The Rulers of Bulgaria

First/Second/Third Bulgarian state

First Bulgarian State

Khan Asparukh
681-700 

Third son of Kubrat , the last ruler of the Old State of Bulgaria . He is victorious against the emperor Konstantin IV. Establishes the State of bulgaria as a union with the seven Slavonic tribes ;.Byzantine admits the state in 681. Khan Asparuch builds fortresses Pliska and Druster . he died in 700 AD fighting the Chazars near the Danube . 
Khan Tervel
700-721 

Son of Asparukh . Helps Byzantine Emperor Justinian to restore his throne , thus obtaining the Zagore district and the title ''First Counsellor to the King '' . Wins a battle against the Arabs in 717 .

Khan Chourmesius
721-738

Successor of the Dulo dynasty , he made peace with Byzantium .

Khan Sevar
738-753

The last ruler of the Dulo dynasty .

Khan Kormisosh
753-756

Of the Vokhiil kin . Lives at the time of the first dynasty take over , and a crisis of the centralized power . Leads continuous wars with Byzantium . He loses the throne again after a take over .

Khan Winech
756-762

Of the Oulhiil kin . Succeeds to the throne after the last take over . He loses the battle in 756 by the Markeli fortress (Karnobat) . He is though victorious against Byzantine in 759 . Killed during a rising of the people with his whole family .

Khan Telez
762-765 

Of the Ugain kin . Loses a battle against Byzantium near Anhialo and because of this loses the throne and is killed .

Khan Sabbin
765-766

Establishes a disadvantageous peace pact with Byzantium ,
where he later escapes .

Khan Umor
766 
His reign continues 40 days.
Khan Toctu
766-767

Rebel against the political influence of Byzantium . Expelled by his opposition . Killed near the Danube . 

Khan Pagan
767-768 

Makes peace with Byzantium . Killed  during a rebel near Varna . 

Khan Tellerig
768-777 

Establishes a peace pact with Byzantium  . Then tricks and captures the Byzantine agents and kills them . Later runs away in Constantinople .

Khan Kardam
777-802
After his victory against Constantine VI Byzantium pays annual taxes to Bulgaria . Sets the beginning of the rise of the state .
Khan Krum
802-814 

Wins a victory against emperor Nikolai I Gennik , drinks from his dead enemy's skull  . His reign matches a great territorial expansion of the state . The centralized power is strong and his laws against the thieves , robbers and beggars are categoric to cruelty .
Khan Omurtag
814-831 

Son of Krum. lives in a time of peace with Byzantium . Development of building and architecture . Chases the christians .
Khan Malamir
831-836 

The youngest son of Omurtag  . Joins Philippoupolis (Plovdiv) . The Christians by his time are out of law again .

Khan Presiyan
836-852

Nephew of Malamir . Joins territories of Macedonia and Albania  .
Prince ( Knyaz ) Boris - Michail
852-889 

Son of Presiyan  . During his reign , Bulgaria accepts Christianity in 864 . Extinguishes a pagan rising . Establishes the autonomous Bulgarian Church and accepts the students of Cyril and Methodius . He proclaims Simeon a Czar . Dies in a monastery in 906 .
Knyaz Vladimir
889-893 

The firstborn son of Boris I . The throne was denied to him because of his attempt to revive pagan worshipping .

Czar Simeon
893-927 ã.

His reign is known as the Golden age for the Bulgarian literature . He turns Bulgaria into a Christian type of state . Develops building  . Holds a bright victory against Byzantium near Aheloy on 20.VIII.917 . Dies of a heart attack in 927 . 
Czar Peter I
927-970 

Son of Simeon .Establishes the 40 - year peace with Byzantium , broken in 967 . By that time , the bogomil sect appears and the chases against the followers begin . Byzantium conquers the eastern part of Bulgaria in 968 . 
Czar Boris II
970-971

Son of Czar Peter . From  968 to 970 is kept prisoner in Constantinople , and again captured and stayed prisoner between 971 and 977. Escapes with his brother to the free bulgarian lands . Killed by mistake by the Bulgarian soldiers near the border .

Czar Roman
977-991 

The second son of Czar Peter . Practically  does never rule . dies in prison in 997.

Czar Samuil
991-1014 

The youngest son of Komit Nikola , leader of the movement against Byzantium in  West Bulgaria . After the death of Roman declares himself the Czar . In 1014 loses the battle near Kljuch . 14000 Bulgarian soldiers are captured and blinded , then left to return with one man one eyed to lead one hundred others . At this sight , samuil dies of a heart attack on 6.IX.1014  .
Czar Gabriel Radomir
1014-1015 

First son of Samuil . Victorious against the army of the Byzantine Duke Theophilactis . Killed by his cousin Ivan Vladislav , whose life he had once saved when Ivan was to be punished by death by Samuil .

