniki in 616 AD. Peace was
made thereafter when the Avars were bribed to go away. Also,
prisoners the Avars had were sold to help increase the profit of the
venture.
617 AD The Avar Khagan Bayan died, and was replaced by his son (?).
This new unnamed Khagan, soon wanted new ratification of the old
treaty made in 616 AD between himself and Emperor Heraclius. The
Emperor detected an ambush at the designated spot, Heracleia, which
the Avars had planned. After a fierce struggle, the Byzantines
forced the Allies to retreat. However, the Avars were at least able
to sack the suburbs of Constantinople before they decided to finally
go north. With the Avars, many captives were taken above the Danube.
No counter strike from the Byzantines was launched out of concern of
the war with the Persians going poorly.
619 AD The Avar Khagan (presumably the son of Khagan Bayan),
attacked the Balkans past the frontier and brought back 270,000
captives this time with his forces. At the same time, the Persians
caused Egypt to fall away from the Byzantine Empire.
619 AD The Rise of Khan Kubrat: Khan Kubrat, his chief wife, and his
uncle, Organa, visited Constantinople under the disposition of
signing an alliance with the Byzantines. The whole Bulgar embassy
was accepted and given many honors, including the rank of Patricius
(Kubrat and Organa). After a treaty was signed between Emperor
Heraclius and Khan Kubrat, for the Onogunduri to secede from the
Avar foot, the group stayed for a while at the capital. The
Onogunduri then went east towards their old homes.
621 AD The Avars and the Byzantines signed another peace treaty for
some unknown amount of annual tribute in gold.
622 AD The Avar Khagan demanded an increase of annual tribute as
well as hostages from the Emperor's family. Emperor Heraclius agreed
and sent the 'protection money' to the Khagan as well as some of his
family so that he could continue the war in the east against the
Persians with more focus.
622 AD The beginning of the Islamic era.
622-626 AD During this time the war with the Persians continued in
respect to the Byzantines (the war now entered into it's 2nd
decade). More lands were won by the Persians, however the Byzantines
did manage some large victories over the Persians within Asia Minor
(here the Persians were flushed out). In the meantime, the Avars
enjoyed their tribute. Towards 625-626 AD, the Avars entered into
parleys with the Persians to begin a new assault on the Byzantine
Empire.
625 AD The formation of the Khazar State to the east of the
Onogunduri. Some tribes of the Saraguri and the Utiguri fell into
the dominion of the Khazars (as such Bulgar fought Bulgar when
tension between the Khazars and Khan Kubrat arose).
626 AD The Byzantines signed into an alliance with the newly formed
Khazar State against the Persians.
626 AD The Avars and their allies, consisting of Slavs, Gepids
(Germans), and Hunno-Bulgars (minus Ogus Onogunduri who under Khan
Kubrat decided to be neutral), entered into a military alliance with
the Persians against the Byzantine Empire. While the Persians
attacked from the Asiatic shores of the Bosphorus towards
Constantinople, the Avar forces attacked from the north penetrating
through the Long Wall. The Avar Khagan (the son of Khagan Bayan),
laid siege on Constantinople without the direct joint effort of the
Persians, since Emperor Heraclius was in Asia Minor attacking the
Persians under their General, Shahrbaraz (holding them up).
Constantinople in the meantime, was left to the defenses set up by
Patriarch Sergius in the Emperor’s absence. The first assault was
given by the Khagan through his Slavic navy, but this failed
miserably against the superior Byzantine navy. On the land, the
Byzantines additionally broke the siege by a successful sortie from
their cavalry. This on the whole caused the Avars and their allies
to withdraw to the Long Wall, while the Emperor and his brother
defeated the Persian forces in the east. After this point, the Avars
and their allies began to break apart thus beginning the downfall of
Avar supremacy (the Khagan treated the Slavs poorly especially after
the failure of his navy).
627-628 AD The Byzantines launched a counterattack on the Persians
and the Emperor was victorious (especially at Nineveh). By 628 AD,
they took Dastagerd. Soon, the Persian War ended once the Persian
King Chosroes was murdered. At the end, the Byzantines had
recaptured all the territory that had formally belonged to them
(Armenia, Roman Mesopotamia, Syria, Palestine, and Egypt).
627-631 AD The Avars, Bulgars, and Slavs furthered their
independence from one another as Avar power continued to decrease.
In 629 AD, the Slavic Confederation of Seven Tribes fought against
the Avars and gained their own lands free of Avar tyranny.
632 AD The beginning of the Arab expansion.
632-635 AD The Kutriguri, Onogunduri, the rest of the Utiguri and
Saraguri tribes not under the control of the Khazars, decided to
proclaim Khan Kubrat as the new chief of chiefs, Kana Subigi Kubrat
(or Khagan Kubrat) (632-651 AD). After this a massive, Hunno-Bulgar
revolt was carried forth by the new Bulgar alliance against the
Avars, which also included the help of the Confederation of Seven
Slavic Tribes, as well as the Gepids. Khagan Kubrat laid waste to
the Avars and then proceeded to flush their blood out of his new
formed state, Great Bulgaria (by 635 AD). At the conclusion of this
war with the Avars, Kana Subigi Kubrat completed a new treaty with
the Byzantine Empire still under Emperor Heraclius (much to the
irritation of the Khazars on their eastern border).
635 AD The New Capitol Established: Kana Subigi Kubrat established
Phanagoria as the capital city of Great Bulgaria along the shores of
the Sea of Azov.
641 AD Emperor Heraclius died and was eventually replaced by
Byzantine Emperor Heraclonas who was in turn removed from office by
the Senate and the newly proclaimed Emperor Constans II (641-668
AD).
642 AD Kana Subigi Kubrat presumably was involved with the widow of
the late Byzantine Emperor Heraclius, Empress Martina. Martina
needed the protection of the Khagan to protect her as well as her
remaining children.
651 AD The Arabs under Caliph Othman (644-656 AD) attacked through
into the North Caucasus (through the Pass of Derbend) against the
Khazars. The Khazars counterattacked the Arab army and defeated them
causing them to turn back.
ca. 660 Kana Subigi Kubrat died and was buried ceremoniously at
Malaya Pereshchepina. In his stead, his eldest son Bayan, became
Kana Subigi Bayan (ca. 660). There were Byzantine coins in the image
of Emperor Constans II dating to 647 AD in the grave, so the grave
at least cannot be older than 647 AD. It was presumed that Kana
Subigi Kubrat died sometime in the 660s because his reign was
reported to last 60 years from the famous ‘List of Khans’ made by
the Hunno-Bulgars in Pliska.
Chapter Five
Sands to the Wind: 660 AD – 681 AD
ca. 660 AD Kana Subigi Bayan (Bezmer), fought the Khazars throughout
his reign which was to last 3 years after the death of his father
according to the ‘List of Khans’. Eventually the Khazars prevailed
over the Hunno-Bulgars for a time. Bayan died or was forced into
Khazar servitude for the rest of his life.
668 AD The Byzantine Emperor Constans II died and was replaced by
his son, Emperor Constantine IV (668-685 AD). ca. 668 AD The
Hunno-Bulgars under Khan Kotrag (630s-690s)(Khan of the Kotrags or
three, large tribes of Kutriguri)(2nd Son of Kubrat), Khan Asparukh
(640s-701 AD)(Khan of the Onogunduri)(3rd Son of Kubrat), Khan Kuber
(640s-690s)(Khan of the Kutriguri)(4th Son of Kubrat), and Knaz
Altzek (640s-690s)(Prince of Altzek Bulgars)(5th Son of Kubrat),
continued for a while to prolong the conflict against the Khazars,
Avars, and the Arabs. During this time, each Ogus of Bulgars was
separate and independent from the rest under it’s own unique
leadership. At the end, the Kotrags traveled North to found their
own separate Hunno-Bulgar Empire with it’s capital city, Bulgar, at
the junction between the Volga and Kama Rivers. The Onogunduri and
some of the tribes of the Utiguri fought on under Khan Asparukh
against the Khazars. The Kutriguri after a time under Khan Kuber
went westward and settled under the Avar suzerainty in the 660s with
his brother Knaz Altzek who had his own Bulgar tribes (the Kutriguri
settled in the region of Sirmium
ca. 668 AD Knaz Altzek with an unknown group of tribes attacked the
Avars for control over all of Pannonian Steppes. Unfortunately, the
Avars gained the upper hand, and so the Bulgars under his command
were forced to flee. Khan Kuber during this time probably took a
position of neutrality. Altzek’s 9,000 Bulgars settled then in
Bavaria under the control of King Dagobert (King of the Franks)(who
agreed to let the Bulgars stay on the land). Later on, a surprise
attack at night was ordered by the King for his people to attack
(Franks and Germans), and so the tribes of Hunno-Bulgars were
decimated with this treachery. Yet once again, Knaz Altzek took the
remaining 700 Bulgar warriors, and settled these finally with their
families (a total probably of around 2,000 Bulgars) in Northern
Italy (668 AD) at the permission of the Lombard King Grimwald.
ca. 670 AD Khan Asparukh was proclaimed by the remaining
Hunno-Bulgars under his command as Kana Subigi Asparukh (670s-701
AD). After this occurred, the Hunno-Bulgars (Onogunduri and some
portions of the Utiguri) were attacked by the Khazars with new found
vigor. However, Kana Subigi Asparukh repeatedly defeated the Khazars
in a series of defensive battles and forced them back across the
Dniepr River. In coordination with his older brother, Khan Kuber
revolted against the Avars causing them alarming losses of their
warriors as the Avars pursued Khan Kuber southward. The Kutriguri
defeated the Avars six times and finally set up their own
independent state, separate from Kana Asparukh’s Bulgarian Empire,
agreeing to peace with the Byzantines
674-675 AD Khan Kuber with the Kutriguri created and solidified his
own state in Balkans centered in Macedonia under the support of the
peace treaty drawn up with the Byzantines.
674-678 AD The Arabs repeatedly assaulted Constantinople by sea and
repeatedly failed to take it, losing a lot of their navy to ‘Greek
Fire’ from the superior Byzantine navy. These actions helped the
Hunno-Bulgars solidify their power in the Danubian Theater under
Kana Subigi Asperukh and in the Macedonian Theater under Khan Kuber.
Kana Subigi Asperukh pushed more so into Bessarabia (the region
north of the Danube River) and Wallachia forcing out Slavic tribes
(The Confederation of Seven Tribes) to live elsewhere or more
favorably to ally with him in his new state (thus the Confederation
was broken up).
