Nicholas (komes) in the context of "Sviatoslav's invasion of Bulgaria"

David (Church Slavonic: Даві́дъ Bulgarian: Давид; died 976) was a Bulgarian noble, brother of Emperor Samuel and eldest son of komes Nicholas, member of the Cometopuli dynasty. After the disastrous invasion of Rus' armies and the fall of North-eastern Bulgaria under Byzantine occupation in 971, he and his three younger brothers took the lead of the defence of the country. They executed their power together and each of them governed and defended a separate region. He ruled the southernmost parts of the realm from Prespa and Kastoria and was responsible for the defence the dangerous borders with Thessalonica and Thessaly. In 976 he participated in the major assault against the Byzantine Empire but was killed by vagrant Vlachs between Prespa and Kostur.

Moses (Church Slavonic: Мѡѷсе́й Bulgarian: Мойсей; died c. 976/986) was a Bulgarian noble, brother of Emperor Samuel of Bulgaria and second son of komes Nicholas. After the fall of the eastern parts of the Empire under Byzantine occupation in 971, he and his brothers David, Aron and Samuel continued the fight to the west. They ruled together and divided the realm into four parts. His lands were centred on Strumitsa, from where he had to launch attacks against the Aegean regions of the Byzantine Empire.

In 976, the Bulgarian armies undertook a major assault from all borders and Moses lead his troops to Serres. During the siege of the town, he was mortally hit by a stone and then slain by an enemy sword. David and Aron also perished in the same year and the whole power fell in the hands of Samuel, who became Emperor in 997 after the death of last ruler from the previous dynasty, Roman.

Aron (Bulgarian: Арон; died in 987/988 or 976) was a Bulgarian noble, brother of Emperor Samuel of Bulgaria and third son of komes Nicholas. After the fall of the eastern parts of the country under Byzantine occupation in 971, he and his three brothers David, Moses and Samuel continued the resistance to the west. They were called Cometopuli and ruled the country together, as the rightful heirs to the throne, Boris II and Roman were imprisoned in Constantinople. The residence of Aron was Serdica (modern-day Sofia), situated on the main road between Constantinople and Western Europe. He had to defend the area from enemy invasions and attack the Byzantine territories in Thrace.