The Theme of Bulgaria was a province of the Byzantine Empire established by Emperor Basil II after the conquest of Bulgaria in 1018. Its capital was Scupi (or Skoupoi) and it was governed by a strategos. The local inhabitants were Bulgarians. Nevertheless, the Bulgarians kept their nationality, which reached particular strength after the Second Bulgarian Empire was formed in the 12th century. The period ended with the Uprising of Asen and Peter. The conquest of the First Bulgarian Empire by Byzantium lasted half a century. For this reason, Basil II the Bulgar Slayer after the conquest did not decide on any changes in order to bloodlessly establish the new status quo. The Bulgarian lands that offered the fiercest resistance were separated into the theme of Bulgaria. Initially the Byzantine emperor Basil II issued an order that the tax system of the subdued Bulgarian kingdom continue to be applied in the annexed Bulgarian lands. The Bulgarian patriarchate was downgraded to an archbishopric called Archbishopric of Ohrid, that retained an autocephalous status. The Bulgarian aristocracy also retained its position. Troops were recruited mainly from the Bulgarian population. However, only ten years later after the death of Basil II, the Byzantine tax system was introduced. Slavic literacy, liturgy and traditions of the Archbishopric were in some places subjected to persecution. Some of the Bulgarian aristocracy had slowly but consistently been removed from its position. Many were sent on assignments in other realms of the Empire remote from the Balkans. This situation gave rise to discontent among the local population. Rebellions aimed at restoration of the Bulgarian state broke out. The first rebellion rose in Belgrade in 1040. It was headed by Petar Deljan, grandson of Tsar Samuel. This was followed by several more uprisings: Uprising in Thessaly (1066) led by Nikoulitzas Delphinas; Uprising of Georgi Voyteh; Uprising in Paristrion, and the revolts of Dobromir in Mesembria and Leka in Sredets (today Sofia) in 1079. After the coming to power of the Komnenian Dynasty, the Bulgarian uprisings subsided, due to the integration of the old Bulgarian aristocracy in the rule of the empire, as seen in the writings of Anna Komnene about her grandmother Maria of Bulgaria in "Alexiad". At the end of the 11th century the Byzantine domains in the Balkans became an arena of fierce hostilities.

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

Notable quotes

“Long before the time when the German Emperor Charles V said that he talked German only to his horse, and when the German nobility wrote only in Latin and were ashamed of the German language, in "barbarous" Bulgaria, the Apostles Cyril and Methodius had created and spread the use of the old Bulgarian script.”
— Giorgi Dimitrov, at the , as reported in Mercia MacDermott, A History of Bulgaria: 1393–1885 (1962), p. 18
“Oh, you foolish freaks! Why are you ashamed to call yourself Bulgarians and why don't you read and speak in your mother tongue? Do you believe that the Bulgarians did not have their own czardom and country? For many years, they reigned and were glorious, famous all over the world and they made the powerful Romans and the wise Greeks pay them taxes many times.”
— Paisius of Hilendar, Istoriya Slavyanobolgarskaya (1762), translation reported in Nations and States in Southeast Europe, 2nd ed. (CDRSEE, 2009), p. 27

Quotes via Wikiquote (CC BY-SA), each with its original source.

Notable quotes

“Long before the time when the German Emperor Charles V said that he talked German only to his horse, and when the German nobility wrote only in Latin and were ashamed of the German language, in "barbarous" Bulgaria, the Apostles Cyril and Methodius had created and spread the use of the old Bulgarian script.”
— Giorgi Dimitrov, at the , as reported in Mercia MacDermott, A History of Bulgaria: 1393–1885 (1962), p. 18
“Oh, you foolish freaks! Why are you ashamed to call yourself Bulgarians and why don't you read and speak in your mother tongue? Do you believe that the Bulgarians did not have their own czardom and country? For many years, they reigned and were glorious, famous all over the world and they made the powerful Romans and the wise Greeks pay them taxes many times.”
— Paisius of Hilendar, Istoriya Slavyanobolgarskaya (1762), translation reported in Nations and States in Southeast Europe, 2nd ed. (CDRSEE, 2009), p. 27

Quotes via Wikiquote (CC BY-SA), each with its original source.