678 AD A peace treaty was drawn up between the Emperor Constantine
IV and Caliph Muawija I (661-680 AD) of the Arabs whereby the Arabs
had to pay tribute to the Byzantines a sum of 3,000 pieces of gold
annually as well as 50 prisoners and 50 horses. In this same year,
the Khagan of the Avars paid homage to the Emperor as well as a lot
of the tribal leaders of the Slavs in the Balkans. Kana Subigi
Asparukh on the other hand was strong in his Empire above the Danube
stretching over to the Dniepr River in the east, did not pay homage
to the Emperor.
678-680 AD Emperor Constantine IV began preparations for war against
the Onogunduri and Utiguri in the North..
680 AD Emperor Constantine IV declared war against the Asparouhian
Bulgar Empire centered north of the Danube. The Emperor brought with
him large amounts of cavalry from Asia Minor with his navy, and his
legions of infantry from his southern provinces. At first the
Bulgars, pulled away from the large army of Byzantines and left them
to the difficulties of the swampy terrain. The Emperor meanwhile
became sick and left his forces to his lower commanders. The
impatient Byzantines grew tired of chasing the Bulgars and so
withdrew across the Danube. When this happened, the Bulgars attacked
the Imperial forces while at a ford, and caused the river to grow
red with Byzantine blood. The Byzantines then retreated hastily
under swarms of Bulgar arrows, and were hit hard by the Bulgars all
the way through Dobrudja till the district of Varna. During this
engagement, Ogus Kutriguri under Khan Kuber was urged by his brother
to start up hostilities against the Byzantines in the province of
Salonica (and it’s primary city, Thessalonica).
Chapter Six
The Beginning of the Second Bulgar Empire: 681 AD – 721 AD
681 AD The Formation of A New Bulgar State: As reported by
Theophanes, “To the great disgrace of the Roman name”, the Byzantine
Emperor Constantine IV signed a humiliating peace treaty with Kana
Subigi Asparukh which severed formally lands previously assigned to
the Byzantines directly into Bulgar hands. The rest of the Slavic
tribes of the old Confederation were again united due to these land
gains and as such the Slavs now served the Asparouhian Empire. The
Asparouhian Empire was thus recognized formally as a legitimate
power in foreign countries.
681 AD Pliska: Kana Subigi Asparukh established his capital at
Pliska, which at first was a huge walled camp in a plain some 23 sq.
km. Pliska was filled with Bulgar gerler or tents and had space for
warehouses, stores, kapishte or temples, as well as a palace. In
terms of the government, Kana Subigi Asparukh, set up a council of
twelve boylar or leaders (this number would change in future years)
who helped make decisions within his new found state.
681-685 AD Khan Kuber continued plans for enlarging his state by
encroaching on Byzantine lands in the province of Salonica.
685 AD Emperor Constantine IV died and was replaced by his son,
Emperor Justinian II (685-695 AD; 705-711 AD). Caliph Abdalmalik
(685-705 AD) also replaced Caliph Merwan I (684-685 AD) amongst the
Arabs.
685 AD Khan Kuber and Kavkhan Mavr (called ‘Maurus’ by the
Byzantines) staged a fake civil war amongst the Kutriguri to capture
Salonica and Thessalonica. Unfortunately, the Byzantines were
informed and the plan failed when the Emperor’s General or Strategus
named, Sisinius, showed up in Salonica. After this failure, the
Kutriguri settled in a peace treaty with the Byzantines.
688-689 AD
Emperor Justinian II began a campaign against Khan Kuber’s state in
Macedonia going against the treaty agreed upon in 685 AD. He first
took his armies across Thrace and attacked the Slavic tribes allied
with Khan Kuber. In this regard, he came to take 30,000 Slavic
prisoners which he shipped to Asia Minor to help serve in his
legions far to the east against the Arabs. The Emperor hoped to
depopulate Khan Kuber’s state which in turn hurt the state a great
deal. Once in Thessalonica, the Emperor celebrated his great victory
over the Kuberian State shipping the Slavic prisoners from there to
the Opsikion Theme. He then returned towards Constantinople in 689
AD, but met an ambush set up by the Kutriguri. The Bulgars decimated
Justinian’s army nearly destroying all of it, whereby the Emperor
barely escaped with his life. The booty previously won by the
Emperor was lost to Khan Kuber and the Kutriguri. In this way, the
Kutriguri came to not trust the Byzantines under Justinian II
691-692 AD The Byzantines and Arabs began a new war against each
other. Slavic prisoners captured by the Arabs in the Opsikion Theme
were in turn moved to Syria and used within the Arab armies against
the Byzantines.
695 AD Byzantine Emperor Justinian II was deposed by General
Leontius who then became Emperor Leontius (695-698 AD). The mobs
giving support to Leontius killed Justinian’s officials and even
went so far as to cut off Justinian’s nose. After this Justinian was
exiled to Cherson, where he then escaped to the Khazar court.
697-698 AD The Arabs attacked Byzantine possessions in Africa and
took the city of Carthage. Emperor Leontius rushed with his navy to
the scene, but were defeated at land and sea by the Arabs. After
this, the Byzantines retreated and then quarreled amongst themselves
until Leontius was overthrown by a man named, Apsimar. Apsimar then
had Leontius’ nose cut off as Justinian II before him. Later on,
Apsimar was hailed as the new Emperor Tiberius II (698-705 AD).
Leontius in turn was confined into a monastery to live out his days.
ca. 700 AD The Norse began to come into the upper Volga region to
trade and deal with the Kotrags (the Kotrags in the upper Volga
region became the Volga Bulgars, also known as the Black Bulgars or
Silver Bulgars) (the term ‘Black’ signifies North while the term
‘Silver’ signifies the abundance of silver amongst their lands).
701 AD Hands of Gold and Silver: Kana Subigi Asparukh died in a
battle against the Khazars. He was soon replaced by his son, Kana
Subigi Tervel (Tarvel)(701-721 AD).
ca. 704 AD The old, deposed Emperor Justinian II was extradited out
of the Khaganate of the Khazars at the request of the Byzantine
Emperor Tiberius II. Justinian II who was already married to the
Khazar Khagan’s sister, then came to the Hunno-Bulgar Capital,
Pliska. He then asked Kana Subigi Tervel’s for help in restoring him
to power to which the Bulgar leader agreed to do. After this,
Justinian II, offered his daughter in marriage to Kana Subigi Tervel
to which the Khan accepted.
704-705 AD Preparations for war with the Byzantine Empire were made
by Kana Subigi Tervel. The Bulgar leader asked his uncles including
Khan Kuber for help against the Byzantine Empire in restoring
Justinian II, but they refused because they despised Justinian (see
688-689 AD in terms of the Kutriguri’s disposition to Justinian II).
So, the Kuberian State did not join in the war when it happened in
705 AD.
705 AD The Bulgar and Byzantine War of 705 AD: War was begun between
the Bulgars under Kana Subigi Tervel and the Byzantines under
Emperor Tiberius II. Kana Subigi Tervel laid waste to the Byzantine
forces from his frontier, through the Long Wall, and all the way to
the walls of Constantinople. Once there, he sacked the suburbs, but
was held up by the cities defenses. However, Justinian II crawled
into the city through the sewer drains and staged a successful
uprising within the capital. After this, Emperor Tiberius II fled
the city, and was dethroned as Emperor giving Justinian II a second
term as Emperor (705-711 AD). Kana Subigi Tervel was then richly
rewarded with an annual tribute in gold as well as being given the
title, Caesar. Additionally given to the Bulgar leader was the
province of Zagora at the edge of Asparouhian Bulgar State in the
south.
705 AD Emperor Justinian II finally caught Tiberius II (Apsimar) and
the older Leontius which were then publicly humiliated. After this,
they were executed. Tiberius’ officers were additionally hung from
the walls of Constantinople.
ca. 705 AD After 705 AD, no more historical accounts were given to
support when Khan Kuber died or how. Presumably, he was quite old by
this time, but his State lived on for another 15-20 years after his
demise
708 AD Byzantine Emperor Justinian II, growing tired of paying Kana
Subigi Tervel an annual tribute, began to make preparations for an
invasion of the Asparouhian Bulgar State. Later on, the Emperor
attacked the province of Zagora in an attempt to recapture it, but
Kana Subigi Tervel stopped him cold at Anchialus just north of the
Long Wall. Here, the Hunno-Bulgars managed to crush the Imperial
forces of the Byzantines where those that were left alive were
either taken prisoner or were routed. The Emperor Justinian II was
now on the top hit list of every Hunno-Bulgar whether in the
Asparouhian Bulgar State or amongst the Kutriguri (under the former
Khan Kuber).
709 AD The Arabs laid siege to the Byzantine city of Tyana and
captured it.
709-710 AD The Arabs pushed further into Byzantine lands in the east
where they took over many fortresses. This was made a lot easier by
Emperor Justinian II’s purge of talented commanders who were
suspected of being sympathizers against him
711 AD Emperor Justinian II was overthrown by a revolt started in
the city of Cherson (supported by Byzantine rebels, the
Hunno-Bulgars, and the Khazar government). The revolution spread to
other cities, until finally Constantinople fell too. One of the
Emperor’s own officers slew him and had his head cut off for display
at Rome (for earlier cruelties suffered during his reign). Justinian
II’s son was also put to death and thus the House of Heraclius had
come to an end.
711-713 AD Byzantine Emperor Philippicus came to power (711-713 AD).
At the same time, Kana Subigi Tervel started up a campaign ravaging
Thrace south of the Long Wall and the province of Zagora. The
Hunno-Bulgars under Kana Subigi Tervel defeated and routed the
Byzantine armies twice by 712 AD. Later on, Kana Subigi Tervel
forced his way to the walls of Constantinople where he pillaged the
suburbs before returning home with the spoils of war (he never
successfully broke through the walls and gained entry to the city).
712 AD The Arabs succeeded in the conquest of Khoresmia in Turkestan
under Caliph Walid I (705-715 AD).
712-716 AD Emperor Justinian II was overthrown by a revolt started
in the city of Cherson (supported by Byzantine rebels, the
Hunno-Bulgars, and the Khazar government). The revolution spread to
other cities, until finally Constantinople fell too. One of the
Emperor’s own officers slew him and had his head cut off for display
at Rome (for earlier cruelties suffered during his reign). Justinian
II’s son was also put to death and thus the House of Heraclius had
come to an end.
713 AD Byzantine Emperor Anastasius II came to power (713-715 AD)
after Philippicus was blinded forcibly (the Byzantines no longer
considered it productive to cut off the noses of dethroned
emperors).
