Second Bulgarian Empire

A Bulgarian state that existed from 1185 to 1396, centered in the Balkans and ruled by the Asen and later dynasties. It restored Bulgarian political independence after Byzantine rule.

Uprising of Asen and Peter: A revolt begun in 1185 by the brothers Asen and Peter against Byzantine rule in Bulgaria. Their revolt established the state and dynasty that gave the empire its first rulers.
Ivan Asen II: Bulgarian emperor from 1218 to 1241, under whom the empire reached its greatest power and extent. His reign brought military victories and regional influence to their height.
Tarnovo: A medieval Bulgarian city that served as the Second Bulgarian Empire's capital and major religious center. Its fortified position and institutions anchored the empire's political authority.
Battle of Klokotnitsa: A 1230 battle in which Ivan Asen II defeated the forces of the Despotate of Epirus. The victory brought Bulgaria its greatest territorial expansion and regional dominance.
Byzantine Empire: The medieval Greek-speaking state centered on Constantinople that continued the Roman Empire in the east. It was the empire's principal rival and the power whose rule the Bulgarian revolt ended.
Byzantine Bulgaria: The Bulgarian lands governed by the Byzantine Empire after its conquest of the First Bulgarian Empire in 1018. Byzantine administration and taxation formed the immediate setting for the empire's founding revolt.
Kaloyan of Bulgaria: Bulgarian emperor from 1197 to 1207 who expanded the state and secured recognition from the papacy. His victories and diplomacy established the restored empire as a major Balkan power.
Bulgarian Orthodox Church: The Christian church of Bulgaria, headed during the empire by the patriarch of Tarnovo. The church gave rulers religious legitimacy and connected the capital's authority to Bulgarian identity.
Battle of Velbazhd: A 1330 battle in which Serbian forces defeated Bulgaria near present-day Kyustendil. The defeat weakened Bulgarian influence and accelerated Serbia's rise in the Balkans.
Serbian Empire: A medieval Serbian state that reached its greatest extent under Stefan Dušan in the mid-fourteenth century. Its expansion competed with Bulgaria for influence as Byzantine power declined.

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