Emperor Peter II of Bulgaria

1 emperor

1.1 beginnings
1.2 exile , return
1.3 third crusade
1.4 new conflicts
1.5 last years

emperor
beginnings

taking advantage of war between byzantine empire , normans of sicily, rebels invaded thrace , persuaded other people join them. heartened victories, theodor-peter bound head gold chaplet , fashioned scarlet buskins put on feet , adopting insignia had been used emperors. although choniates did not mention theodor-peter styled himself emperor, use of imperial insignia shows either had been proclaimed emperor, or @ least laid claim title. madgearu says, coronation took place before end of 1185, because priest, basil, allegedly made head of restored bulgarian orthodox church in year.

theodor-peter laid siege preslav, had been capital of first bulgarian empire, not capture it. rebels again stormed thrace, carrying away many free [people], cattle , draft animals, , sheep , goats in no small number in 1186. prevent rebels crossing mountain passes, isaac ii launched campaign against them, occupied rough ground , inaccessible places , resisted attacks. however, sudden blackness (associated solar eclipse of 21 april 1186) rose , covered mountains , enabling byzantines inflict severe defeat on rebels.

exile , return

cumans depicted in radziwiłł chronicle

after byzantine victory, courtier stated theodor-peter , asen forced yield emperor, describing theodor-peter bull had broken yoke. however, brothers fled across lower danube , sought assistance cumans. imperial troops set fire crops gathered in heaps local inhabitants, made no major efforts capture rebels fortresses built on sheer cliffs , cloud-capped peaks .

isaac ii failed garrison castles along lower danube, enabling refuges return, accompanied cuman troops in autumn of 1186. theodor-peter had promised rich booty , salary cumans talk them supporting him, according letter niketas choniates wrote on emperor s name year after events. same author attributed leading role asen in ensuing military campaign in chronicle. rebels , cuman allies invaded byzantine empire , took control of paristrion (or moesia) between lower danube , mountains. thereafter unification of moesia , bulgaria 1 empire of old (namely, restoration of first bulgarian empire) became principal goal. around time (in 1187 or 1188), asen became theodor-peter s co-ruler.

according scholarly theory, isaac ii acknowledged independence of territories under rule of theodor-peter , asen in peace treaty signed in summer of 1188. john van antwerp fine writes, brothers realm included territory between balkan mountains , danube . madgearu proposes, territories south of mountains, far line connecting plovdiv, stara zagora , ahtopol, incorporated new state. supposed treaty not mentioned choniates. historian paul stephenson states has found no evidence in support of treaty acknowledging independence of new state, emphasizes territory north of mountains ruled various vlach, bulgarian , cuman lords regarded theodor-peter , asen sovereigns.

third crusade

significant number of bulgarians , vlachs remained under byzantine rule after 1188. bulgarians , vlachs subjected byzantine governor of braničevo harassed crusaders of holy roman emperor, frederick barbarossa in july 1189. around time, stefan nemanja, grand Župan (or ruler) of serbia, seized parts of byzantine theme (or district) of bulgaria. nemanja , theodor-peter concluded agreement against byzantines.

theodor-peter wanted take advantage of crusaders presence expand rule. , brother took control of region danube flows sea (present-day dobruja) in summer. dispatched embassy barbarosa niš in july, offering him due respect , promise of faithful assistance against enemies . again sent envoy barbarossa, had come conflict isaac ii, adrianople (now edirne in turkey) in december, offering forty thousand vlachs , cumans armed bows , arrows fight against byzantines. announced claim imperial crown of kingdom of greeks (or byzantine empire).

barbarossa indeed contemplating attack against constantinople, changed mind , concluded peace treaty isaac ii in february 1190. on day when treaty concluded, isaac ii s envoy tried talk barbarossa joint military action against vlachs, while theodor-peter s delegate again proposed alliance against byzantines. however, barbarossa, wanted continue crusade towards holy land, refuted both offers.

new conflicts

second bulgarian empire 1185 1196 under rule of tsar peter iv , tsar ivan asen i., according bulgarian historical atlas. theory bulgaria included oltenia , muntenia, presented in map, not universally accepted historians.

after barbarossa left thrace, isaac ii able make new attempts recover lands lost theodor-peter , asen. in july 1190, invaded brothers realms across rish pass , dispatched fleet lower danube prevent cumans crossing river. however, brothers had strengthened fortification , avoided direct confrontations invaders. emperor decided return capital after informed cuman troops crossed lower danube in september. vlachs , bulgarians ambushed imperial army @ narrow pass , inflicted major defeat on it. isaac ii escaped, of army perished , victors seized more valuable of emperor s insignia , including pyramidal crown , relics associated virgin mary.

the vlachs, bulgarians , cumans resumed raids against byzantine territories. sacked varna , pomorie; destroyed triaditsa , seized relics of ivan of rila, saint venerated bulgarians. isaac ii routed cuman marauders near plovdiv in april 1191. made cousin, constantine doukas angelos, commander of plovdiv in 1192. constantine prevented theodor-peter , asen making frequent pillaging raids against thrace, blinded after tried dethrone emperor. theodor-peter , asen rejoiced on constantine s fate , stated, ready make isaac emperor on own nation, not have benefited vlachs more gouging out constantine s eyes , according choniates.

at least 2 eulogies delivered in 1193 evidence isaac had succeeded in creating rift between theodor-peter , asen. orator mentioned theodor-peter had concluded peace treaty byzantines; other described him stumbling block brother , enemy own family, while describing asen reckless , obdurate rebel . george akropolites recorded preslav, provadia , area around them still known peter s land in 13th century. sources suggest brothers divided territories under rule two, in 1192, according madgearu. receiving northeastern region, theodor-peter set capital @ preslav. fine says strife between brothers rectified, because jointly ordered invasion of thrace in 1193.

last years

asen murdered in tarnovo boyar ivanko in fall of 1196. theodor-peter mustered troops, hurried town , laid siege it. ivanko sent envoy constantinople, urging new byzantine emperor, alexios iii angelos, send reinforcements him. emperor dispatched manuel kamytzes lead army tarnovo, fear of ambush @ mountain passes led outbreak of mutiny , troops forced him return. ivanko realized not defend tarnovo more , fled town constantinople. theodor-peter entered tarnovo. after making younger brother kaloyan ruler of town, returned preslav.

theodor-peter murdered in obscure circumstances in 1197. run through sword of 1 of countrymen , according choniates record. historian istván vásáry writes, theodor-peter killed during riot; stephenson proposes, native lords got rid of him, because of close alliance cumans.