714 AD Byzantine Civil War: A six month civil war broke out in the
Byzantine Empire started by the Hellenized Ostrogoths, Slavs, and
other peoples in the OpsikionTheme proclaiming a reluctant
Theodosius as Emperor.
714-717 AD The Khazars and the Arabs started up a war which raged in
the Caucasus Area. Some of the tribes of the Utiguri and Saraguri
were used by the Khazars against the Arabs, but Derbend was still
seized by General Maslama and the Arab forces before their offensive
was stopped. Also helping the Khazars, were contigents of ‘As’ or
Aso-Slavs. Note the Saraguri by this time were considered to be a
part of Ogus Sabiri (which was a culmination of Onoguri and Saraguri
contigents, but the Onoguri (Onogunduri) were no longer a part of
this confederation (and hadn’t been since before 632 AD)).
715 AD Byzantine Emperor Theodosius III came to power (715-717 AD)
after Anastasius II was forced to step down. Anastasius II then
became a monk in the city of Thessalonica.
716 AD Kana Subigi Tervel and Emperor Theodosius III signed a peace
treaty declaring an alliance between the two great nations of
Bulgaria and Byzantium against the Arabs. In the treaty it stated
that Bulgaria was to keep the province of Zagora, and that the new
boundry was to extend from the Bay of Burgas on the Black Sea to the
Maritsa River, such that the city of Adrianople remained in
Byzantine hands. It further went on to grant the Bulgars an annual
tribute in gold as well as defining commercial relations between the
two powers. Lastly, it declared that the prisoners previously
captured would be exchanged. Ogus Kutriguri within the Kuberian
Bulgar State agreed to help Kana Subigi Tervel against the Arabs
because Justinian II was no longer alive. Presumably, the Khazars
and the Bulgars were also at peace because of the progress of the
Arabs..
717 AD Byzantine Emperor Leo III came to power (717-741 AD) through
the Byzantine military deposing Theodosius III (before this Leo had
been a general and was an accomplished strategist). After a short
time, the Emperor signed and renewed the Bulgar-Byzantine Peace
Accord of 716 AD out of the need of more military aid. During this
year, the Arabs being ruled by Caliph Omar II (715-720 AD), were led
through Byzantine lands in the east (Asia Minor) to take part in a
siege against Constantinople. At the head of this army was the
Caliph’s brother, General Maslama
717-718 AD The Arab-Byzantine War progressed until General Maslama
was at the walls of Constantinople with his Arab army. While the
Arabs unsuccessfully tried to take the city by a naval assault, the
Hunno-Bulgars under Kana Subigi Tervel swept aside the Arab siege on
the land by inflicting terrible losses upon their men. Additionally,
the Arabs suffered from a particularly bad Winter in 717-718 AD to
which they were unaccustomed to. On the other hand, the Bulgars were
used to this weather, so Kana Subigi Tervel’s campaign flourished in
this regard. A total of more than 30,000 Arabs were killed by the
Onogunduri, Kutriguri, and Utiguri by the time August came in 718
AD. In that month the Arabs decided to retreat with their greatly
diminished army pulling away from Byzantine waters through small,
agile ships that avoided the ‘Greek Fire’.
Chapter Seven
Struggle of the Bulgars: 721 AD – 796 AD
ca. 721 AD After the death of Kana Subigi Tervel,
the Kutriguri fell under the Avar foot yet once again causing the
Kuberian State to collapse. Ogus Kutriguri then migrated north to
the Pannonian Steppes where they would have to wait until Khan
Krum’s rise to power in the late 790s before wrestling free of the
Avars.
724-739 AD Kana Subigi Sevar of House Dulo came to
power amongst the Hunno-Bulgars. He was most likely a close relative
to Kana Subigi Tervel. Since both were from House Dulo, nothing was
reported concerning his rule. Since very few foreign affairs were
conducted with the Bulgarian Khanate (Emperor Leo III’s Peace Treaty
held up).
726-732 AD The Khazar-Arabic War began were the
Arabs once again attacked through into the Caucasus Area against the
Khazars and their allies. Defending the Caucasus, were tribes of
Utiguri and Sabiri Bulgars who repeatedly proved themselves in
battle to be much feared by the Arabs throughout the war.
735 AD The Swedes (the Norse) began a war with
Magyars in the area of the Donets River. Through a fierce battle,
the Swedes siezed Verkhni Saltov and won the war. The Magyars after
losing, retreated south to the Don River.
737-738 AD The Arabs under General Marvan invaded
the Caucasus breaking through the defenses set up by the Khazars
(the Sabiri and the tribes of Utiguri defending the Caucasus were
beaten). After this, the invasion turned towards the lower part of
the Don River, where over 20,000 Aso-Slavs were captured after
fighting the Arabs. The Magyars, a Hunnish people similar to the
Bulgars, were forced to remove themselves to the region around the
Dniepr River from the lower part of the Don River.
739 AD Kana Subigi Sevar died and after this, the
boylar began a Bulgarian civil war where two parties contested for
absolute control of the Khanate. One party was led by House Ugain
who were anti-Byzantine in nature and the other was led by House
Ukil who were pro-Byzantine. Leading House Ukil, was Kormisosh and
after a time, the pro-Byzantine faction won out. Kana Subigi
Kormisosh came to power amongst the Hunno-Bulgars (739-756 AD)
replacing the anti-Byzantine mentality with one of that wanted to
adopt more Byzantine ways amongst the Bulgars.
741 AD Byzantine Emperor Constantine V came to
power (741-775 AD) after the death of his father, Emperor Leo III.
742-743 AD The Byzantines declared war on the
Arabs, but soon after this, a civil war broke out in the Byzantine
Empire which halted the entire affair. Leading the opposing faction
was Strategus Artabasdus from the Armeniakon Theme who already was
married to Constantine’s sister. General Artabasdus attacked the
Emperor’s forces in the Ospikion Theme (Asia Minor) and defeated
them. The Emperor was forced to flee Constantinople, but later
defeated Artabasdus at Sardes in 743 AD. Artabasdus and his two sons
were blinded in the Hippodrome after their failure with their
supporters publicly executed or tortured.
750 AD The beginning of the Abbasid Dynasty under
Caliph as-Saffach (750-754 AD) of the Arabs, and the end of the
Umayyad Dynasty which allowed Emperor Constantine V to focus on the
Bulgarian Khanate with more focus then before. The Swedes
established control over the Aso-Slavs further to the south of
Donets Region as well as the Rus tribes in the Azov Area. Aquiring
land and people, the Swedes gained the attention of the Khazars, but
knew their place was not powerful enough to not to challenge the
Khazars. As such, they became the vassals of the Khazars. After this
the whole group of Swedes, Rus, and Aso-Slavs became eventually
known as the Rus.
751 AD Another Khazar-Arabic war began where the
Khazars attacked the Arabs through three areas in the Caucasus
Mountains. In the western theater of the Khazar thrust, the Sabiri
helped destroy Arab forces. After some time, peace was made between
the two empires, but Ogus Sabiri wanted nothing to do with peace
since they had lost their lands back in 737-738 AD. As such, the
Sabiri continued the war until they had slaughtered the Arabs in
their old abodes in Daghestan.
751-756 AD The Ogus Sabiri controlled their own
territory in Daghestan (near the Daryal Pass in the Caucasus) and
had their own independence free of foreign rule. Their Capital City
was Gudea along the banks of Kura River. The territory was filled
with Saraguri Bulgars and Aso-Slavs or ‘As’. It is also possible
that very old tribes of Onogunduri Bulgars were also part of the
Sabiri Khanate (Onogunduri (Onoguri) tribes that were native to the
area from ca. 464-465 AD).
755-756 AD Byzantine Emperor Constantine V settled
thousands of Armenian and Syrian people in Thrace to help buffer the
area against the Bulgars while building a series of forts to protect
the frontier further reinforcing the Long Wall. Kana Subigi
Kormisosh once favorable towards the Byzantines, now protested with
pressure to do so from his military Beylik (the boylar). The
Byzantines in response ignored the Bulgar’s protest and so war was
declared by the Bulgarian Khanate. By 756 AD, the Hunno-Bulgar
forces rode through to the Long Wall, but were badly beaten by the
Byzantine forces directly under the Emperor. Later on, Kana Subigi
Kormisosh died (probably from wounds sustained in the previous
battle), but had a son to replace him, Vinekh.
The Arabs attacked Daghestan and the Sabiri Khanate. After fierce
fighting, the Sabiri lost and all their tribes retreated northwest
to join with the Magyars. Those which didn’t like that idea, joined
with the Khazars to the north or the Bulgarian Khanate in the west.
In total an estimated 50,000 people from the Sabiri Khanate escaped
from the Arab menace.
756 AD Kana Subigi Vinekh became leader of the
Hunno-Bulgars (756-762 AD) and immediately set about attacking
Byzantine interests to the south. House Ukil was still in power
within the Bulgarian Khanate.
757 AD Emperor Constantine V landed at the mouth
of the Danube with his Byzantine legions and ravaged the Bulgar
territory around it. After a time, the Emperor took his forces and
marched south to the Fortress of Marcellae where he defeated the
Bulgar army who was trying to siege it. The loss was so complete for
the Bulgars, that the Slavs began thinking about their own
independence.
758 AD The Byzantines attacked and subdued the
Slavs in Thrace and Macedonia under Emperor Constantine V who were
wanted to set up their own independent state free of Bulgars and
Byzantines. The Khazars and the Arabs arranged better relations
between each other by a diplomatic marriage of a Khazar princess to
the Caliph, al-Mansur (754-775 AD).
759 AD The Bulgars were defeated by the Byzantine
legions at the Battle of Vergava (between Pliska and Diampolis).
Emperor Constantine V then had a large Byzantine occupational force
set itself up in the midst of the Bulgarian Khanate near Vergava.
Later on, Kana Subigi Vinekh attacked and destroyed the occupational
force which included the death of a Thracian Strategus. However, the
previous defeats directly under the Emperor caused the Bulgar leader
to sue for peace rather than suffer another possible defeat (the
Khanate’s one victory was when the Emperor was away). According to
Vernadsky, a mixture of Slavs and Bulgars attacked the Byzantine
occupational force, but did not get further because of internal
conflicts between the two peoples.
The Khazar princess died in supposed childbirth, so the Khazars who
were suspicious of the incident declared another war upon the Arabs.
The Sabiri who numbered 10,000 warriors rode with their commander in
the Khazar military called an, As-Tarkhan, against the Arabs and
slew many past the Caucasian Gates in the Arabic territories.
