Samuil of Bulgaria

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"Samuil" redirects here. For the Brythonic king ("Samuil of the Britons"), see Sawyl Penuchel.

Samuil (Bulgarian: Самуил) (c. 958 - October 6, 1014), also sometimes referred as Samuel or Samoil, was Tsar of Bulgaria between 997 and 1014 (co-rule with Roman<ref>There is a theory that Samuil shared the crown with Roman I of Bulgaria between 972/976 and 997. According to this theory he was recognised as Tsar and reigned until 997 when he died in Byzantine prison. Roman is explicitly mentioned as Tsar in several historical sources, for example in Annals by Yahya of Antioch who calls Roman "Tsar" and Samuil "Roman's loyal military chief". Other historians dispute this theory as Roman was castrated and technically could not lay claims to the crown. The name "Roman" turns up later as the name of the commander of Skopje who surrendered the city to the Byzantines in 1004, received the title of patrician from Basil II "The Bulgar-Slayer" and became the Byzantine strategus in Abydus, (Skylitzes-Cedr. II,455,13). This, however, could also be only a coincidence of names.</ref> between 976 and 997).

Although ultimately unsuccessful in saving his country's independence from the incursions of Emperor Basil II of the Byzantine Empire, Samuil resisted him for decades and is the only man to ever defeat Basil II in battle.

Although he wasn't crowned as Tsar until 997, Samuil's reign actually dates from 976, when his predecessor Tsar Roman bestowed the power of the state, if not the crown, upon him. He restored the Bulgarian Patriarchate, previously abolished by Emperor John I Tzimisces. Already known as a successful general, Samuil now extended Bulgarian territory in all directions. Soon, the kingdom reigned supreme over virtually the entire Balkans, with only parts of Greece and Thrace remaining under Byzantine control. In 986, Samuil drove Basil II's army from the field at the battle of Trayanovi Vrata, and the emperor (barely surviving the heavy defeat in Troyanovi Vrata) soon turned to the east for new conquests. His victory prompted Pope Gregory V to recognize him as Tsar, and he was crowned in Rome in 997.

After this victory Samuil was able to expand without many obstacles since a civil war erupted in the Byzantine Empire. Only with the help of Varangian Guard sent from his ally Vladimir the Great, was Basil able to subdue the rebellious nobility. After emerging victorious against the rebels he was forced to lead a campaign against the Arabs in Syria. Finally he was able to face Samuil.

Image:King Samuil Fortress.jpg

In 1002, a full-scale war broke out. By this time, Basil's army was stronger. The emperor was determined to conquer Bulgaria once and for all. He moved much of the battle-seasoned imperial war potential from the Eastern campaigns against the Arabs, and Samuil was forced to retreat into his country's heartland. Still, by harassing the powerful Byzantine army, Samuil hoped to force Basil to the peace table. For a dozen years, his tactics maintained Bulgarian independence and even kept Basil away from the main Bulgarian cities, including the capital of Ohrid.

However, on July 29, 1014 at Kleidion (or Belasitsa) (present day Blagoevgrad Province), Basil II was able to corner the main Bulgarian army and force a battle while Samuil was away. He won a crushing victory and blinded 14,000 prisoners, leaving one man in every hundred with the sight in one eye to lead his comrades home. The sight of this atrocious act was too much even for Samuil, who blamed himself for the defeat and died less than three months later, on October 6.

The independent Bulgarian Empire survived him by less than four years, and didn't throw off Byzantine rule until 1185. Vanquishing Samuil’s empire, the Byzantines were able to rule the entire Balkan Peninsula for the first time after the Slavic migration in the 6th-7th century.

[edit] Other theories

In addition to the internationally established treatment of facts with regard to Samuil's life and rule,<ref>Hupchick, Dennis P. (2004). The Balkans: From Constantinople to Communism. Palgrave MacMillan. ISBN 1403964173.</ref> there also exists another minority theory initially popularized in Serbia by D. Anastasijević and then further developed in the Republic of Macedonia, claiming that Samuil's state was in fact a separate Slavic Empire as opposed to a continuation of the Bulgarian state. Today this theory is almost only popular in the Republic of Macedonia and to an extent in Serbia (with modern scholars such as S. Pirivatrić rejecting it),<ref>Пириватрич, Сърджан (2000). Произходът на Комитопулите (in Bulgarian (translation from Serbian)). Sofia: Агата.</ref> where it is often changed to refer to a "Macedonian Slavic" or even only "Macedonian"<ref>An outline of Macedonian history from ancient times to 1991. Macedonian Embassy London.</ref> Empire despite the different meaning of this geographic term in the Middle Ages and the anachronism.

[edit] See also

• History of Bulgaria
• List of Bulgarian monarchs
• History of the Republic of Macedonia
• Comitopuli dynasty
• Bitola inscription
• Samuil's Inscription
• Tsar Samuil - opera by the Macedonian composer Trajko Prokopiev.

[edit] Notes

<references />

[edit] External links

• Borders of Bulgaria during the reign of Samuil

de:Samuil (Bulgarien) fr:Samuel Ier de Bulgarie mk:Самоил (цар) nl:Samuil van Bulgarije ja:サムイル sq:Samoilli sr:Самуило sv:Samuil av Bulgarien