George I of Bulgaria

George Terter I, of the Terter dynasty ruled as tsar of Bulgaria 1280–1292. He was born in Cherven. The date of his birth is unknown, and he died in 1308/1309. Early life The antecedents of George Terter I are unclear, but the Byzantine sources testify that he was of Bulgarian and Cuman descent, something corroborated by his double name, which recalls the name of the Cuman clan Terteroba. George Terter I had at least one brother, named Aldimir (Eltimir), who was made a despot by either his older brother or by the regency for Ivan II. When Ivan Asen III became emperor at Tărnovo in 1279 during the Uprising of Ivaylo, he sought to strengthen his position by allying himself with George Terter. The latter divorced his wife Maria, who was sent, together with their son, Theodore Svetoslav, as a hostage to the Byzantine Empire, in order for George to marry Kira Maria, sister of Ivan Asen III. George Terter was accordingly made a despot, the highest rank in the Byzantino-Bulgarian court hierarchy.