Additionally noted, the Arab Northern Army was defeated by the
Khazars, with the Sabiri taking control of an area called, al-Laks.
761-762 AD The Bulgar Khanate suffered a civil war
during this period between House Ukil with Kana Subigi Vinekh at
it’s head versus House Ugain with a boyl named Teletz commanding the
rival faction. At the end, House Ukil lost and most of it’s
representation was put to death with Kana Subigi Vinekh being
killed. House Ugain and the anti-Roman faction was in charge with
the Bulgarian Khanate’s policy being now one which was
pro-traditionalistic (anti-Byzantine/anti-sedentary).
762 AD Kana Subigi Teletz came to power (762-764
AD) through the many defeats and humiliating peace caused by his
predecesor, Kana Subigi Vinekh. Once the tone of the new foreign
policy was set, he levied troops from all his people to crush the
Byzantines under Emperor Constantine V. The Slavs, 208,000 of them,
who distasted Kana Subigi Teletz, decided to leave the Bulgarian
Khanate for the Byzantine Empire (it was possible this was due to
famine, but not likely considering the new foreign policy of
continual war, as well as the previous successes of Emperor
Constantine V). In response, the Emperor accepted the Slavs by
settling them along the Artanas River, seperating them apart to keep
their sense of nationalism low.
762-763 AD The Hunno-Bulgar invasion of Thrace
began at Kana Subigi Teletz’s direction once his army was assembled.
Included with this was some 20,000 Slavic warriors who came to the
call of the Khan (so not all the Slavs had emmigrated to Byzantium)
besides the host of Bulgars. The first strike of the Bulgars managed
the capture of several frontier fortresses, which Kana Subigi Teletz
then reinforced expecting a fierce counterattack from the Emperor.
763 AD Emperor Constantine V decided to attack the
Bulgarian Khanate by using his navy to carry cavalry up to mouth of
the Danube River as well as making a major thrust up north into
Thrace as a second manuever (which was done with the bulk of his
legions). His cavalry attack ravaged the economy behind enemy lines
once in position, and then rode through Dobrudja to meet the Emperor
before the battle was joined with Kana Subigi Teletz at the
frontier. Kana Subigi Teletz sensing this, decided to attack the
Emperor as quickly as possible while his forces were camped at
Anchialus along the Gulf of Burgas. On June 30th, the Hunno-Bulgars
engaged the Byzantines at the Battle of Anchialus. The battle raged
and casualties were high on both sides, but the day was won by the
Byzantines. No chase was given by the Byzantines because of their
losses being too extreme, so the Emperor returned to
Constantinople..
763-764 AD Kana Subigi Teletz’s government
declined in terms of it’s support for their leader and failed to
repair the situation amongst the much weakened economy of the
Bulgarian Khanate. So after a year, by 764 AD, the boylar of House
Ugain, murdered their leader for his incompetence (as well as using
him as a scapegoat for their own lack of success).
764 AD Another Bulgarian civil war began which led
to the death of several boylar, and the support for a new leader,
Kana Subigi Sabin, the son-in-law of the late Kana Subigi Kormisosh.
Kana Subigi Sabin (764-766 AD) immediately sued for peace with the
Byzantine Empire since he was from House Ukil (which was part of the
pro-Byzantine party), but hostilities towards the Byzantines were
still quite high amongst the Bulgars. When the terms for peace were
given which were unfavorable to the Bulgars, Kana Subigi Sabin took
them anyways. This made the boylar very upset and so they accused
their leader of handing the Khanate over to the Byzantines. At the
head of the boylar was a Bulgar named, Pagan (probably from the
House of Ugain). Soon after this, Sabin was deposed and fled to the
protection of the Emperor (as well as his immediate family).
The Khazars and the Arabs began a new war. As such the Khazars
struck with their Rus forces at Tiflis and sieged it successfully
destroying the surrounding countryside in Armenia.
Kana Subigi Pagan came to power with the help of the anti-Byzantine
party (House Ugain)(764 AD), but soon found himself asking for peace
since his economy as well as his military might was heavily
depleted. So, he sent an embassy to Constantinople, but the Tabar
was not received by the Byzantines. After a time, Kana Subigi Pagan
personally arrived at Constantinople to ask for peace with a number
of his boylar, but in doing so, Emperor Constantine V demanded that
he step down for Sabin to become leader again. Pagan accepted and
thus Kana Subigi Sabin was back in power (764-766 AD) as an imperial
servant.
764-766 AD The Bulgarian Khanate’s power was at an
all time low due to direct intervention of the Byzantines over the
Bulgars under Kana Subigi Sabin who died in 766 AD to leave his
relative, Umar in power.
766 AD Kana Subigi Umar of House Ukil came to
power and was out of his position in 40 days due to a boyl named,
Toktu, of House Ugain, and his brother, Bayan. Meanwhile, the
Emperor Constantine V set himself against the Slavs once again
stirring up trouble along the frontier between the Empire and the
Bulgarian Khanate. At the conclusion of the campaign, the Byzantines
held one of the Slavic princes as a hostage to ensure peaceful
negotiations in the future.
766-767 AD Kana Subigi Toktu came to power
(766-767 AD) with his brother, Kavkhan Bayan, and House Ugain in
control of the Beylik. The Emperor Constantine V, once again wished
to see dark days befall the Bulgars, so he attacked into the
Province of Zagora through an undefended sector of captured
Bulgarian fortresses. From here, Kana Subigi Toktu and Kavkhan Bayan
attacked the Byzantines marching through their territory, but the
Bulgars were defeated by the Byzantines. In the chaos that ensued,
both of the Bulgar leaders were taken hostage and then executed. The
Emperor was then unopposed and he ravaged the Bulgarian Khanate
until trouble arose back at home amongst some high ranking officials
that needed to be held in check (to be executed themselves).
767 AD Kana Subigi Pagan came back into power (767
AD), but as soon as the Byzantines had internal conflicts under
control back at home, they returned under the dreaded Emperor
Constantine V. The first assault was into the Province of Zagora
again, which was stopped short of it’s completion when traitorous
officials back at home began gnawing away at the Byzantine
bureaucracy. The second assault penetrated far above the Long Wall
along the road from Diampolis to Pliska, but was halted at the Pass
of Veregava once Bulgar resistance availed itself to hold back the
Emperor from their capital at Pliska. The Emperor simultaneously
sent a fleet of 2,600 transports to land troops behind Bulgar
cavalry, but the Byzantines encountered fierce winds which sank all
of these ships against the coast (along the Gulf of Burgas). Kana
Subigi Pagan on anticipation of the attack moved towards Varna, but
was killed by his own slaves. More chaos ensued for no Khan of the
Bulgars was to lay claim to becoming Kana Subigi immediately
following Pagan’s demise.
768 AD The Hunno-Bulgars under their respective
chieftains (Khans) sued for peace following Kana Subigi Pagan’s
death and was granted it by Emperor Constantine V.
770 AD Khan Telerig came to power as Kana Subigi
Telerig and immediately tried to repair the damage that the
Byzantines had caused over the years to the Bulgar economy and
military (770-777 AD). When he came to his station as overall leader
of the Hunno-Bulgars, he decided not to renew the Byzantine Treaty
of 768 AD since it was unfavorable towards the Bulgarian Khanate.
773 AD Sensing the growing power of the
Hunno-Bulgars, Emperor Constantine V set forth by land and by sea to
either destroy the Bulgars or put them into servitude through
another of his peace treaties. Accordingly, in May of this year,
2,000 transports carried cavalry as well as the Emperor to the mouth
of the Danube River, while his legions marched through Thrace. After
fierce fighting the Bulgars were not able to stop the advance of the
Northern Byzantine Army which descended towards the city of Varna,
so Kana Subigi Telerig sued for peace (which the Byzantines granted)
before things got worse for his people.
Kana Subigi Telerig convinced House Ugain and the anti-Byzantine
faction that he had no intention of upholding the terms of the
treaty. While he sent his diplomatic Tabar Tsigat to discuss the
terms of the said ‘peace’, he gathered 12,000 cavalry to invade
Thessaly. This was mainly done to round up the local population
there and deport them back into the Khanate (the population in
Thessaly mainly consisted of Berzetian Slavs). By October while the
terms of the peace treaty were still being discussed in
Constantinople, the Emperor became informed of the gathering of
these forces to invade Thessaly through his network of spies.
Immediately, he assembled his own army in front of Tabar Tsigat
saying that they were going fight a new campaign against the Arabs.
The deception was believed, and an army of 80,000 Byzantine troops
was dispatched to intercept the Hunno-Bulgar force. When the forces
met each other in the Balkan Mountains along the River Sliven, the
Bulgars merely turned around and left the Byzantine territory on
account of the one to eight odds using the speed of their horses to
leave the Byzantines behind. No pursuit by the imperial forces was
given and they even called it the ‘Noble War’ since no one was
killed, but this was just good old Byzantine propaganda.
774 AD Byzantine Emperor Constantine V planned
another of his infamous two spearhead attacks, one by by land
through Thrace, and the other to attack Varna by sea. However, the
naval defenses at Varna setup under the reign of Kana Subigi Tervel
thwarted the landing which then had to turn out to sea where it met
with disaster by fierce weather. The Emperor then called off his
campaign.
Kana Subigi Telerig realized that the Byzantine spy network at home
had to be dealt with, so he cunningly sent a message to the Emperor
that he was in danger from a rival political faction with the
Khanate. Furthermore, he stated that he would need a list of the
agents in Bulgaria to retreat to, should things get out of hand. The
Emperor Constantine V concurred and sent him the list which Kana
Subigi Telerig used promptly in executing all the traitors in his
midst.
775 AD Emperor Constantine V, outwitted by the
Bulgars and furious at Kana Subigi Telerig’s cunning, attacked the
Bulgarian Khanate again in September. However, he became sick with a
fever early in the campaign and died at the Fortress of Strongylus
on September 14th, 775 AD. No doubt it was a good day for the
Hunno-Bulgars since he was personally responsible for wrecking their
economy, military, and morale amongst it’s people on many occasions.
In a sense at his death, the spirit of the Bulgar heart was one
which hated the Byzantines and had galvanized the Bulgarian Khanate
to despise their wealthy neighbors over Constantine V’s nine
military campaigns. Emperor Constantine V was replaced by his son
who became Emperor Leo IV (775-780 AD).
