bulgaria bulgarian commonly called ruled emperor bulgaria exact year birth unknown founder ruling dynasty second bulgarian empire dynasty crowned michael emphasize connection dynasty rule energetic ambitious ruler led aggressive inconsistent foreign policy byzantine_empire ended disastrous battle claimed life medieval bulgarian ruler aimed military political bulgarian empire balkans attempted seize constantinople succeeded son later nephew reversed policy forming alliance serbia rise throne born son unnamed daughter peter anna daughter distant cousin predecessors bulgarian throne peace father engaged daughter married middle 13th century area autonomous ineffective bulgarian ruled died died son received high title cousin referred contemporary venetian source bulgaria lord death serbian king able follow active policy bulgarian capital soon leading noble internal affairs country childless death young elected emperor bulgaria nobility according historians chosen descendant dynasty interpret throne beginning new dynasty continuation half brother succeeded relations byzantine empire war byzantium sudden death followed brief period confusion uncertainty exploited byzantine emperor iii byzantines overran northeastern captured number important cities including time byzantine sponsored brother bulgarian emperor controlling valleys balkan mountains point newly elected marched south byzantine army led besieging defended bulgarian garrison led russian siege failure despite byzantines use soldier story siege tower byzantine army engaged led troops north eastern quickly retook lost cities forcing byzantines pull forced iii retreat byzantines managed changing garrisons despite loss able expel fully recover bulgarian control northern northeastern taken byzantines previous year bulgarian emperor invaded byzantium advancing far lower course river iii unable engage bulgarian army troops outnumbered offered duel solve conflict bulgarian emperor answered words cited byzantine emperor said infuriated answer fact informed conflict hinted help grandfather case war returned bulgaria promising soon begin negotiations peace agreement involvement byzantine civil war council held constantinople relations bulgaria decided countries begin negotiations despite calls invasion divorced wife married year old widow emperor exact reasons act unclear historians suggest deterioration bulgarian serbian relations rooted serbian penetration macedonia marriage cemented peace treaty byzantine_empire need ally serbs prone concessions decided border follow line agreement finally signed autumn spent years peace neighbors involved renewed civil war byzantine_empire taking brother law iii grandfather rival obtained support serbian king iii met according concluded aggressive alliance serbia byzantine emperor promised bulgaria territory towns large money sole emperor based alliance gained control macedonia success aimed prolonged conflict byzantine_empire enter negotiations offering military support exchange money border lands bulgarian ruler sent detachment cavalry commanded russian guard intentions capture old emperor city grandson kept away capital person understood plans revealed sent letter retreat feather meant orders promptly executed following victory grandfather attempted gain lands force invaded june retreated advance showdown days later ended battle renewal peace treaty october returned country securing large return gave fortress taken initial stages campaign beginning year bulgarian emperor requested personal meeting byzantine counterpart negotiate definitive treaty joint military operations growing power serbia locality known signed lasting peace eternal alliance divorce worsened relations bulgaria serbia beginning 14th century leave capital sons sought refuge brother king serbia engaged war cousin stephen position oppose bulgarian emperor acknowledged rival help insufficient spring sent future serbian archbishop negotiate bulgarian emperor mission inconclusive countries opposite sides byzantine civil war allied serbs supported grandfather agreement started preparations attack serbs areas according serbian demanded submission serbian king threatened set throne middle serbian land expecting join army advancing south marched serbia large force troops including reinforcements allies headed historians believe wanted join forces soldiers brother marched south poor coordination byzantines bulgarian army met serbs army numbered men near personal meeting rulers agreed day truce expecting reinforcements backed agreement allowed army disperse search provisions morning july main serbian reinforcements heavily armed horsemen command king son arrived serbs broke word attacked despite unexpected assault tried bring army order late serbs victorious outcome battle shaped balance power balkans decades come bulgaria lose territory serbs occupy macedonia death legacy circumstances death unclear according byzantine emperor historian emperor mortally wounded battle soon died byzantine historian suggests lived days able gain consciousness died fourth day serbian chronicles state horse fell battle crashed body body taken pointed preferred war peace early 15th century bulgarian scholar says captured killed son serbian king buried considered vain aggressive ruler foreign policy contributed battle end life time clearly forceful energetic overcoming reversing bulgaria losses uncertainty preceded accession managing maintain internal peace security bulgaria short reign calls remarkable 14th century bulgarian monarch according desired expand country byzantium constantinople danube makes medieval bulgarian ruler effectively attempted capture byzantine capital bulgarian ruler decades tried lead active policy macedonia seal depicted reverse bulgarian issued family married serbia daughter serbia marriage children including succeeded emperor bulgaria michael ruled shortly second marriage daughter byzantium children names unknown ancestry timeline engaged serbia marries elected emperor bulgaria nobility uses successful war byzantine_empire wife marry involvement byzantine civil war treaty definitive peace treaty byzantines anti serbian agreement july battle mortally wounded dies
Michael Shishman of Bulgaria