bulgaria bulgarian ruled emperor bulgaria august september february year birth unknown born decade probably earlier saved death cousin bulgarian emperor murdered october seized bulgarian throne desperate situation country following decades long war byzantine_empire attempt consolidate position tried negotiate truce byzantine emperor failure negotiations continued resistance attempting unsuccessfully push byzantines period rule tried strengthen bulgarian army reconstructed bulgarian fortresses carried counter offensive died battle death widow patriarch nobility finally surrendered soon suppressed remnants resistance brought end bulgarian empire left mixed heritage varying reputation ruthless murderer hero defending country best descendants entered byzantine nobility rose highest ranks hierarchy women family byzantine_empire military commanders high ranking officials ancestor byzantine emperor life accession throne son brother emperor samuel dynasty samuel ordered brother executed treason entire family near survivor spared cousin samuel son life subsequent decades accession unknown assumption power bulgaria embroiled thirty years war byzantine_empire succeeded samuel died october disastrous outset position insecure son elder brothers lay claim throne based time byzantine king campaigned deep bulgarian territory retook previously lost town laid siege massive fortress situated north west forces unable interfere watch course events nearby lake inability cope byzantine threat aroused discontent nobility chosen leader fall sealed fate late summer hunting near murdered cousin behest byzantine agents seized bulgarian throne took steps ensure position potential rivals emperor months reign assuming throne immediately sent delegation arrived days fall letter notified personally murdered seized power country promised deep obedience act submission nobility supported firmly secured hold throne openly declared kind compromise byzantines quickly began follow determined policy predecessors ongoing byzantine conquest soon understood letter ruse plotted action byzantine captivity murder bulgarian ruler turn paid trusted man employ commit murder event assassin actually killed meantime continued march forcing bulgarian emperor retreat mountains advanced heart bulgarian state byzantines took capital burned imperial palaces news arrived laid siege south bulgarian general defeated byzantine rear army near supply routes cut retreat leaving small garrison swiftly base divided byzantine army harass areas january byzantine emperor returned constantinople consolidation consolidated positions mountains albania macedonia early october began reconstruction strongholds destroyed war including fortress testified inscription invited vassal married sister come court emperor probably desired seize prince secure western flank prince determined attend invitation wife trust murderer brother fearing husband life persuaded vowed threaten vassal life sent golden cross proof good saying god nailed wooden golden cross repeated gave guarantee safe conduct guaranteed bulgarian patriarch david eventually travelled court arrival immediately beheaded emperor refused allow burial body number events related corpse prince observed returned body spring led armies valley besieged strong fortress fort defence headed capable commander remained loyal bulgarian cause previous attempts day siege failure costing byzantines casualties forced retreat south fighting early days byzantine emperor renewed campaigns sent river captured castle marched south besieged walls town received messages byzantine sent negotiate assistance crossing danube byzantine emperor immediately abandoned siege northwards vicinity lake learned unwilling risk war returning south captured samuel palace acquired large provisions stored closely monitoring byzantine movements ambushed troops command perished come relieve according emperor charged army rescue saw shouted run emperor retreated panic victory byzantines moved returned constantinople death early besieged february killed walls city accounts death contradictory according victim plot killed servants according perished battle bulgarian additions detailed saying horseback fighting byzantine audience rushed emperor wounded mortally belly later byzantine historian claimed duel fair stabbed chest spear killing instantly chronicle priest reports altogether different story having meal camp emperor attacked unknown soldier recognized murdered terrified cried help rushed rescue unknown soldier mortally wounded bulgarian ruler death marked effective end sons young inexperienced strongest bulgarian leaders doubted resistance learning death left constantinople met brother acknowledged byzantine authority example followed larger bulgarian nobility pledged loyalty giving fortresses commanders castles met emperor surrendered received message sent empress maria negotiate surrender capital country richly awarded surrendered allowing lands wealth titles short lived resistance continued eldest son brothers surrendered end legacy living years historian known priest wrote perspective outraged murder wrote died forever connected angels modern bulgarian historians including criticize emperor claiming actions fall bulgaria instead raising morale nation turned murderer unable cope corruption court critical emperor noting assassination general confusion noble started looking personal interests credits considerable ruthless energy favourable noting reasons acts revenge murder family according old bulgarian pagan beliefs killed wife rest family cope husband samuel daughters threat position attempted compromise byzantines according struggle defend bulgarian state heroic death serve ill deeds cites byzantine historian claimed reign byzantine state hanged balance like resisted romans invincible foe polish historian writes sympathy ruler empire light fact managed sustain war run death point antarctica named bulgaria family married maria possibly daughter bulgaria byzantine left maria named descendants entered byzantine service byzantine nobility forming close ties clan particular daughter catherine unnamed possibly anna granddaughter married future byzantine emperors second son took byzantine rule eventually betrayed bulgarian cause maria children including briefly succeeded emperor bulgaria later byzantine byzantine general byzantine briefly emperor bulgaria father maria bulgaria married catherine married future byzantine emperor
Ivan Vladislav of Bulgaria