bulgaria bulgarian ruled emperor bulgaria june authority limited central parts inconsistent policy little prevent fall country ottoman rule ottoman turks seized capital years later captured strongholds executed despite military political weakness rule bulgaria remained major cultural center ideas dominated patriarch prominent cultural figure country number texts written translated reform bulgarian language issued rules fall bulgaria number scholars found refuge orthodox countries brought achievements bulgarian culture reign connected fall bulgaria ottoman domination exist historical sources prove took active role defence country bulgarian folklore portrayed legendary heroic ruler desperately fought overwhelming ottoman forces numerous sites geographical features fortresses named bulgaria biography early life born eldest son emperor second wife sarah converted birth brought issue succession bulgarian throne elder brothers wife eldest proclaimed successor throne emperor shortly accession throne early death battle ottomans forward question succession likely sarah pressured select son successor come system issue decided favour born purple father crowned making eligible successor end proclaimed heir throne emperor events led conflict turn given rule probably compensation indirect piece evidence feud fact portrait included family emperor presented proclaimed emperor father younger brother presided church late emperor bulgaria reign early twenties proclaimed emperor death father february inherited parts father realm ruled lands valley parts mountains northern west areas centred recognised emperor bulgaria east encompassing coastal strip cape rule recognise authority emperor contemporary speak regions called bulgaria country divided eve ottoman invasion despite claims royal charters styled primary emperor attempt emphasise existence hierarchy rulers hierarchy remained paper assert independence separated bulgarian according fine immediately death tried conquer bulgaria able capture managed hold city years rivalry brothers strong tradition bulgarian historiography time dismissed modern bulgarian historians months ascension throne september ottoman turks defeated large christian army led serbian brothers tried create broad coalition include bulgaria strengthen authority join victory turks immediately turned bulgaria ottoman sultan forced retreat north conquered northern unable resist attacks negotiate ottomans forced ottoman vassal allow sister known beauty wife agreement bulgaria regained conquered territories began nearly years uneasy peace turks despite peace treaty ottoman raids renewed beginning culminated fall stronghold south meantime engaged war dan details war brief note dan died september poisoned war linked hostilities dan uncle support rulers married anna united forces managed defeat ottomans encouraged christian success immediately refused send troops support ottomans reacted sending strong army command grand north ottoman troops seized fortresses left headed besieged forced ask peace ottomans requested addition surrendering time populous bulgarian city danube neighbours receive support preparations serbia war refused let ottomans city strengthened walls crossed second time capture surprised swift ottoman response having received promised assistance bulgarian emperor ask peace pleas accepted terms original surrendered ottoman garrisons stationed bulgarian cities notably defeat serbs june seek help hungary winter entered secret negotiations planning campaign turks new ottoman sultan pretended peaceful intentions order cut alliance hungarians spring gathered large army balkans attacked bulgaria ottomans marched capital besieged defence capital led located presumably better communication month siege fell july according contemporary bulgarian scholar city captured ottoman military strength treason ottoman campaign devastated bulgaria wake invasion lands limited towns danube return attacked captured according murdered june byzantine chronicle gives date october sources suggest bulgarian ruler captured died prison culture religion cultural revival historians reign second golden age bulgarian culture continued son prominent figure field quarter 14th century patriarch disciple established kilometres north turned important cultural center major hub wrote number religious works including praises letters famous reform bulgarian language impact serbia russian thought scholars sufficiently prepared translations greek texts local lead original eventually texts reform survive character partly recreated historians analyzing works disciples inspired original old church bulgarian empire reform included changes number synonyms avoid repetition ensure success reform texts receive approval publishing supported capital main cultural center time patriarch wrote remained main movement reign patriarch supporter bulgaria major center ideas byzantine_empire active opponent appears mid 14th century influence prominent movement balkans time greatly reduced bulgaria document mentions persecuted strict views moral took firm positions divorce fourth marriages collapse scholars emigrated serbia russian brought bulgarian cultural achievements books ideas lands bulgarian influence great referred second south slavic influence russia prominent bulgarian included worked serbia russian lands economy decline loss major ports crusade years crowned death lost important port leading reduction commerce tax revenues persistent ottoman raids brought devastation hunger led sharp decline cultivated lands assessment legacy bulgarian historians negative assessments viewed having throne mother taking place rightful successor elder brother eventually resulted division country eve ottoman invasion direct historical sources suggest significant attempts fight turks inconsistent policy described revealing weakness inability cope situation rule remembered 16th century treaty signed ottoman sultan hungary lands question referred land emperor memory remained centuries ottoman rule uprising rebels leaders unknown claimed proclaimed emperor century later second uprising headed claimed belonged dynasty styled prince bulgaria popular known rulers bulgarian state number works dedicated rule including film song heavy metal band album saint patriarch antarctica named legends prominent medieval ruler bulgarian folklore heard number legends myths tales songs represented heroic ruler fought died country facing overwhelming enemy forces number places bulgaria named ranging castles ruins rocks caves legendary geography mainly concentrated region extends etc near ruins fortress emperor wells ruler seven wounds north cliffs heights gorge holes caves hid fighting ottomans seven years related usually associated emperor stand derived meaning bone skull fierce ford thought fate perished bulgarian troops famous legends final battle ottomans camped near origins river near hill fierce battle wounded seven times retreated fortress died battlefield seven springs appeared emperor wounds said fought balkan mountains town killed huge battle 18th century bulgarian wrote siege managed reach hid treasury gorge fought turks seven years dying battle versions suggest remained fortress fall died buried treasure castle tried escape cutting passage mountain repeating motif treasure symbol bulgarian usual locations imperial jewellery monasteries lakes rivers invaders treasure sovereignty power inevitable resurrection number parallels legends saints especially john including identical route emperor route return relics 15th century motif immortal rulers restoration country extract folklore song collected rulers mentioned bulgarian folklore songs legends subject figure seen christmas presented saint role protector hero fighting dragons usually presented resemblance songs contain parallels nature typical bulgarian folklore song region death emperor brings chaos nature rivers black blood typical folklore start flowing place bulgarian legends folklore likely attributed fact bulgarian emperor similarities contemporary ruler little resist ottoman invasion later popular character bulgarian folklore people desired image ideal emperor defender protector strength needed survive ottoman domination actual historical personality time passed deepened legends distant actual events rule tales began increasingly include patriotic elements family married bulgarian named died early second wife daughter prince serbia previous serbian dynasty eldest son alexander converted islam died governor second son participated revolts campaigns ottomans trying liberate father realm died hungary speculated historians patriarch illegitimate son claim based byzantine text says said illegitimate son emperor timeline born proclaimed heir throne emperor february succeeds father emperor bulgaria ottoman vassal return previously conquered lands issues charter fall war ottomans invade eastern bulgaria conquer number towns july fall june ottomans capture executed
Ivan Shishman of Bulgaria