Cometopuli dynasty

[[File:First Bulgarian Empire (976-1018).png|right|thumb|250px|Map of Bulgaria under the Kometopuli (976–1018).{{citation needed|date=October 2023}}]]

[[File:Byzantine Macedonia 1045CE.svg|thumb|right|250px|Territory of former Bulgaria {{circa|1045}} as ''[[Theme of Bulgaria|theme]]''.]]

The '''Kometopuli dynasty''' ([[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]]: {{lang|bg|Династия на комитопулите}}, {{Transliteration|bg|Dinastiya na komitopulite}}; [[Medieval Greek|Byzantine Greek]]: {{lang|grc|Δυναστεία Κομητoπούλων}}, {{Transliteration|grc|Dynasteía Kometopoulon}}) was the last royal dynasty in the [[First Bulgarian Empire]], ruling from {{circa|976}} until the fall of Bulgaria under [[Byzantine Empire|Byzantine]] rule in 1018.<ref name="Stephenson"/> The most notable member of the dynasty, Tsar [[Samuel of Bulgaria|Samuel]], is famous for successfully resisting Byzantine conquest for more than 40 years. Sometimes the realm of the Cometopuli is called [[Western Bulgarian Kingdom]] or ''Western Bulgarian Empire''.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=jGBsGwPJ-ukC&dq=Western+Bulgaria+1018&pg=PA142 ''The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire''], Edward Gibbon, J. B. Bury, Wildside Press LLC, 2004, {{ISBN|0-8095-9240-1}}, p. 142.</ref><ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=_G43AAAAIAAJ&q=Western+Bulgaria&pg=PA140 ''A short history of Yugoslavia from early times to 1966''], Stephen Clissold, Henry Clifford Darby, CUP Archive, 1968, {{ISBN|0-521-09531-X}}, p. 140</ref>

==Origin and members==

The actual name of the dynasty is not known. '''Cometopuli''' ([[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]]: {{lang|bg|Комитопули}}, {{Transliteration|bg|Komitopuli}}; [[Medieval Greek|Byzantine Greek]]: {{lang|grc|Κομητόπουλοι}}, {{Transliteration|grc|Kometópouloi}}{{efn|[[Greek language|Greek]]: {{lang|el|Κομητόπουλοι}}, {{Transliteration|el|Komitópouloi}}}}) is merely the nickname which is used by Byzantine historians to address rulers from the dynasty as its founder, [[Nicholas (komes)|Nicholas]], was a ''komes'' (governor, cognate to "count"; [[Medieval Greek|Byzantine Greek]]: {{lang|grc|κóμης}}, {{Transliteration|grc|kómes}},{{efn|[[Greek language|Greek]]: {{lang|el|κóμης}}, {{Transliteration|el|kómis}}}} from the [[Latin]] ''[[wikt:comes#Latin|comes]]''; [[Bulgarian language|Bulgarian]]: {{lang|bg|комита}}, {{Transliteration|bg|komita}}) either of the region of [[Sredets (medieval Bulgaria)|Sredets]] (the present-day capital of Bulgaria, Sofia) or of the region of [[Prespa]].<ref>[[Dennis P. Hupchick]], The Bulgarian-Byzantine Wars for Early Medieval Balkan Hegemony: Silver-Lined Skulls and Blinded Armies, Springer, 2017, p. 250, {{ISBN|3319562061}}.</ref> According to the 11th century [[Armenians|Armenian]] historian, [[Stepanos Asoghik]], the dynasty was of [[Armenians|Armenian]] origin and had probably been part of the heretical Christian [[Paulicianism|Paulican]] sect.<ref>On his writings of the 11th-century historian [[Asoghik]] wrote that Samuil had only one brother. According to Asoghik who lived in [[Tercan|Derjan]], located in an Armenian region of the [[Byzantine Empire]], Samuil was also from Derjan and had Armenian origin.</ref> However, [[Michael Palairet]] affirms that count Nicholas' family name is [[House of Shishman|Shishman]], a family name not of Armenian origin, which centuries later became a Bulgarian royal dynasty.<ref>Michael R. Palairet (2016) Macedonia. A Voyage through History (Vol. 1, From Ancient Times to the Ottoman Invasions). Cambridge Scholars Publishing, p. 222, {{ISBN|9781443888431}}.</ref> In 969 AD and following the [[Sviatoslav's invasion of Bulgaria|Russo-Byzantine conquest of Eastern Bulgaria]], count Nikola assumed control of the Bulgarian lands west of the rivers [[Iskar (river)|Iskar]] and [[Struma (river)|Struma]]. By the time of the Byzantine conquest of [[Preslav]] and the dethronement of Tsar [[Boris II of Bulgaria|Boris II]] in 972, Nikola had been killed and the rule assumed by his four sons, [[David of Bulgaria|David]], [[Aron of Bulgaria|Aron]], [[Moses of Bulgaria|Moses]], and [[Samuil of Bulgaria|Samuil]]. David led the defence of southwestern Bulgaria and resided in Prespa, Moses of southeastern Bulgaria residing in [[Strumica]], Aron ruled over the region of Sredets, whereas Samuel was in charge of northern Bulgaria with the town of Bdin ([[Vidin]]).

Both David and Moses lost their lives early – David was murdered by wandering Vlachs, whereas Moses died during the siege of [[Serres]]. A conflict broke out between Samuil and Aron as the latter grew more and more pro-Byzantine and on 14 June 976 Aron was executed near [[Dupnitza]]. Later the same year, the dethroned [[Boris II of Bulgaria|Boris II]] and his brother, [[Roman I of Bulgaria|Roman]], managed to escape from captivity in [[Constantinople]] and reached the borders of Bulgaria. Boris II was, however, killed by mistake by the border guards. As a result, it was Roman who was crowned as Bulgarian [[Tsar]] although real power and the control of the army lay in the hands of Samuil.