777 AD Civil war broke out again within the
Bulgarian Khanate, where on one side was Kana Subigi Telerig and
leading the other faction was a boyl named, Kardam. Kardam won and
became Kana Subigi Kardam (777-803 AD) while Telerig fled to
Constantinople for Emperor Leo IV’s court (it may be extrapolated
that Telerig was of House Ukil since he readily adapted Byzantine
ways once he reached the Empire and decided never to leave, he even
shedAltaic Shamanism for Christianity amongst the Byzantines). Under
Kana Subigi Kardam, the Khanate was to rebuild itself to a state of
measurable balance and power again.
780 AD Emperor Leo IV died and left his son,
Emperor Constantine VI in charge of the Byzantine Empire (780-796
AD). This Emperor was only 10 when he came to the throne, so his
mother, the Empress Irene, became Regent.
781 AD The Arabs under Caliph al-Machdi (775-785
AD) declared war against the Byzantine Empire and proceded to
penetrate the Imperial froniter decimating those that got in their
way. After a devasting, bloody fight in the Thracesion Theme later
that year, in which the Byzantines lost, Empress Irene had to pay
the Arabs annual tribute for peace.
782-783 AD The Byzantines under Empress Irene
launched a campaign against the Slavic tribes around Thessaly and
Central Greece where the legions of the Empire were led by the
eunuch General Stauracius. After a year, the Byzantines returned
with many Slavic prisoners back towards Constantinople where General
Stauracius was given a great triumph. Some territorial gains were
made by the Empire possibly, but tribute was most certainly given by
the Slavs who remained near Thessaly and further to the south in
Central Greece.
784 AD The Byzantine Imperial Forces attacked the
Hunno-Bulgars and Slavic tribes near the Long Wall at the direction
of Empress Irene. After a time and casualties taken, the Byzantines
managed to capture the old Province of Zagora as well as the City of
Berrhoea which the Empress renamed, Irenupolis. More Armenians were
then transported from the east to settle the new territory. Further
to the west, Sardica and the land immediately surrounding it
remained with the Byzantines.
785 AD Caliph al-Hadi (785-786 AD) came to power
over the Arab Caliphate.
786 AD Caliph Harun al-Rashid (786-809 AD) came to
power over the Arab Caliphate (who was to later cooperate with Kana
Subigi Krum).
787 AD The Khazars in the Crimea sieged Doras
which was the Capital City of Crimean Goths and took it appointing
their governor there called a Tudun. The boisterous Goths unhappy
with the Khazar occupation of their capital, then took it upon
themselves to revolt, but the Khazars once again crushed the
resistance. Years after this, the Goths with Byzantine help
shattered the Khazars in the region, but were compelled by this deal
to rule the area as Byzantine subjects.
789 AD Strategus Philetus of the Thracian Theme
and his legion of Byzantines were attacked by Kana Subigi Kardam’s
Hunno Bulgar Cavalry along the Struma River. Under a heavy hail of
arrows and through much bloodshed, the Byzantines were decimated.
Philetus himself was killed and probably his head was taken as a
trophy of war.
790 AD After some political unrest between Empress
Irene and her son, Emperor Constantine VI, the Empress was forced to
leave the imperial palace with Constantine VI becoming sole ruler of
the Byzantine Empire (790-792 AD).
791 AD Charlemagne, King of the Franks, invaded
the Avar Empire and defeated the Avars in a series of battles west
of the Pannonian Steppes. By the end of 791 AD, the Franko-Avar War
was well underway.
Emperor Constantine VI engaged the Bulgars near the Probatum
Fortress at the frontier in April, but after a skirmish began at
night, they fled with panic retreating away from the frontier.
Unfortunately, the Bulgars could not take proper advantage of their
enemies’ retreat and so casualties were light against the
Byzantines.
792 AD The eager Emperor declared war on the
Hunno-Bulgars in July and made his way with his forces to the
frontier. This time, Kana Subigi Kardam met Emperor Constantine VI’s
forces in a full, pitched battle at the Fortress of Marcellae on
July 20th. The Bulgars this day were victorious and slaughtered the
Byzantines leaving their bodies upon the field with Emperor
Constantine VI fleeing back towards Constantinople. Military
equipment, loot, horses, and several Byzantine generals were
captured at the end of the engagement. Kana Subigi Kardam was then
met by an imperial entourage of diplomats sueing for peace. The
peace was granted to the Byzantines on the condition of annual
tribute to be paid to the Bulgars in gold every year. The Emperor
then was forced to accept his mother back as co-ruler of the
Byzantine Empire.
ca. 795 AD Khan Krum, possibly of Khan Kuber’s
Dynasty, became leader of Ogus Kutriguri (of the Pannonian Bulgars).
If he was of Khan Kuber’s Dynasty, then he would have been from
House Dulo and therefore from the House of Attila (unlike the
lineage of House Dulo being erased from the Asparouhian Dynasty).
Chapter Eight
The Sun Shines Again: 796 AD – 814 AD
796 AD The Franks as well as the Croatians under
the command of Charlemagne’s son, Pipin, began a battle with the
Avars along the banks of the Tisa River. The battle here was won by
the Frankish alliance with Charlemagne’s son taking control of the
Khagan’s headquarters and also gaining an immense amount of Avar
valuables. Conceivably, the Khan of the Kutriguri, Krum, took notice
of the progress of the Franks and calculated that their old
overlords might be overthrown for a new order. If the Kutriguri were
involved with this battle with the Avars (against the Franks), their
losses could not have been too severe amongst their warriors since
Khan Krum was to carry out a number of military manuevers between
796-803 AD against the Avars with his ogus. Regardless, after this
the Franks set up their own base of operations in the region called,
Ostmark (Austria), to continue their war against the Avars.
797 AD The Empress Irene took direct control of
the Byzantine Empire by having her son, Emperor Constantine VI,
forcibly blinded and then kicked out of power, which won her no love
amongst her subjects. The Empress was to rule from 797-802 AD.
800 AD Charles The Great (Charlemagne) was crowned
Emperor of the Holy Roman Empire in Rome.
ca. 800 AD Viseslav became leader of the Dalmatian
Croatians (ca. 800-ca. 810 AD).
802 AD Emperor Charlemagne sent a marriage offer
to Empress Irene of the Byzantine Empire to rejoin both the east and
the west as one united empire. However before this offer was
considered, the Empress was exiled by a successful palace revolution
which took place on October 31st. The contender for the Emperor’s
throne was the former Logothete, Nicephorus, who then became
Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus I (802-811 AD). Irene eventually found
herself exiled to Lesbos after her initial exile to the Princes’
Islands.
Emperor Nicephorus I discontinued payments to the Arab Caliphate and
thus angered the Arabs under Caliph Harun al-Raschid who then
decided to war upon the Byzantines in the east.
802-803 AD Khan Krum of Ogus Kutriguri made an
alliance with Emperor Charlemagne to attack the Avar Empire from
both the east and the west. From then on, the Kutriguri and the
Franks with their Croatian allies decimated what was left of the
Avar Empire. The Avars were finally layed low before Ogus Kutriguri
and the Avar hold over the Pannonian Steppes was finally over. After
this, Khan Krum in triumph came to Pliska and was made Kana Subigi
Krum in 803 AD (803-814 AD) thus reuniting all the Hunno-Bulgar
groups of tribes in the Balkans (Ogus Kutriguri, Ogus Onogunduri (Ogus
Onoguri), and portions of Ogus Utiguri as well as Ogus Saraguri).
Sometime before this Kana Subigi Kardam passed away with his death
being relatively uneventful and obscure, such that the transition of
Kana Subigi Krum coming to power was a relatively smooth one with
rival factions amongst the Bulgars being quickly put down (if there
were any).
803 AD The Byzantines suffered a new civil war
amongst themselves in Asia Minor, but Emperor Nicephorus I managed
to strangle it after taking losses. After this event, the Arab
Caliphate began to invade the Byzantine Empire with more vigor than
before.
803-805 AD Ogus Kutriguri and the Slavic
tribes on the right side of the Tisa River continued to clear the
Pannonian Steppes of Avar tribes that would not recognize Kana
Subigi Kardam as their new overall leader (or Khagan). By 805 AD
this was completed and now the Bulgarian Khanate stretched from the
Carpathians Mountains in the North (as well as Transylvania) to the
Balkan Mountains in the South with the western border being the Tisa
River (Theiss River) and the region of Bessarabia as the farthest
eastern area of control which included the Pruth River extending to
the Dniester River.
ca. 805 AD The Governor of Corinth under Emperor
Nicephorus I, defeated and subdued some of the Slavs (the Velziti)
in the area of Central Greece (Peloponnesus) which greatly pleased
the Emperor. After this, a recovery period was made by the
Byzantines in rebuilding the City of Patras, but other Slavic tribes
such as the Melingi and the Ezeritae held on to their autonomy in
Central Greece.
806 AD The Arabic Caliph, Harun al-Rashid,
penetrated deep into Byzantine territory following his capture of
several frontier fortresses. Then he successfully sieged Tyana and
sent more Arab forces to the region of Ancyra which caused Emperor
Nicephorus I to sue for peace. This was granted provided the
Byzantines pay annual tribute in gold which was agreed upon.
Furthermore, the Emperor was humiliated by personally having to pay
3 gold pieces to the Caliph as a poll-tax on behalf of himself as
well as his son, Stauracius.
807 AD War broke out between the Bulgarian Khanate
and the Byzantine Empire probably due to the Emperor not paying the
Bulgars their annual tribute (after new payments had to be made to
the Arabs). Accordingly, the Byzantine Emperor moved north with his
army towards the City of Anchialus, but he hadn’t gotten far when a
conspiracy to remove him broke out. After putting down the rebels,
the Emperor was compelled to return to Constantinople empty handed,
not achieving a damn thing.
808 AD Kana Subigi Krum, firmly in command of his
Khanate and the respective boylar, decided to bring the fight to the
Byzantines by invading the Byzantine Empire. In his way however,
where many new fortresses rebuilt by the old Bulgar enemy, the late
Emperor Constantine V located at Sardica (Sofia), Philippopolis,
Adrianople, and Develtus. No matter though, he proceded south with
his army of horsemen and devastated a Byzantine army stationed in
the Strymon Theme by surprising their force in Winter. So badly
defeated was this force of Byzantines that the Hunno-Bulgars and
Slavs killed the Strategus of the theme as well as capturing 1,100
pounds of gold which was destined for the Byzantine soldiers.
809 AD Kana Subigi Krum furthered his campaign
against the Byzantines by hitting the first of major fortresses
(rebuilt by the Armenians) located at Sardica in March of 809 AD.
