After the fall of the First Bulgarian Empire in 1014, Bulgaria remained under Byzantine rule for over 170 years. During this time, the Byzantine Empire sought to absorb Bulgaria as a province, imposing Greek as the language of religion and administration. Despite this, the Bulgarian national identity remained strong, and the people never fully accepted foreign domination. Several uprisings occurred, but most were crushed by the Byzantines.
Liberation under the Asen Brothers
In 1186, the Bulgarians successfully liberated themselves under the leadership of the brothers Peter and Ivan Asen. Peter was declared king of Bulgaria, and his main goal was to restore the independence of the Bulgarian Church. He reestablished Bulgarian as the official religious and literary language, replacing Greek The Decline of the First Bulgarian Empire.
However, peace with Byzantium was not achieved. In 1196, Peter was killed after a significant victory against the Greeks. His brother, Ivan Asen I, also called Kaloyan, became king. Kaloyan was a strong and capable ruler who continued the struggle against Byzantium. He defeated Byzantine armies repeatedly, successfully liberating all Bulgarian lands and uniting them under the Second Bulgarian Kingdom.
Expansion under Ivan Asen II
Ivan Asen II, the son of Kaloyan, succeeded his father and continued strengthening Bulgaria. He expanded the kingdom’s borders and achieved several important victories. One notable achievement was the defeat and capture of Teodor, the emperor of Epirus, who ruled parts of western Greece.
In 1204, Constantinople fell to the Latin Crusaders, known as the Romans. The Bulgarians laid siege to the city but decided to withdraw, seeing the Crusaders as a lesser threat compared to the Greeks. During his reign, Ivan Asen II established Bulgaria as a major power in the Balkans, and his policies promoted stability and prosperity.
Decline and Fall
After the death of Ivan Asen II, a series of weaker rulers came to power. In 1331, Ivan Alexander became king and ruled for thirty years. Under his leadership, the Second Bulgarian Kingdom reached another period of greatness, regaining political strength and cultural development Guided Turkey Tours .
Unfortunately, after Ivan Alexander’s death, his three sons competed for the throne, dividing the country. This internal rivalry weakened the kingdom and left it vulnerable to external enemies. Unlike the past, it was not the Greeks but the Turks who overran Bulgaria. In 1393, the capital, Tirnovo, was captured by the Ottoman Turks, marking the end of the Second Bulgarian Kingdom and the beginning of centuries under Ottoman rule.