Overview

The Theme of Bulgaria was a province of the Byzantine Empire established by Emperor Basil II after the conquest of Bulgaria in 1018. Its capital was Scupi (or Skoupoi) and it was governed by a strategos. The local inhabitants were Bulgarians. Nevertheless, the Bulgarians kept their nationality, which reached particular strength after the Second Bulgarian Empire was formed in the 12th century. The period ended with the Uprising of Asen and Peter. The conquest of the First Bulgarian Empire by Byzantium lasted half a century. For this reason, Basil II the Bulgar Slayer after the conquest did not decide on any changes in order to bloodlessly establish the new status quo. The Bulgarian lands that offered the fiercest resistance were separated into the theme of Bulgaria. Initially the Byzantine emperor Basil II issued an order that the tax system of the subdued Bulgarian kingdom continue to be applied in the annexed Bulgarian lands. The Bulgarian patriarchate was downgraded to an archbishopric called Archbishopric of Ohrid, that retained an autocephalous status. The Bulgarian aristocracy also retained its position. Troops were recruited mainly from the Bulgarian population. However, only ten years later after the death of Basil II, the Byzantine tax system was introduced. Slavic literacy, liturgy and traditions of the Archbishopric were in some places subjected to persecution. Some of the Bulgarian aristocracy had slowly but consistently been removed from its position. Many were sent on assignments in other realms of the Empire remote from the Balkans. This situation gave rise to discontent among the local population. Rebellions aimed at restoration of the Bulgarian state broke out. The first rebellion rose in Belgrade in 1040. It was headed by Petar Deljan, grandson of Tsar Samuel. This was followed by several more uprisings: Uprising in Thessaly (1066) led by Nikoulitzas Delphinas; Uprising of Georgi Voyteh; Uprising in Paristrion, and the revolts of Dobromir in Mesembria and Leka in Sredets (today Sofia) in 1079. After the coming to power of the Komnenian Dynasty, the Bulgarian uprisings subsided, due to the integration of the old Bulgarian aristocracy in the rule of the empire, as seen in the writings of Anna Komnene about her grandmother Maria of Bulgaria in "Alexiad". At the end of the 11th century the Byzantine domains in the Balkans became an arena of fierce hostilities.

From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0).

The Theme of Bulgaria was a province of the Byzantine Empire established by Emperor Basil II after the conquest of Bulgaria in 1018. Its capital was Scupi (or Skoupoi) and it was governed by a strategos. The local inhabitants were Bulgarians. Nevertheless, the Bulgarians kept their nationality, which reached particular strength after the Second Bulgarian Empire was formed in the 12th century. The period ended with the Uprising of Asen and Peter.

Not who you're looking for? Others named Bulgaria: country in southeast Europe · ship · Russian cruise ship · constituency of the European Parliament

Bulgaria across IJR

In the Arcade

Landgrab: Miroslava of Bulgaria EditionPaint the map. Hold the line. Take the world. Now starring the Miroslava of Bulgaria parody.Landgrab: Chaka of Bulgaria EditionPaint the map. Hold the line. Take the world. Now starring the Chaka of Bulgaria parody.Landgrab: Aron (Prince of Bulgaria) EditionPaint the map. Hold the line. Take the world. Now starring the Aron (Prince of Bulgaria) parody.

Studio characters

Aron (Prince of Bulgaria)Ask the Cometopuli dynasty everything the interviews skip.Catherine of BulgariaAsk anything — within reason.Ivan Asen IV of BulgariaThe Bulgarian tsar with nowhere else to be today.

Ask Genius by OpenServe about Bulgaria Create in Studio Build a game Watch videos