The Bulgars hated this fortress especially so since it guarded the
road to Serbia as well as Northern Macedonia. In any case, Kana
Subigi Krum gained entrance to the Fortress of Sardica by the use of
his cunning, and then slew the whole Imperial force there (some
6,000 Byzantine troops). After this, he dismantled the fortress and
burned the rest down much to his people’s delight. By April 3rd, the
Emperor got wind of the invasion’s success and left the capital
immediately. Emperor Nicephorus I decided to then target Pliska
itself while the Hunno-Bulgars were away, and did so in a timely
fashion finding the Bulgar capital almost completely undefended.
From there he plundered what he could find and then moved his army
over to Sardica (what was left of it) where he forced his soldiers
to rebuild some portion of the fortress. Then the Byzantines retired
to Constantinople.
Caliph Harun al-Rashid died and civil disorder broke in many of the
Arabic cities which created some peace of mind for the Byzantines.
Later on, Caliph al-Amin (809-813 AD), was to take control of the
Arab Caliphate who was sympathetic towards the Bulgarian Khanate.
ca. 810 AD The rise to power of the Croatian
leader, Borna (ca. 810-821 AD).
811 AD Tesi Orenda: Emperor Nicephorus I began a
new campaign against the Bulgarian Khanate whereby he aimed at the
Hunno-Bulgar Capital, Pliska, in May of that year. Crossing the
frontier, he met the Bulgar Tabar who sued for peace on behalf of
the Khanate, but the Emperor turned him down (at Marcellae). Kana
Subigi Krum when hearing about this decision of the Emperor’s, took
the main portion of his army and left Pliska towards the Balkan
Mountains to the west. The Emperor then reached Pliska, but only
found a small garrison stationed there which he decimated, and then
burned the city to the ground (July 20th). Upon the order of Emperor
Nicephorus I, Bulgar babies were thrown into large, metal threshing
machines which he hoped would breed the Hunno-Bulgars out of the
area as well as amuse the Byzantines. After this, the Emperor left
Pliska and headed west to intercept the Bulgars, but when he
proceded into the Balkan Mountains little did he know Kana Subigi
Krum had awaited his approach. The Byzantine Imperial Army soon
found themselves in a narrow pass which the Bulgars expected them to
enter. When they did, Kana Subigi Krum had already built the pass
into a deadend with a wooden palisade at one end, so he ordered that
another be built at the opposite end. As planned, the trap was
furthered by additional fortifications built at both palisades and
the Byzantines were indeed caught by surprise. On the night of July
25th, Khagan Krum and all the Hunno-Bulgars attacked butchering the
entire Byzantine army. Byzantine soldiers and cavalry rushed towards
one end of the palisade, but found no release save death when they
climbed the wall which was then set ablaze. Byzantine Emperor
Nicephorus I’s head was cut from his body and was turned into a
silver-lined drinking chalice by Kana Subigi Krum. This was an
impressive triumph for the Bulgars because a Byzantine Emperor had
not been slain on the field of battle for about 450 years (that is
by so called ‘barbarians’). Even moreso since his son became the
next Emperor, Stauracius, and then died a short while later (3
months of lingering) from wounds sustained at this battle. In any
case, the Hunno-Bulgars returned to Pliska in victory with Kana
Subigi Krum toasting his bolyar with Nicephorus’ skull (‘Zdravitsa!’).
Byzantine Emperor Michael I came to power over Byzantium (811- 813
AD) who was the brother-in-law of the Emperor Stauracius.
812 AD The Byzantines sent their dignitaries to
personally recogonize the imperial dignity of Emperor Charlemagne
over the Western Empire.
Kana Subigi Krum launched a new campaign against the Byzantines, by
using his Arabic and Avar engineers to help him siege the Fortress
of Develtus (on the coast of the Black Sea and part of the Long Wall
defense system) as well as the Port of Mesembria. In their travels
to the south, the Byzantine Fortresses of Anchialus, Irenupolis,
Nicea, and Probatum fled before the might of Khagan Krum’s Army. By
November, the Hunno-Bulgars, Slavs, and other peoples with Kana
Subigi Krum had captured these objectives (taking immense amounts of
populace and booty with them to the north including the secret of
‘Greek Fire’). During this time, the Bulgars had sent the Byzantine
Emperor terms for the Peace Treaty of 716 AD to be reinvested, but
the Byzantines refused. As such, Kana Subigi Krum continued to war
upon the Empire
813 AD The Battle of Versincia: Kana Subigi Krum
moved southward into Thrace and was intercepted by an enormous
Byzantine Army under the command of Emperor Michael I at Versinicia
in June of
813 AD. Vastly outnumbered, the Bulgars,
Slavs, and Avars found themselves at 1 to 10 odds against an immense
sea of troops and cavalry formed by consciptions the Emperor had
completed in Asia Minor. For 15 days, the Hunno-Bulgars manuevered
so as not be stuck in a bad position, but after this, Kana Subigi
Krum ordered them to attack. On June 22nd, General Aplaces gave the
attack from the Byzantine left wing at the permission of the Emperor
and the battle began. Almost immediately, the leader of the
Byzantine right wing, General Leo, took his Anatolic Troops and fled
the scene (who desired to leave the Emperor in a treacherous
position, so he could in turn become Emperor). In any case, Kana
Subigi Krum hit hard on General Aplaces Thracian Forces and
decimated them with his cavalry. Soon afterwards, the Emperor and
the rest fled in terror back towards Constantinople whereby the
Hunno-Bulgars struck at them with arrow fire and spear. Finally the
Emperor as well as General Leo (Leo the Armenian) made it back to
the capital, but at a heavy price.
Deposing The Emperor: Leo the Armenian became Emperor Leo V (813-820
AD) after Emperor Michael I Rangabe was deposed on July 11th of 813
AD due to his failure at the Battle of Versinicia. Also Caliph al-Mamun
came to power this same year (813-833 AD), over the Arabs after the
demise of Caliph al-Amin.
Spear Thrust Into Byzantium: After the Byzantines were defeated by
their own treachery as well as Khagan Krum’s cunning, the Bulgars,
Avars, and Slavs moved towards Constantinople. Their first stop was
at the City of Adrianople which was sieged by Kana Subigi Krum’s
brother while he in turn took his cavalry to the south. Then when he
was near to the capital on July 17th of 813 AD, the Bulgars began to
terrify the inhabitants of Constantinople who watched them from the
walls. Khagan Krum ordered that some of the Byzantine captives as
well as other animals be sacrificed to Tangra and then burned before
the sight of the Byzantines. As stated by Runciman’s A History of
The First Bulgarian Empire on page 63, “They could see the Sublime
Khan washing his feet in the waves of the sea and ceremoniously
sprinkling his soldiers, or moving in state through rows of adoring
concubines, to the raucous acclamation of his hordes.” Shortly
thereafter, he received an embassy from Emperor Leo V asking for
them to meet on the Shore of the Golden Horn (next to
Constantinople). Kana Subigi Krum accepted this invitation, who came
to the meeting over land via. horse while the Emperor came over sea
via. barge. However, the Emperor decieved the Khagan and tried to
have him assassinated. Only through the heroic efforts of Kana
Subigi Krum’s bodyguards did he escape the treachery of Leo’s plan.
In any case, Khagan Krum then decimated the suburbs, churches, and
monastaries around Constantinople while removing the wealth for
transport to Pliska. He then moved towards Selymbria to the west and
razed it. The Suburbs and villas of Heraclea were likewise burned to
the ground and Kana Subigi Krum then destroyed the Fortresses of
Doanin, Rhaedestus, and Aprus, while removing the populace to the
north. Finally, Khagan Krum moved north back to the City of
Adrianople which was still being sieged by his brother. Shortly
thereafter the city surrendered when it saw Khagan Krum once again
behind it’s walls. All the inhabitants then were taken to the
northern shore of the Danube within his Khanate.
The Battle of Leo’s Hill: After a peace offer was sent by Emperor
Leo V and then turned down by Khagan Krum (the Byzantines could no
longer be trusted after their assassination attempt), the Emperor
launched a counterattack. He did this after the Khagan left for the
north and surprised a detachment of Bulgar warriors close to the
City of Mesembria. In this battle, the Emperor chose a hill near to
Mesembria to hide behind while another portion of his army stood out
in the open for the Bulgars to attack. The detachment of Khagan
Krum’s Hunno-Bulgar army came and closed with the Byzantines out on
the plains. When they did, Emperor Leo V came from behind and
through much carnage, defeated the detachment of warriors. After
this, the Emperor made a small advance into the Bulgarian Khanate
killing those misfortunates whom he met (especially the Bulgar
children, which is interesting to note that his policy towards the
Bulgars was the same as Emperor Nicephorus I (breed the Bulgars out
of the area)). However, Emperor Leo V’s success was short-lived as
Kana Subigi Krum was roused once again to kill Byzantines.
814 AD War Continues: Kana Subigi Krum began a new
campaign against the Byzantine Empire duing the Winter of 814 AD. It
consisted of two assaults with the first serving as a probe as well
as a weakening force for the second, larger assault which Khagan
Krum would accompany. The first assault formed of some 30,000
warriors penetrated as far south as Arcadiopolis which the
Hunno-Bulgars overtook gathering with them some 50,000 captives to
take back to the Bulgarian Khanate. The second assault launched in
Spring, consisted of Bulgars, Avars, Slavs, and a great number of
siege engines aimed directly at taking Constantinople. In haste,
Emperor Leo V prepared the city’s defenses as well as sending
embassies abroad asking for military aid (including one which went
to the Western Emperor Louis). However these were all done to no
avail, since Khagan Krum died while campaigning from a cerebral
haemorrhage on April 13th, 814 AD.
Chapter Nine
Consolidation of Power: 814 AD – 865 AD
814-815 AD After the death of Kana Subigi Krum,
the second assault launched in Spring was thrown into disorder with
the late Khagan’s military council or Beylik taking the reins of
government. Evidently, Khagan Krum’s son, Omurtag, was still too
young to be put into power as the next Kana Subigi, so Khan Dukum
took control of the Bulgarian Khanate. However, after several weeks
Khan Dukum died (it is unknown how this came about) with two, new
Khans taking control of the Bulgarian Khanate who were Khan Chok (Tsok)
and Khan Ditzeng (Dicevg). Both of these Bulgar men were from
parties that preferred war with the Byzantines as well as the
persecution of Christians from within the Khanate (because this was
indicative of the spread of pro-Byzantine culture and ideas amongst
the Bulgars, Avars, and Slavs). In any case, by the end of 815 AD
Omurtag became the new, absolute leader of the Bulgars as Kana
Subigi Omurtag (Khagan Omurtag over the Avars and Slavs). It is
likely that Khan Chok and Khan Ditzeng stepped down as Reagents
rather than coming to a violent end, but this is all totally unknown
(likely because they were traditionalists rather than part of the
pro-Byzantine party).
