List of Bulgarian monarchs

Monarchy of Bulgaria
Former Monarchy
Imperial
Royal Coat of arms
Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
First monarch	Asparukh (as Khan)
Last monarch	Simeon II (as Tsar)
Style	His Majesty
Monarchy started	681
Monarchy ended	15 September 1946
Current pretender	Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha

This is a list of Bulgarian monarchs from the earliest historical records to 1946, when the monarchy in the country was abolished. Early Bulgarian rulers are believed to have used the title Khan (see Bulgar society for more details), later possibly kniaz, and still later the title tsar. According to Djagfar tarikhy (a 17th century Volga Bulgar source which is widely suspected to be a hoax and is generally not used in historical research), the earliest Bulgar leaders bore the title of baltavar, i.e. the Turkic "Elteber", a viceroy, known from the Chinese annals by its Chinese equivalent "Sylifa" and documented in the 10th century by Al-Masoudi as a title used among the Dagestani Bulgars. The title Elteber or its variations like Ilutwer, Ilutver was recorded between the North Caucasian Huns, and Yiltawar or İltäbär (ibn Fadlan) in the Volga Bulgaria.

The title tsar, the Slavic form for caesar or emperor, was first adopted and used in Bulgaria by Simeon I following a decisive victory over the Byzantine Empire in 913. It was also used by all of Simeon I's successors until the fall of Bulgaria under Ottoman rule in 1396 . After Bulgaria's liberation from the Ottomans in 1878, its first monarch Alexander I adopted the title kniaz, but as complete independence was officially proclaimed under his successor Ferdinand in 1908, the title was changed to tsar again. Tsar was used by Ferdinand and later by his heir Boris III until the abolition of monarchy in 1946.

Note: before reaching the historical rulers (see below), the Nominalia of the Bulgarian khans mention two legendary or semi-legendary rulers who are described as having lived for centuries: Avitokhol (sometimes identified as Attila the Hun, 300 years) and Irnik (sometimes identified as Attila's son Ernakh, 150 years), as well as a regent, Gostun (2 years).

Contents 1 First Bulgarian Empire (681–1018) 1.1 Dulo Clan (681–753) 1.2 Uokil Clan (753–762) 1.3 Ugain Clan (762–765) 1.4 Non-Dynastic (765–766) 1.5 Uokil Clan (766) 1.6 Non-Dynastic (766–777) 1.7 Dulo Clan (777–997) 1.8 House of Comitopuli (997–1018) 2 Second Bulgarian Empire (1185–1422) 2.1 House of Asen (1185–1280) 2.2 House of Terter (1280–1292) 2.3 House of Smilets (1292–1299) 2.4 Non-Dynastic (1299–1300) 2.5 House of Terter (1300–1323) 2.6 House of Shishman (1323–1422) 3 Principality of Bulgaria (1878–1908) 3.1 House of Battenberg (1879–1886) 3.2 House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (1887–1908) 4 Kingdom of Bulgaria (1908–1946) 4.1 House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (1908–1946) 5 Death of the Bulgarian Monarchs 6 See also 7 References

[edit] First Bulgarian Empire (681–1018)

For more information of Predecessors and earlier Bulgarian history see Nominalia_of_the_Bulgarian_khans

[edit] Dulo Clan (681–753)

Portrait	Name	Khan From	Khan Until	Relationship with Predecessor(s)
	Asparukh	681	700	• Son of Khan Kubrat, ruler of The Old Great Bulgaria (nowadays modern Ukraine, Southeastern Russia, Moldavia)
	Tervel	700	721	• Son of Asparukh
	Kormesiy	721	738	• Son of Tervel
	Sevar	738	753	• Son of Kormesiy

[edit] Uokil Clan (753–762)

Portrait	Name	Khan From	Khan Until	Relationship with Predecessor(s)
	Kormisosh	753	756	• Chosen as ruler on the deposition of Sevar
	Vinekh	756	762	• Nephew of Kormisosh

[edit] Ugain Clan (762–765)

Portrait	Name	Khan From	Khan Until	Relationship with Predecessor(s)
	Telets	762	765	• Possible son of Kormisosh

[edit] Non-Dynastic (765–766)

Portrait	Name	Khan From	Khan Until	Relationship with Predecessor(s)
	Sabin	765	766	• Seized control after the murder of Telets

[edit] Uokil Clan (766)

Portrait	Name	Khan From	Khan Until	Relationship with Predecessor(s)
	Umor	766	766	• Father-in-law of Telets

[edit] Non-Dynastic (766–777)

Portrait	Name	Khan From	Khan Until	Relationship with Predecessor(s)
	Toktu	766	767	• Unknown
	Pagan	767	768	• Son of Vinekh
	Telerig	768	777	• Son of Telets

[edit] Dulo Clan (777–997)

