Peter I (Church Slavonic: Петръ А҃; Bulgarian: Петър I; died 30 January 970) was the emperor (tsar) of Bulgaria from 27 May 927 to 969. Facing Bogomilism and rebellions by his brothers and also by Časlav Klonimirović early on in his reign, Peter secured more success later in life; he ensured the retreat of the invading Rus by inciting Bulgaria's allies, the Pechenegs, to attack Kiev itself. Traditionally seen as a weak ruler who lost land and prestige, recent scholarship challenges this view, emphasizing the empire's affluence and internal peace. Considered a good ruler during the Middle Ages, his name was adopted by later leaders trying to restore Bulgarian independence under Byzantine rule to emphasize legitimacy and continuity.
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👉 Peter I of Bulgaria in the context of Samuel of Bulgaria
Samuel (also Samoil or Samuil; Bulgarian: Самуил, pronounced [sɐmuˈiɫ]; Macedonian: Самоил/Самуил, pronounced [samɔˈiɫ/sɐmuˈiɫ]; Old Church Slavonic: Самоилъ; died 6 October 1014) was the Tsar (Emperor) of the First Bulgarian Empire from 997 to 6 October 1014. From 977 to 997, he was a general under Roman I of Bulgaria, the second surviving son of Emperor Peter I of Bulgaria, and co-ruled with him, as Roman bestowed upon him the command of the army and the effective royal authority. As Samuel struggled to preserve his country's independence from the Byzantine Empire, his rule was characterized by constant warfare against the Byzantines and their equally ambitious ruler Basil II.
In his early years, Samuel managed to inflict several major defeats on the Byzantines and to launch offensive campaigns into their territory. In the late 10th century, the Bulgarian armies conquered the Serb principality of Duklja and led campaigns against the Kingdoms of Croatia and Hungary. But from 1001, he was forced mainly to defend the Empire against the superior Byzantine armies. Samuel died of a heart attack on 6 October 1014, two months after the catastrophic battle of Kleidion. His successors failed to organize a resistance, and in 1018, four years after Samuel's death, the country capitulated, ending the five decades-long Byzantine–Bulgarian conflict.
In this Dossier
- ⭐ Core Definition: Peter I of Bulgaria
- 👉 Peter I of Bulgaria in the context of Samuel of Bulgaria
- Peter I of Bulgaria in the context of Byzantine–Bulgarian wars
- Peter I of Bulgaria in the context of Bogomilism
- Peter I of Bulgaria in the context of Bulgarian–Serbian Wars (medieval)
- Peter I of Bulgaria in the context of Bogomil (priest)
- Peter I of Bulgaria in the context of Byzantine–Bulgarian Treaty of 927
Peter I of Bulgaria in the context of Byzantine–Bulgarian wars
The Byzantine–Bulgarian wars were a series of conflicts fought between the Byzantine Empire and the Bulgarian Empire which began after the Bulgars conquered parts of the Balkan peninsula after 680 AD. The Byzantine and First Bulgarian Empire continued to clash over the next century with varying success, until the Bulgarians, led by Krum, inflicted a series of crushing defeats on the Byzantines. After Krum died in 814, his son Omurtag negotiated a thirty-year peace treaty. Simeon I had multiple successful campaigns against the Byzantines during his rule from 893 to 927. His son Peter I negotiated another long-lasting peace treaty. His rule was followed by a period of decline of the Bulgarian state.
In 971 John I Tzimiskes, the Byzantine emperor, subjugated much of the weakening Bulgarian Empire by defeating Boris II and capturing Preslav, the Bulgarian capital. Samuel managed to stabilize the Bulgarian state with its center around the town of Prespa. Near the end of his rule, the Byzantines regained the upper hand, and under Basil II they won the Battle of Kleidion and completely conquered Bulgaria in 1018. There were rebellions against Byzantine rule from 1040 to 1041, and in the 1070s and the 1080s, but these failed. In 1185, however, Theodore Peter and Ivan Asen started a revolt, and the weakening Byzantine Empire, facing internal dynastic troubles of its own, was unable to quash the revolt.
Peter I of Bulgaria in the context of Bogomilism
Bogomilism (Bulgarian: богомилство, romanized: bogomilstvo; Macedonian: богомилство, romanized: bogomilstvo; Serbo-Croatian: bogumilstvo / богумилство) was a Christian neo-Gnostic, dualist sect founded in the First Bulgarian Empire by the priest Bogomil during the reign of Tsar Peter I in the 10th century. It most likely arose in the region of Kutmichevitsa, today part of the region of Macedonia.
The Bogomils were dualists or Gnostics in that they believed in a world within the body and a world outside the body. They did not use the Christian cross, nor build churches, as they revered their gifted form and considered their body to be the temple. This gave rise to many forms of practice to cleanse the body through fasting or dancing.
Peter I of Bulgaria in the context of Bulgarian–Serbian Wars (medieval)
The Bulgarian–Serbian wars were a series of conflicts between the Bulgarian Empire and medieval Serbian states between the 9th and 14th centuries in the central Balkans.
Before the 12th century, the Serbian states were dependent upon and strongly influenced by the dominant Balkan powers, the Bulgarian and Byzantine Empires. The rulers of both those countries sought to control Serb princes to use them as allies in the Byzantine-Bulgarian Wars. The first war between Bulgarians and Serbs occurred during the reign of Presian between 839 and 842, precipitated by Byzantine diplomacy. Later after series of campaigns the Bulgarian Emperor Simeon I conquered and destroyed the Serb state in 924. The Bulgarian Emperor Peter I granted formal independence to Serbia in 931 and appointed his protégé Časlav Klonimirović as its ruler. The most powerful Serbian state of the time, that of Duklja, was again subjugated by Emperor Samuil in 998.
Peter I of Bulgaria in the context of Bogomil (priest)
Bogomil (Cyrillic: Богомил) was a 10th-century Bulgarian priest who was connected with the origins of Bogomilism. Bogomil is a Theophoric name consisting of Bog (God) and mil (dear) and means "[one who is] dear to god". He was declared a heresiarch by both the Catholic and Orthodox churches.
According to Cosmas the Priest, Bogomil first began to preach his beliefs in Bulgaria during the reign of Peter I of Bulgaria (927 to 969), which indicates that Cosmas must have been writing later than 969. As with Cosmas, the life of Bogomil is shrouded in mystery and what little is known of him comes from the sermons written against him. There is some uncertainty about his relationship to Jeremiah or whether they are the same person. The statement that Jeremiah was "a son (disciple) of Bogomil" may be an interpolation. His name is mentioned in the Book of Boril.
Peter I of Bulgaria in the context of Byzantine–Bulgarian Treaty of 927
The Byzantine–Bulgarian Treaty of 927 was peace treaty between Bulgarian Empire and Byzantine Empire of 927 was a significant agreement that concluded a decade-long war between the two empires. It was signed in 927, marking the end of hostilities and ushering in a period of relative peace and stability in the region. The treaty was a testament to the diplomatic efforts of both sides, particularly the Bulgarian Emperor Peter I and the Byzantine Emperor Romanos I Lekapenos.
The treaty had several important provisions. Firstly, it formally recognized the title of "Emperor" (Tsar, and/or Basileus) for the Bulgarian monarch, a significant concession from Byzantine Empire, which had previously only acknowledged the title of "Archon" for Bulgarian rulers. This recognition affirmed Bulgaria's status as an independent and equal power in the region. Secondly, the treaty established the Bulgarian Orthodox Church as an independent Patriarchate, further solidifying Bulgaria's autonomy and cultural identity. This was a major achievement for the Empire, who had long sought religious independence from Constantinople.