815-816 AD Consolidation of Power: Kana Subigi
Omurtag (815-831 AD) began his reign with interests in consolidating
power within the Bulgarian Khanate. To do this, he first made peace
with the Byzantine Empire and Emperor Leo V through a new treaty
called the “Thirty Years’ Peace”. In the treaty signed in 816 AD,
the terms were set with the borders being fixed from Develtus to
Macroliada to the Balkan Mountains. Along this border, Kana Subigi
Omurtag ordered that a great ditch be dug with a wall behind it and
fortifications called, “The Great Fence”. Next within the treaty,
provisions were made to have all the prisoners of war returned.
Lastly, the Bulgar deserters and traitors were returned to the
Bulgarian Khanate for their subsequent executions before the boylar.
It is interesting to note that each head of state swore an oath
before the other’s people in their religious preference which
greatly alarmed the Byzantines. Amusingly, Emperor Leo V followed
the rites in swearing an oath before Tangra. While swearing the oath
over the sword of Kana Subigi Omurtag, he poured water first onto
the sword which then hit the ground. Words were spoken in the pact,
“May the blood of one who does not observe his oath pour like water,
may Tangra leave his horses without feed by drying grass”.
816 AD The Arabs gain temporary control over
Egypt.
816-818 AD Dealing With The Spread of
Christianity: Greek refugees inside the Bulgarian Khanate began to
spread Christianity at an alarming rate. In response Kana Subigi
Omurtag cracked down on the leaders which refused to stop converting
the populace by rounding them up and killing them (381 total,
including the Archbishop Manuel of Adrianople as well as three other
bishops). The Bulgar boylar were satisfied that this challenge to
their way of life and their culture was at an end from the displaced
Byzantines resettled on the north shore of the Danube (from the
previous captured citizens of Adrianople back in 813 AD).
818 AD Slavs along the Timok River, who were
previously allied with the Bulgars, broke away from their treaty and
turned towards the Franks for support. Soon though, the Timok Slavs
turned towards a new leader called, Zupan Ljudevit, who asserted his
independence from both the Franks and the Bulgars. Kana Subigi
Omurtag chose however to watch and evaluate the situation since his
hands were tied with interests in the encroaching Magyars to his
northeast.
818-820 AD Campaign Against The Magyars: Kana
Subigi Omurtag ordered that a new campaign be launched against the
Magyars and the Slavs to the northeast of his state. The tribe known
as the Chakagar was one of many Bulgar tribes sent to push back the
Magyars and Slavs from the frontier. It was recorded that a certain
Kopan Okors (Okorses) drowned in the Dnieper River while coming back
to the Zitkoi (military camp) and that the Bulgars grieved his death
with an epitaph left to him by Kana Subigi Omurtag. Later on in 820
AD, the Magyars were met in battle by the Bulgars and were defeated.
In response, the Magyars retreated beyond the Don River.
820 AD Death of an Emperor: On December 25th, 820
AD, Byzantine Emperor Leo V was brutally murdered during prayer at
Hagia Sophia in front of the altar by Michael the Amorian (an old
officer who served under Leo for the past several years). After
this, Michael was crowned Emperor as Michael II (820-829 AD).
821 AD Founding of Preslav: Khagan Omurtag founded
the City of Preslav to the south of Pliska. Within it, he ordered
the construction of a new, fortress-palace that had inscribed in
it’s foundations the words, “The Sublime Khan Omurtag is divine
ruler in the land where he was born. Abiding in the plain of Pliska
he made a palace on the Tisza (Ticha) River displaying his power to
the Greeks and Slavs. And he constructed with skill a bridge over
the Tisza (Ticha) and he set up in his fortress four columns and
between the columns he placed two bronze lions. May Tangra grant
that the divine ruler may press down the Emperor with his foot so
long as the Tisza (Ticha) flows, that he may procure many captives
for the Bulgarians and that subduing his foes he may in joy and
hapiness live for a hundred years. The date of the foundation Shegor
alem.” Note that Preslav would not become the Bulgar Capital until
893 AD.
821-823 AD Byzantine Civil War Breaks Out!: A
portion of the the Byzantine Empire in Asia Minor of four themes
decided to revolt against Emperor Michael II. Headed by a man named,
Thomas The Slav, the revolt was started due to racial, religious,
and social reasons. Furthermore, Thomas The Slav was quickly
supported by the Arabic Caliphate in terms of resources and supplies
(Caliph al-Mamun). Within months of the beginning, Thomas The Slav,
with his army of Arabs, Persians, Armenians, Iberians and other
Caucasian peoples had made their way to Constantinople and by
December of 821 AD was already seiging it. By 822 AD, Emperor
Michael II asked Khagan Omurtag for his support and this was
granted. Once, Kana Subigi Omurtag and his Bulgar warriors were
involved with the struggle, Thomas The Slav’s support began to
crumble. So much so, that by the Spring of 823 AD, the siege around
the Byzantine Capital was lifted, and Thomas’ Rebellian was in full
retreat. By October of 823 AD, Thomas The Slav, was captured by
Emperor Michael II in Arcadiopolis, and summarily executed.
823 AD Franks Invade Ljudevit’s State: The Franks
invaded Ljudevit’s State and promptly took it over, forcing Zupan
Ljudevit into exile where he died later in 823 AD. Part of this
territory in the Pannonian Steppes began to cross into Bulgar
territory and so tensions began to develop between the two nations.
824-825 AD Bulgars Send An Embassy To The Franks:
Kana Subigi Omurtag sent out his diplomats to negotiate the
delineation of the frontier between the Bulgarian Khanate and the
Eastern Frankish Empire centering in Germany (824 AD). King Louis of
The Eastern Franks, however delayed his decisions in these matters
because he wished to reinforce his position with the rebel Timok
Slavs who decided to throw in their lot with the Franks. After a
time, Emperor Louis sent his own embassy to the Bulgarian Khanate to
see for themselves what Khagan Omurtag’s nation was like. In any
case, by May of 825 AD, the Bulgars were given an ambiguous letter
back about the frontier which was Louis’ way of delaying things even
more so (which was a part of a 2nd Bulgarian embassy that waited six
months for this reply).
825 AD The Rus Khaganate: The Rus free themselves
of Khazar authority and establish their own Khaganate centered
around the Capital City of Tmutorokan. This was established by
continuing warfare and much carnage by the Rus against the Khazars.
The Alans living in this area as well as the As placed themselves
under the new banner of the old Rus-Tarkhan of the Khazars now
calling himself the Khagan.
826 AD Bulgars Send A Third Embassy To The Franks:
Khagan Omurtag frustrated with Louis The German, sent a third
embassy to the Franks which demanded a drawing up of the borders
between their nations. Louis The German for the third time struck
out by giving another flacid statement about the boundries and thus
the Bulgar Tabar returned in disgust to Pliska
ca. 826 AD The Arabs Take Crete!: The Arabic
Caliphate sometime between 823 and 828 AD captured Crete. Once there
the Arabs used this as a base of piracy to pillage and loot the
Mediterranean coastline. Byzantine influence in seafaring along the
Adriatic coast was thus thrown into a downward spiral. Arabs on the
other hand gained a vantage point to further launch attacks into
Africa and Sicily.
827 AD Attack The Franks!: Kana Subigi Omurtag
launched a Bulgar, Avar, and Slavic Campaign to take back the
Pannonian Steppes from the Franks. The Bulgar forces hit with such
surprise that the rebel Timok Slavs in the region were thrown into
disarray. The Franks in the area were killed and the Bulgars had
gained a strategic victory bringing back their own governors to the
area. Louis The German in response sent his own military counter
attack on the Bulgars, but this was again like his dialogue, flacid
(he achieved no additional territory through his military response).
In total, the Bulgars had sieged and captured the cities of Sirmium,
Beograd (which then came to be called Belgrade), as well as
Branicevo which helped fortify their position in the area.
829 AD The Second Bulgar Assault On The Franks: A
second assault was sent into the Pannonian Steppes by Kana Subigi
Omurtag to push back the frontier some more. As in 827 AD, great
success was in the hands of the Bulgar warriors by their quick
initiative which resulted in the devastation of Frankish warriors
trying to put themselves into the theatre as well as the troublesome
Timok Slavs.
The Death of Emperor Michael II: Emperor Michael II died and left
his son in power, Emperor Theophilus (829-842 AD).
829-832 AD The Bulgaro-Frankish War Continues: The
Franks tried, but failed over the next couple years to exert
authority over the Pannonian Steppes through military attack after
attack. In the end though, the Bulgars and Franks signed a peace
treaty which was completely favorable to the Bulgars (concerning
land). The Bulgars once more proved to be in control of the regions
of Srem as well as Pannonia.
830 AD The Byzantines Are Forced To War With The
Arabs: Caliph al-Mamun after dealing with some internal conflicts
within his own Caliphate, began a new war with the Byzantines. This
Arabic war would continue with varying success by both the Arabs and
the Byzantines lasting well into Emperor Theophilus’ reign.
831 AD The Death of Kana Subigi Omurtag: Khagan
Omurtag died in 831 AD and made the youngest of his three sons,
Malamir, the next Sublime Khan or Kana Subigi. Knaz Enravota (the
eldest of the three sons), and Knaz Svinitse, the next in line, were
not chosen to succeed their late father probably because Malamir was
born of Omurtag’s favorite wife (or by the primary wife). This also
could have been due to Malamir having more favorable personality
traits that Kana Subigi Omurtag admired comparative to the other two
sons.
The Reign of Kana Subigi Malamir: Kana Subigi Malamir (831-836 AD)
continued in his father’s footsteps of keeping a truce with the
Byzantine Empire (which was in line with “The Thirty Years Peace”),
and keeping Christianity at a minimum within the Bulgarian Khanate
(thus Bulgar culture continued to be intact). For the most part his
control of the Bulgarian Khanate was uneventful.
833 AD A New Leader of The Arabs: Caliph al-Mutasim
came to power this year (833-842 AD) after his brother passed away.
The new Caliph continued to press the Byzantine Empire through more
war.