Czar Ivan Vladislav
1015-1018

Son of Aron . Tries unsuccessfully for peace with Byzantium . Dies in the siege of Drach , Albania . His sons continue the resistance against Byzantium , but they loose the war . Bulgaria is joined with the boundaries of Byzantium and the state of Bulgaria ceases to exist as an autonomic country .
1018-1185  - Bulgaria exists as a part of Byzantium

Second Bulgarian State

Czar Peter II
1185-1197

Leader of the movement against Byzantium together with his brother Ivan Asen . After one year he gives him  the throne , as the young Ivan Asen is so ambitious . After the murder of Czar Asen he becomes the ruler again . Bolyars arrange his death in a conspiracy . 

Czar Ivan Asen I
1190-1196

 Victorious against the Byzantine army at Lardeya , Beroe and Philippoupolis . Liberates Beograad and Branichevo . Killed in 1196 by Bolyar Ivanko .

Czar Kaloyan
1197-1207 

Continues and completes the deed of his brothers . Receives the title King from pope Innocentius III . Defeats the Latins near Odrin and captures their emperor Baldwin . Victim of a Bolyar conspiracy .
Czar Boril
1207-1218 ã.

Marries his uncle's widow to legalize his power . Loses territories around Beograd and Branichevo . Organizes a church council against the bogomil sect . Dethroned and blinded by Ivan Asen and Alexander .

Czar Ivan Asen II
1218-1241

Son of Ivan Asen I . Marries Magyar princess and receives as a ransom Beofrad and Branichevo . He rules with significant diplomacy . In 1230 defeats Epyr king Theodor Komnin at Klokotniza . During his reign the territories of Bulgaria expand to three seas . Revives the Turnovo Patriarchy .
Czar Koloman I Asen
1241-1246 

Son of Ivan Asen II . Succeeds to the throne at the age of  7. His reign matches the Tartar invasion in Bulgaria  and the attacks of the Nikea Empire . Stops the spreading of Catholicism in the bulgarian lands . Dies in 1246 , probably poisoned .

Czar Michail Asen
1246-1256 

 Son of Ivan Asen II from the marriage with Irina Komnina . Receives the crown with the help of his mother and she is a leading figure in his reign .The state again loses territories . Killed in 1256 by his cousin Koloman II Asen .

Czar Koloman II Asen
1256 

Reigns for one year . Abandoned by his Bolyars and killed . 

Czar Mizo Asen
1256-1257 

Son - in - law of Ivan Asen . Defeated by Constantine Tih . Emigrates to Byzantium .

Czar Constantin Asen
1257-1277 

Bolyar from Skopje , declared Czar by those displeased with the reign of the Asens . Leads continuous wars with the Magyars and against Czar Mizo . In 1277 is killed by Ivailo's rebels .
Czar Ivailo
1277-1280 

Organizes the rebel of the villagers in  1277 . Takes the power after defeating the army of Czar  Constantine Tih , and kills him . In 1280 seeks the help of the Tartar Khan Nogay and is killed by him .

Czar Ivan Asen III
1279-1280 

Grandson of Ivan Asen II . He is given the power by Byzantine emperor Michail VIII Paleolog , married his daughter Irina . Expelled by Ivailo . 

Czar Georgi Terter  I
1280-1292 

Of kuman origin . Leader of strategy of the Cherwen stronghold . Chosen by all Bolyars to be the Czar of the Bulgarians after the escape of Ivan Asen III . 

Czar Smilez
1292-1298

Declared Czar by Nogay .

Czar Chakka
1299 

Son of Nogay and son - in - law of Georgi Terter I .

Czar Theodore Swetoslaw
1300-1321 

Son of Georgi Terter I . Supports the problem - free relations with Byzantium . 

Czar Georgi Terter  II
1323-1330

Conquers Plovdiv . Reaches Odrin . 

Czar Michail Schishman
1323-1371 

Ruler in Vidin , defeated by Serbian king Stephan Dechanski near Velbuzhd 

Czar Ivailo Stephan
1330-1331

Takes the power with the help of Serbia .

Czar Ivan Alexander
1331-1371 

Ruler of the Lovech district , son of Despot Srazimir . Divides Bulgaria between his two sons Ivan Shishman and Ivan Srazimir .

Czar Ivan Schishman
1371-1395 

Ruler of the Tarnovo country . On the 3rd July 1395 when Sultan Bayazid conquers Nikopol , the  Czar is captured together with his family .
Czar Ivan Srazimir
1356-1396

Ruler of the Vidin kingdom . In the autumn of 1396 is captured , with which Bulgaria is finally defeated to accept the Ottoman presence . He is killed by strangling in prison in Bursa .

1396-1878. - Ottoman presence 

Third Bulgarian State

Prince Alexander I
1879-1886 

Chose for Prince of Bulgaria by the Great National Council .
Czar Ferdinand I
1887-1918

 Due to the weak political parties at the time , he needs to change the government very often . Contributes to the development of Bulgaria and to turn the state into an European type of country .
Czar Boris III
1918-1943

 Highly educated and pragmatic as a monarch. Boris III definitely has merits for the fact that Bulgaria stays neutral during the World War II , and the refusal to send soldiers to the Russian front , saves the Jews in Bulgaria . Dies under unknown circumstances (probably poisoned) on 28.VIII.1943
Czar Simeon II
1943

Rules after the death of czar Botis III.
-- more to be added soon --


 
1944-1989 - Comunistic yoke

Contemporary rulers - Presidents

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