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Foundation of Bulgarian state

Foundation of Bulgarian state. INTRODUCTION.

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Foundation of Bulgarian state

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  1. Foundation of Bulgarian state

  2. INTRODUCTION Bulgarian State was founded in 681 AD near the Danube river by Proto-Bulgarians and Slavs after a battle against the Byzantine Empire. The first khan was Asparukh, followed by Tervel, Krum and Omurtag who strengthened the newborn country. Later, Bulgaria became an important force on the Balkans.

  3. Bulgarians crossing the Danube river (painting)

  4. Origin of Slavs Slavs were tribes whose motherland was the central part of Eastern Europe. Because of the period of the Barbarian invasions, the Slavs were forced to divide into 3 main groups and spread around the whole Eastern and Central Europe, as some of them reached the Danube River.

  5. The spread of the Slavs (in blue)

  6. Origin of Proto-Bulgarians Proto-Bulgarians were tribes that came from Central Asia.According to many references, initially they inhabited the territory from the Sea of Azov to the Caucasus Mountains and the mountains in Central Asia. They invaded Europe during the 4th century and split into few groups. Some of them adopted the Christianity and others – the Islam.

  7. An old map with the possible territory in Central Asia inhabited by the Proto-Bulgarians

  8. OLD GREAT BULGARIA The Proto-Bulgarian tribes that inhabited the lands around the Sea of Azov and the Caspian Sea were ruled by the chief Kubrat. In 632 they liberated from the Turks and created a large military-tribal union. The Byzantine chroniclers called this union ‘The Old Great Bulgaria’. For a short period of time this Bulgaria became a powerful country and went into the sight of the Byzantine Empire. Kubrat died around 660 AD, as this event was followed by times of decline and disunity for the country.

  9. According to the legend on his death bed Khan Kubrat called for his sons- Batbayan, Asparukh, Kotrag, Altsek and Kuber. He ordered them to bring a bunch of sticks and told them to break it in two. When none of the sons could break the bundle, the Khan took the sticks and broke them one by one with his weak hands. “If you are disunited you will be destroyed one by one as well as these twigs,” said the old Khan. “Bulgaria will be invincible as long as you are united against the enemy.”

  10. The borders of the Old Great Bulgaria The golden treasure of khan Kubrat

  11. Migration ofProto-Bulgarians Unfortunately Khan Kubrat’s sons didn’t follow his advice and soon after his death they divided into groups and spread in different ways: along the Danube River, along the Volga River, around the Caucasus Mountains, the West Balkans, the North part of the Apennine Peninsula. Some of the Bulgarians continued living on the land of the former Old Great Bulgaria. And a group led by Khan Asparuh marched westward and settled in the Ongal area to the north of the Danube. The Old Great Bulgaria ceased to exist, conquered by the Khazars.

  12. Migration of the Bulgarians after the collapse of the Old Great Bulgaria (in orange)

  13. Battle Of ONGAL Settled in the Ongal area after consolidating his rule khan Asparuh launched an attack against the Byzantine lands to the south. During that time Byzantium was at war with the Arabs. In 680, though, Emperor Constantine IV was free to move against the Bulgars after signing the peace treat with the arabs. He led an army against AsparukhIn. Meantime the latter made an alliance with the Seven Slavic tribes for mutual protection against the Byzantines and formed a federation. The joint forces defeated the emperor and he was forced to sign a peace treaty.

  14. Khan Asparukh and Bulgarian cavalry (painting)

  15. Peace treaty of 681 AD and the foundation of the Bulgarian state In 681 AD it was signed a peace treaty between the Byzantium Empire and Bulgaria, according to which Bulgaria acquires the Danubian Plain and Dobrogea. Some researchers define this treaty as a recognition of Bulgaria by the Byzantine Empire and year of the beginning of the legal existence of Bulgaria. This battle of Ongal was a significant moment in European history, as it led to the creation of a powerful state, which become a European superpower in the 9th and 10th century along with the Byzantine and Frankish Empires. It became a cultural and spiritual centre of Slavic Europe through most of the Middle Ages.

  16. Bulgaria at the end of the 7th century (in orange)

  17. Hypotheses of the year of foundation It was accepted for a long time that the foundation of Bulgarian state happened in 679 AD. Later, it was proved that the event happened in 681 AD. According to another claim, 680 should be the year of the birth of the country, when the Bulgarians and the Slavs united. The most common is the opinion that Bulgaria stared its existence when it was legally recognized in 681 AD after the peace treaty with the Byzantine Empire. Bulgarian State officially refers its foundation to the year of 681AD and considers the beginning of Bulgaria as a result of the treaty of 681 AD between Emperor Constantine IV and Khan Asparukh.

  18. Role of Proto-Bulgarians in the foundation of the Bulgarian State The fact that Bulgarian state was founded as a result of the collaboration between Slavs and Proto-Bulgarians does not diminish the fact that the Proto-Bulgarians played a crucial role in the events of 680-681AD. As an organized military force, they took a main part in the war against the Byzantine Empire and naturally had a dominant position in the new state. Khan Asparukh was recognized as a supreme ruler and settled with his battalion in Pliska – the capital of the newborn country. Over the next decades from just an ordinary military camp of the Proto-Bulgarians, it transformed into a fortified urban center where the khan and his assistants lived.

  19. The dominance of the Bulgarian aristocracy continued in the coming centuries. The name of the whole country remained forever as "Bulgaria." For a long time it was thought that the number of Proto-Bulgarians did not exceed 25 000 – 30 000 people. Researches that were recently done, however, showed that the number of the Proto-Bulgarians that invaded the Balkans, had probably been around 300,000. Maybe this happened because of some late migration waves from the collapsing Old Great Bulgaria.

  20. Khan Asparukh in a battle (painting)

  21. Bulgaria during the reigns of the Khans Asparukh and Tervel Khan Asparukh ruled from 681 to 701 AD. In the years of a severe crisis, Asparukh was the one who founded the First Bulgarian State and established its role on the European political scene. Khan Tervel inherited Asparukh and ruled until 721 AD. His rule is popular for its stability. In 718 AD, he helped the Byzantine Empire in an important battle to repulse the Arabs from Europe. It was reasonably assumed that the victory of Khan Tervel did not allow the Arabs to penetrate deep into Europe.

  22. Khan Tervel is receiving gold and other gifts for his spectacular defeat over the Arabs (painting)

  23. Bulgaria during the reigns of the Khans Krum and Omurtag Khan Krum ruled from 803 to 814 AD. He is known for his law reform and the won battle over the Byzantine Emperor Nicephorus. Khan Omurtag inherited Krum and ruled until 831 AD. He signed a 30 year peace treaty with the Byzantine Empire and used the time to fortify Pliska and transform it into a true European city. Omurtag was followed by many other rulers that brought Bulgaria to glory.

  24. Prepared by: Iveta Georgieva Gabriela Hristova Pamela Georgieva Asen Vladimirov Marin Yordanov

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