833-835 AD The Khazars Ask For Help: The Khazar
Khagan sent envoys to the Byzantine Empire to ask for their help in
constructing defenses along the Don River. Byzantine Emperor
Theophilus agreed and sent his engineers to help the Khazars
constuct the Fortress of Sarkel which was built at the mouth of the
Don River. Furthermore, Emperor Theophilus organized the City of
Cherson on the Northern Black Sea Coast as the capital city of a new
theme he set up there to help better defend against incursions from
the Pontic Steppes (most likely from the Rus which were a thorn in
the Khazar’s side as well).
836 AD A New Sublime Khan: Kana Subigi Malamir
renamed himself Kana Subigi Persian (Pressiam)(Pressian) after the
Byzantines began a new war with the Bulgars. Angered by fresh
hostilities between their two nations, the Khagan did this to unite
the Bulgars behind him while instilling fear into the Byzantines by
the adoption of a purely Bulgar name (if Malamir and Persian were
not one and the same, then it could be argued that Persian was the
nephew of Malamir). Evidently, the Byzantines started the war by
taking the action of removing the captured civilians from the
Northern Danube (which were the old residents of Adrianople captured
during Khagan Krum’s time) via. ships back to Imperial territory.
Kana Subigi Persian (836-852 AD) reacted then by attacking Byzantine
lands near the Fortesses of Philippopolis and Sardica. Through his
right-hand man, Kavkhan Isbul, the Bulgars rapidly tore through into
these areas and annexed them into the Bulgarian Khanate.
Furthermore, the Bulgars then pressed into Macedonia by proceeding
towards the City of Thessalonica. There the Bulgars took over the
hills of Northern Macedonia, when news came that the Byzantines had
sued for peace renewing the old treaty.
838 AD The Arabs Launch A Massive Campaign!:
Caliph al-Mutasim attacked the Byzantine Empire in Asia Minor with a
large army and finally was met in battle by the Byzantine Emperor
Theophilus directly at Dazmana (after the Arab forces had split into
two different armies with Caliph al-Mutasim a part of an army
attacking the Fortress of Amorium). After much bloodshed, the
Byzantines lost at Dazmana with the Arabs occupying Ancyra on July
22nd, 838 AD. Caliph al-Mutasim’s forces furthered their campaign by
taking the Fortress of Amorium in the southern branch of the attack
capturing this on August 12th, 838 AD.
839-842 AD Campaign Against The Serbs: Kana Subigi
Persian began a Bulgar campaign to his west against the Serbs. After
the Bulgars pushed into the region along the Morava River, they came
into contact with the Serbs. The Serbs which were stirred up already
by the subdued Timok Slavs living in the area, as well as by
Byzantine gold and diplomacy, fought hard against the Bulgars. Under
their leader, a man named Vlastimir, the Bulgars found it difficult
to flush out the Serbs from their defenses in the hills, suffering
large amounts of casualties. After three years of gaining no
advantage over the Serbs, Kana Subigi Persian called a halt to the
hostilities.
840 AD The Khazars Attack The Rus!: The Khazar
Khagan of this time period decided to launch a new campaign with his
Magyars against the Rus which would cut through towards the City of
Kiev. The Magyars dominated the scene and conquered the peoples
within the nearby areas. Then Kiev fell to the Magyars under their
resourceful leader, Voevoda Olom. Voevoda Olom was then made the
governor of Kiev by the Khazar Khagan for his swift defeat of the
Rus here.
842 AD The Death of Two Leaders: Emperor
Theophilus and Caliph al-Mutasim both died in this year. Within the
Byzantine Empire, Emperor Michael III was placed on the throne
(842-867 AD), while his mother,Theodora, ruled as Empress-Regent
(since he was the 3 year old son of the late Emperor). Also,
Theodora had to share her power with Theophilus’ sister, Thecla, as
Co-regent. Within the Arabic Caliphate, Caliph al-Wathik came to
power (842-847 AD). In less than a year, hostilities opened up
between the Byzantines and the Arabs going into full-scale warfare.
843-844 AD The Byzantines Attack Crete!: The
Logothete Theoctistus led a naval attack against the Arabs at Crete
and succeeded in knocking out the defenses there. However, the
Byzantines were only able to hold Crete for about a year until 844AD
due to a counter attack launched by the Arabs which succeeded.
844 AD The Arabs Make A Comeback!: Due to the
success achieved by the late Caliph al-Mutasim in taking over Ancyra
as well as the Fortress of Amorium, Caliph al-Wathik commanded his
Arabic forces to penetrate deep into Byzantine territory. At
Mauropotamus, which enters the Bosphorus, the Arabs inflicted a
serious defeat against the Byzantines in a land attack which killed
many Byzantine soldiers.
845 AD Peace Treaty With The Franks: Kana Subigi
Persian prepared for war against the Byzantines because of the
“Thirty Years’ Peace” coming to a close in the next year (816-846
AD). He did this by sending ambassadors to Louis The German in the
west which succeeded and left his hands free to focus strictly on
war with the Byzantines. Kana Subigi Persian must have felt that the
Arabs had caused serious damage in the east, so the time was ripe
for war.
Trpimir I came to power in Dalmatian Croatia.
845-846 AD Byzantine and Arabic Peace Treaty: Due
to internal conflicts within the Arabic Caliphate, Caliph al-Wathik,
was forced to settle a peace treaty with the Byzantines (with
Empress-Regent Theodora) near the River Lamus. Here an exchange of
prisoners took place between the two nations at the border. The
Byzantine-Arabic War before this had caused great hardships for the
Byzantines, so they were quick to make peace with the Arabs once it
was offered. Also they were suffering from internal conflicts of
their own with the Peloponnese Slavs.
846 AD The End of The Thirty Years Peace: The old
treaty signed by Kana Subigi Omurtag and Emperor Leo V was up, so
Kana Subigi Persian took the initiative to start a new invasion of
the Byzantine Empire towards the regions of Struma and Nestos. At
the head of this invasion, Kavkhan Isbul, was sent to wreck havok on
the Byzantines. Soon, the Bulgars, Avars, and Slavs advanced on the
City of Philippolis where they seiged it until it fell to them.
Then, Kavkhan Isbul moved further to the south towards the City of
Philppi. When they did they received news that the Empress-Regent
Theodora was attacking Bulgar territories elsewhere, and so they
stopped their campaign to put an end to her own campaign. In any
case, shortly
thereafter a new peace treaty was drawn up between the Bulgars and
the Byzantines (the terms being unknown, except that the Bulgars had
gained territory into Northern Macedonia).
847 AD Caliph al-Mutawakkil came to power over the
Arabic Caliphate (847-861 AD).
849 AD Corruption In The Family: Knaz Enravota
coverted to Christianity through one of the old family slaves, and
subsequently was captured on suspicions of being a traitor to his
people. Then Kana Subigi Persian asked his brother to give up his
new religion and this was refused by Enravota. Therefore, Kana
Subigi Persian, had his brother executed (for the same reasons that
their father would not have tolerated any Christians). If Enravota
was not executed in this year than he was executed in 833 AD, three
years before Kana Subigi Persian came to power (or three years
before Kana Subigi Malamir died according to other viewpoints…if
Malamir and Persian were not one and the same person).
852 AD The Betrayer: Kana Subigi Persian died and
was replaced by his nephew, Boris, who was the son of Knaz Svinitse.
Boris (852-889 AD) then as his first action threatened Byzantium,
but Theodora was quick to threaten back claiming that she would lead
the Imperial forces herself. She further claimed that if he won, it
would be no great victory and that if she won, it would result in
his absolute disgrace. He struggled with this for sometime and then
accepted that there should be peace between their two nations after
she gave him the incentive of moving the frontier some 25 miles to
the south of Develtus towards the Iron Gate.
Embassy Sent To Louis The German: Boris now felt his hold on
Pannonia had slipped out of his grasp, so he sent an embassy to the
Eastern Franks under King Louis at Mainz. The talks discussed the
Franks control over Pannonian Croatia (once again), but fell short
with the Bulgars failing in their negotiations (coming out of the
talks empty handed).
853 AD Boris Attacks Pannonian Croatia: Boris sent
a Bulgar campaign to attack Pannonian Croatia controlled by the
Franks and the Croats. Furthering his aims, he made an alliance with
Rastislav of Moravia. However, Boris and his army were defeated.
After this, Boris then drew up a new treaty with Louis The German.
Egypt Attacked!: The Byzantine navy made a bold assault on the
Egyptian Fortress of Damietta (near the mouth of the Nile River) and
seiged it. After a time, it was captured and then razed. Previously,
this base was used by the Arabs to provide support to Crete for
raids along the Adriatic Coast.
856 AD Coup D’Etat Within Byzantium: Michael III
wrestled contol of the Byzantine Empire away from Empress-Regent
Theodora whereby he was proclaimed by the Senate as Emperor Michael
III.
860 AD A New Campaign Against The Serbs: Boris
after talking with the Byzantines and keeping them in check,
attacked the Serbs. Vlastimir now dead, was succeeded by his three
sons, Mutimir (Muntimer), Strojimir, and Gojnik which united against
the Bulgars. There in the hills of Serbia, Boris was defeated worse
than his uncle was in that his own son, Vladimir, as well as 12 of
his boylar were captured. Boris then payed the ransom money to get
these people back and called a halt to the war, but not without
striking up a friendship with Mutimir by the offering of rich gifts
to him (which later paid off).
The Rus Attack Constantinople!: A large army of Rus landed next to
Constantinople and then attacked the capital. After the Rus had
destroyed the suburbs and the countryside, they were finally forced
to turn away from their fun by Emperor Michael III coming back from
fighting with the Arabs. Once this was done, Emperor Michael III,
sent an embassy to the Khazars renewing relations to help fortify
their position against the Rus Khaganate.
ca. 860 AD Serbian Civil War Breaks Out!: Mutimir,
Strojimir, and Gojnik began to fight against each other with
respective Serbian forces. At the end of the Serbian Civil War,
Mutimir was victorious, and with his friend, Boris, sent his
brothers to prison in the Bulgarian Khanate.
862-863 AD The Slavic Alphabet: Two Christian
missionaries, Constantine and Methodius, invented the Slavic
Alphabet before visiting Rastislav in Moravia.
864-865 AD Christian Plague: Boris converted to
Christianity and within a short time called himself Tsar Michael,
ending the traditions of the Bulgarian Khanate. Furthermore after
making this the new state religion, he executed many leading Bulgar
boylar and their families. 52 families holding together in their
traditionalistic culture were thus extinguished. By 865, the Rus
converted to Christianity as well, and as the plague spread, the
Khazars, converted to Judaism. With the spread of the new Christian
alphabet, the culture was at an end.