Portrait	Name	Khan From	Khan Until	Relationship with Predecessor(s)
	Kardam	777	803	• Grandson of Sevar  • Brother of Toktu
	Krum	803	13 April 814	• Nephew of Kardam
	Omurtag	814	831	• Son of Krum
	Malamir	831	836	• Son of Omurtag
	Presian I	836	852	• Unknown
	Boris I	852	889	• Son of Presian I
	Vladimir	889	893	• Son of Boris I
	Simeon I (Tsar from 913)	893	27 May 927	• Son of Boris I  • Brother of Vladimir
	Peter I	27 May 927	969	• Son of Simeon I
	Boris II	969	971	• Son of Peter I
	Roman	977	997	• Son of Peter I, ruled simultaneously with Samuel 976–997

[edit] House of Comitopuli (997–1018)

Portrait	Name	Tsar From	Tsar Until	Relationship with Predecessor(s)
	Samuel	997	1014	• Ruled simultaneously with Roman 976–997
	Gavril Radomir	? October 1014	? August 1015	• Son of Samuel
	Ivan Vladislav	? August 1015	? February 1018	• Nephew of Samuel  • Cousin of Gavril Radomir
	Presian II	1018	1018	• Son of Ivan Vladislav

[edit] Second Bulgarian Empire (1185–1422)

[edit] House of Asen (1185–1280)

Portrait	Name	Emperor From	Emperor Until	Relationship with Predecessor(s)
	Peter IV	1185	1190	• N/A
	Ivan Asen I	1190	1196	• Brother of Peter IV
	Peter IV	1196	1197	• Brother of Ivan Asen I, reclaimed the throne after his murder
	Kaloyan	1197	1207	• Brother of Peter IV
	Boril	1207	1218	• Unknown
	Ivan Asen II	1218	24 June 1241	• Cousin of Boril
	Kaliman Asen I	1241	1246	• Son of Ivan Asen II
	Michael Asen I	1246	1256	• Son of Ivan Asen II  • Half-brother of Kaliman Asen I
	Kaliman Asen II	1256	1256	• Cousin Michael Asen I, usurped the throne after murdering him
	Mitso Asen	1256	1257	• Husband of Kaliman Asen II's cousin
	Constantine Asen I	1257	1277	• N/A
	Michael Asen II	1277	1279	• Son of Constantine Asen I
	Ivan Asen III	1279	1280	• Son of Mitso Asen

[edit] House of Terter (1280–1292)

Portrait	Name	Emperor From	Emperor Until	Relationship with Predecessor(s)
	George Terter I	1280	1292	• N/A

[edit] House of Smilets (1292–1299)

Portrait	Name	Emperor From	Emperor Until	Relationship with Predecessor(s)
	Smilets	1292	1298	• N/A
	Ivan II	1298	1299	• Son of Smilets

[edit] Non-Dynastic (1299–1300)

Portrait	Name	Emperor From	Emperor Until	Relationship with Predecessor(s)
	Chaka	1299	1300	• N/A

[edit] House of Terter (1300–1323)

Portrait	Name	Emperor From	Emperor Until	Relationship with Predecessor(s)
	Theodore Svetoslav	1300	1322	• Son of George Terter I
	George Terter II	1322	1323	• Son of Theodore Svetoslav

[edit] House of Shishman (1323–1422)

Portrait	Name	Emperor From	Emperor Until	Relationship with Predecessor(s)
	Michael Shishman	1323	1330	• N/A
	Ivan Stephen	1330	1331	• Son of Michael Shishman
	Ivan Alexander	1331	1371	• Cousin of Ivan Stephen
	Ivan Shishman	1371	1395	• Son of Ivan Alexander
	Ivan Sratsimir	1356	1396	• Son of Ivan Alexander
	Constantine II	1396	1422	• Son of Ivan Sratsimir

[edit] Principality of Bulgaria (1878–1908)

[edit] House of Battenberg (1879–1886)

Portrait	Name	Knyaz From	Knyaz Until	Relationship with Predecessor(s)
	Alexander	29 April 1879	07 September 1886	• N/A

[edit] House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (1887–1908)

Portrait	Name	Knyaz From	Knyaz Until	Relationship with Predecessor(s)
	Ferdinand I	07 July 1887	15 October 1908	• N/A

[edit] Kingdom of Bulgaria (1908–1946)

[edit] House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (1908–1946)

Portrait	Name	Tsar From	Tsar Until	Relationship with Predecessor(s)
	Ferdinand I	15 October 1908	03 October 1918	• N/A
	Boris III[1][2][3][4]	03 October 1918	28 August 1943	• Son of Ferdinand I
	Simeon II	28 August 1943	15 September 1946	• Grandson of Ferdinand I  • Son of Boris III

