History of Bulgaria

The history of Bulgaria traces societies and states in the Bulgarian lands from antiquity through the modern Bulgarian state, including periods of Byzantine and Ottoman rule.

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Thracians: Ancient Indo-European peoples who inhabited parts of southeastern Europe, including the lands of present-day Bulgaria. Thracian communities shaped the ancient background of the Bulgarian lands before medieval Bulgaria emerged.
Battle of Kleidion: A 1014 Byzantine victory over the First Bulgarian Empire near the Belasitsa Mountains. The defeat accelerated the empire’s conquest by Byzantium in 1018.
Khan Krum: A ruler of the First Bulgarian Empire from about 803 to 814, known for military expansion and legal reforms. His reign strengthened Bulgaria as a major power against Byzantium.
Byzantine Bulgaria: The Bulgarian lands governed by the Byzantine Empire after its conquest of the First Bulgarian Empire in 1018. Byzantine administration interrupted independent Bulgarian rule before the 1185 revolt.
Bulgarian language: A South Slavic language written in the Cyrillic alphabet and spoken chiefly in Bulgaria. Its literary development and official status express a central legacy of medieval and modern Bulgarian history.
First Bulgarian Empire: A medieval Bulgarian state founded in the late seventh century that became a major power in southeastern Europe. Its formation established the first durable Bulgarian state.
Uprising of Asen and Peter: A revolt beginning in 1185 that ended Byzantine rule and restored the Bulgarian state. This uprising reopened Bulgarian statehood after nearly two centuries of Byzantine control.
Boris I of Bulgaria: The Bulgarian ruler who adopted Christianity for his state in the ninth century. His conversion redirected Bulgaria’s religious and diplomatic ties.
Eastern Rumelia: An autonomous Ottoman province established in 1878 in parts of present-day southern Bulgaria. Its separate status made unification with the Bulgarian principality a central political question.
Bulgarian Exarchate: An autonomous Bulgarian Orthodox church established in 1870 under Ottoman rule. Its creation secured ecclesiastical recognition that strengthened Bulgarian national institutions.