First Bulgarian Empire
Medieval Balkan power that rivaled Byzantium and shaped Slavic culture.
The First Bulgarian Empire was a medieval state that existed in Southeastern and southeastern Central Europe between the 7th and 11th centuries AD. It was founded in 680–681 after a group of Bulgars, led by Asparuh, moved south to the northeastern Balkans, and secured Byzantine recognition and their right to settle south of the Danube by defeating – possibly with the help of local South Slavic tribes – the Byzantine army led by Constantine IV. During the 9th and 10th century, Bulgaria reached the height of its power and stretched from the Danube Bend to the Black Sea and from the Dnieper River to the Adriatic Sea, becoming a major power capable of competing with the Byzantine Empire.
- founded
- 680–681 AD
- dissolved
- 1018 AD
- field
- Medieval state
- nationality
- Bulgarian
- known_for
- Competing with the Byzantine Empire, adopting Christianity in 864, developing Ol
Lore & Background
Under Simeon I, the empire achieved its greatest territorial extent after a string of victories over the Byzantines, including the annihilation of the Byzantine army at the Battle of Anchialus in 917. The Bulgarians then laid siege to Constantinople in 923 and 924, but the siege failed and the Bulgars were forced to retreat. The empire suffered a brutal invasion by Sviatoslav I Igorevich, the Grand-Prince of the Kievan Rus, between 967 and 969, resulting in the empire becoming a vassal of the Rus. Sviatoslav was killed in 972, allowing the empire to briefly recover, though it could not reclaim lost territories north of the Danube, in Thrace and Southern Macedonia. The Byzantines under Basil II inflicted a crushing defeat on the Bulgarians at the Battle of Kleidion in 1014; Basil ordered the 15,000 Bulgarian prisoners to be blinded, with every 100th soldier spared one eye to guide the rest back home. By 1018, the last Bulgarian strongholds had surrendered to the Byzantine Empire, and the First Bulgarian Empire had ceased to exist.
Reader's Guide
The First Bulgarian Empire is significant as a medieval state that shaped the political and cultural landscape of Southeastern Europe. It emerged in the late 7th century from Bulgar and Slavic elements and became a major rival to the Byzantine Empire, competing for control of the Balkans. Its adoption of Christianity in 864 and development of Old Church Slavonic, along with the Glagolitic alphabet and the invention of the Early Cyrillic alphabet in the capital Preslav, established Bulgaria as a cultural and spiritual center for Slavic Europe. The literature produced in Old Church Slavonic soon began to spread north, making it the lingua franca of much of Eastern Europe. In 927, the fully independent Bulgarian Patriarchate was officially recognized. The empire's military achievements included breaking the Second Arab Siege of Constantinople, where the Bulgarian army broke the siege and destroyed the Arab army, and achieving a decisive victory over the Magyars, forcing them to settle permanently in Pannonia.
Did You Know?
- The First Bulgarian Empire was founded in 680–681 after Asparuh's Bulgars defeated the Byzantine army led by Constantine IV.
- At the Battle of Kleidion in 1014, Basil II ordered 15,000 Bulgarian prisoners blinded, with every 100th soldier spared one eye to guide the rest home.
- The Early Cyrillic alphabet was invented in the capital Preslav.
- In 927, the fully independent Bulgarian Patriarchate was officially recognized.
- The Bulgarian army broke the Second Arab Siege of Constantinople, destroying the Arab army and preventing an Arab invasion of Southeastern Europe.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the First Bulgarian Empire?
It was a medieval Bulgarian state in Southeastern and Central Europe that lasted from the late 7th century until 1018 AD. Founded by the Bulgar leader Asparuh after securing Byzantine recognition south of the Danube, it grew into one of the region's dominant powers.
What are the First Bulgarian Empire's key powers and achievements?
At its peak in the 9th and 10th centuries, it controlled territory spanning from the Danube to the Black Sea and from the Dnieper to the Adriatic. It is also credited with adopting Christianity in 864 and developing Old Church Slavonic along with the Early Cyrillic alphabet.
How does the First Bulgarian Empire's story end?
The empire fell in 1018 AD when the Byzantine emperor Basil II finally subdued the last Bulgarian resistance after decades of conflict. This marked the end of Bulgarian statehood for roughly a century until the Second Bulgarian Empire emerged.
Why is the First Bulgarian Empire important?
It served as a direct rival to the Byzantine Empire for centuries, proving that a Slavic-Bulgar state could compete with one of the medieval world's great powers. Its cultural legacy—especially the creation of the Cyrillic script and Old Church Slavonic—shaped literacy and identity across much of Eastern Europe.
Who founded the First Bulgarian Empire and how?
Asparuh, a Bulgar chieftain, led his people south into the northeastern Balkans around 680–681 AD. After defeating the Byzantine forces of Constantine IV, he negotiated formal recognition of his right to settle south of the Danube, establishing the empire's foundation.
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