[edit] Death of the Bulgarian Monarchs

Monarch	Death
Asparukh	Perished in battle against the Khazars in 700
Tervel	Died of natural death in 721
Kormesiy	Died of natural death in 738
Sevar	Died of natural death in 753
Kormisosh	Murdered in 756
Vinekh	Murdered in 762
Telets	Murdered in 765
Sabin	Fled to Constantinople in 766, unknown year of death
Umor	Fled to Constantinople in 766, unknown year of death
Toktu	Killed in the forests of the Danube in 767 by the opposition
Pagan	Killed near Varna in 768 by the opposition
Telerig	Fled to Constantinople in 777, unknown year of death
Kardam	Died of natural death in 802
Krum	Died of natural death (very likely of Brain attack) on 13 April 814
Omurtag	Died of natural death in 831
Malamir	Unknown reason of death, some presume a violent death
Presian	Died of natural death in 852
Boris I	Abdicated in 889 died of natural death on 2 May 907
Vladimir	Deposed in 893, unknown death
Simeon I the Great	Died of heart attack on 17 May 927
Peter I	Abdicated in 969, died of Stroke on 30 January 970
Boris II	Abdicated in 971, killed accidentally by a Bulgarian border patrol in 977
Roman	Captured again in 991, died in prison in Constantinople in 997
Samuil	Died of natural death on 6 October 1014
Gavril Radomir	Murdered by his cousin Ivan Vladislav in August 1015 during hunting
Ivan Vladislav	Killed in а duel with the head of Drach fortress in February 1018
Peter II Delyan	Captured in the battle of Ostrovo in 1041, according to e legend died in the Seven Altars Monastery
Peter III	Captured in December 1072, later King of Serbia until his death in 1101
Peter IV	Abdicated 1190, murdered during his second reign in 1197
Ivan Asen I	Murdered by his cousin Ivanko in 1196
Kaloyan	Murdered by the cuman chief Manaster (physical killer) after a plot (unknown planners) in October 1207
Boril	Deposed in 1218, died of natural death in monastery
Ivan Asen II	Died of natural death on 24 June 1241
Kaliman I Asen	Poisoned by his step-mother Irina in September 1246
Michael II Asen	Muredered by his cousin Kaliman in 1256
Kaliman II Asen	Murdered in 1256 by the opposition
Mitso Asen	Fled in 1257, died of natural death in Byzantium c.1277
Constantine Tikh Asen	Killed in battle by Ivailo in 1277
Ivailo	Killed by the Tatars in 1280
Ivan Asen III	Fled to Constantinople in 1280, died of natural death in 1303
George I Terter	Abdicated in 1292, died of natural death in 1308/9
Smilets	Died of natural death in 1298
Chaka	Strangled and beheaded in 1300
Theodore Svetoslav	Died of natural death in November 1321
George II Terter	Died of natural death in December 1322
Michael III Shishman	Mortally wounded in the battle of Velbazhd, died four days later on 31 July 1330
Ivan Stefan	Deposed in 1331, died of natural death in 1343
Ivan Alexander	Died of natural death on 17 February 1371
Ivan Shishman	Killed in 1395 (presumed)
Ivan Sratsimir	Deposed in 1396, strangled in 1397
Constantine II	Died of natural death on 17 September 1422
Alexander	Abdicated on 8 September 1886, died of natural death on 23 October 1893
Ferdinand	Abdicated on 3 October 1918, died of natural death on 10 September 1948
Boris III	Died on 28 August 1943
Simeon II	Alive, Deposed on 15 September 1946

[edit] See also

• History of Bulgaria
• Asen dynasty
• List of Prime Ministers of Bulgaria
• List of Presidents of Bulgaria
• List of Bulgarian consorts

[edit] References

1. ^ R. J. Crampton - "Bulgaria", Oxford University Press, 2007, page 258
2. ^ Geoffrey Hindley - "The royal families of Europe‎", 2000, Constable, page 91
3. ^ Biljana Vankovska, Håkan Wiberg - "Between past and future: civil-military relations in the post-communist Balkans", 2003, I.B.Tauris, page 76
4. ^ Jean W. Sedlar - "The Axis Empire in Southeast Europe 1939-1945", 2007, page 79

v · d · eBulgarian monarchs Great Bulgaria (632–681) Kubrat · Batbayan First Empire (681–1018) Asparukh · Tervel · Kormesiy · Sevar · Kormisosh · Vinekh · Telets · Sabin · Umor · Toktu · Pagan · Telerig · Kardam · Krum · Omurtag · Malamir · Presian I · Boris I · Vladimir · Simeon I · Peter I · Boris II · Roman · Samuil · Gavril Radomir · Ivan Vladislav · Presian II Second Empire (1186–1396) Ivan Asen I · Peter IV · Ivanko · Kaloyan · Boril · Ivan Asen II · Kaliman I Asen · Michael Asen I · Kaliman II Asen · Mitso Asen · Constantine I Tikh · Ivailo · Ivan Asen III · George Terter I · Smilets · Chaka · Theodore Svetoslav · George Terter II · Michael Shishman · Ivan Stephen · Ivan Alexander · Ivan Shishman · Ivan Sratsimir Principality (1878–1908) and Kingdom (1908–1946) Alexander I · Ferdinand I · Boris III · Simeon II