Samuel proved to be a successful leader inflicting a major defeat on the Byzantine army commanded by [[Basil II]] at the [[Battle of the Gates of Trajan|Gates of Trajan]] and retaking north-eastern Bulgaria. His successful campaigns expanded the Bulgarian borders into [[Thessaly]] and [[Epirus]] and in 998 he conquered the principality of [[Duklja]]. In 997 Samuel was proclaimed Emperor of Bulgaria after the death of the legitimate ruler, [[Roman of Bulgaria|Roman]]. However, Basil II's campaign soon started producing one success after the other: in 1001 he seized Pliska and Preslav in the east. In 1003 a major offensive along the Danube resulted in the fall of Vidin after an eight-month siege, and in 1004 Basil{{nbsp}}II defeated Samuel in the [[battle of Skopje]] and took possession of the city.<ref name="Fine197-198">{{cite book|title = The Early Medieval Balkans, A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century |last = Fine | first = J. | year = 1991 | publisher = [[University of Michigan Press]] |pages=197–198|isbn = 0-472-08149-7 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Cartwright|first=Mark|title=Basil II|website=[[World History Encyclopedia]]|date=9 November 2017 |url=https://www.worldhistory.org/Basil_II/|access-date=9 July 2018}}</ref> This war of attrition dragged on for a decade until 1014, when the Bulgarians were decisively defeated [[Battle of Kleidion|at Kleidion]].<ref name="Stephenson1">{{cite book |last=Stephenson |first=Paul |title=The Legend of Basil the Bulgar-Slayer |location=New York |publisher=Cambridge University Press |year=2010 |isbn=978-0521815307|pages=3 }}</ref> Some 14,000 Bulgarians were captured; it is said that 99 out of every 100 men were blinded, with the remaining hundredth man left with one eye so as to lead his compatriots home, earning Basil{{nbsp}}II the moniker "Bulgaroktonos", the '''Bulgar-Slayer'''.<ref name="Fine197-198"/> When the soldiers arrived in Samuel's residence in [[Prespa (medieval town)|Prespa]], the Bulgarian Emperor suffered a heart attack at the grisly sight and died two days later, on 6 October.<ref name="Fine197-198"/>

After the death of Samuel in 1014, the crown passed on to his son, [[Gavril Radomir]] (1014–1015). In 1015, he was murdered by his first cousin and son of Aaron, [[Ivan Vladislav]]. With his own death in 1018 the [[First Bulgarian Empire]] came to an end. Ivan Vladislav's sons [[Presian (son of Ivan Vladislav)|Presian]], [[Alusian of Bulgaria|Alusian]] and [[Aaron (son of Ivan Vladislav)|Aaron]] surrendered shortly after and were integrated into the court nobility in [[Constantinople]]. An attempt at restoration of Bulgarian independence was made some 20 years later by [[Peter (II) Delyan]] (1040–1041), son of [[Gavril Radomir]]. He, aided by his cousin [[Alusian of Bulgaria|Alusian]] organised an uprising and managed to push away the Byzantines from Ohrid for a short period, but was eventually betrayed by Alusian. Alusian's heirs were given noble titles and land in the [[Byzantine Empire]].

==Family tree==

After the [[Byzantine conquest of Bulgaria]], the Cometopuli assumed important positions in the Byzantine court after they were resettled and given lands in Asia Minor and Armenia. Catherine, daughter of Bulgarian Emperor [[Ivan Vladislav]], became [[List of Roman and Byzantine Empresses|empress of Byzantium]]. [[Peter II Delyan]], son of Bulgarian Emperor [[Gavril Radomir]] and grandson of Emperor [[Samuel of Bulgaria|Samuel]], led an attempt to restore the Bulgarian Empire after a major [[Bulgarian uprising against the Byzantine Empire (1040–1041)|uprising in 1040{{spaced ndash}}1041]]. Two other women of the dynasty became Byzantine empresses,<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.promacedonia.org/vz1b/vz1b_prit_15.html|title= V. Zlatarski - Istorija 1 B - Priturka 15|access-date=2008-09-10 }}</ref> while many nobles served in the army as [[strategos]] or became governors of various provinces. Through his maternal grandmother [[Maria of Bulgaria]], the Byzantine emperor [[John II Komnenos]] was a descendant of Emperor Ivan Vladislav.

{{Tree chart/start}} {{Tree chart | | | | | | CmN |~|y|~| RoA |CmN=[[Comita Nikola|Comita Nikola]] |RoA=[[Ripsimia of Armenia|Ripsimia of Armenia]]}} {{Tree chart | |,|-|-|-|v|-|-|-|+|-|-|-|.| }} {{Tree chart | Dav | | Mos | | Aar | | Sam |~|y|~| Aga |Dav=[[David of Bulgaria|David]] |Mos=[[Moses of Bulgaria|Moses]] |Aar=[[Aron of Bulgaria|Aron]] |Sam=[[Samuil of Bulgaria|Samuel of Bulgaria]] |Aga=[[Agatha (wife of Samuel of Bulgaria)|Agatha]]}} {{Tree chart | |,|-|-|-|-|-|-|-|(| | | | | | |)|-|-|-|-|v|-|-|-|-|v|-|-|-|-|.| }} {{Tree chart | IvV |y| Mar | | oth | | | | | Mir | | | und | | | und | | | GvR |IvV=[[Ivan Vladislav of Bulgaria|Ivan Vladislav]] |Mar=[[Maria (wife of Ivan Vladislav)|Maria]] |GvR=[[Gavril Radomir of Bulgaria|Gavril Radomir]] |Mir=[[Miroslava of Bulgaria|Miroslava]] |und=unknown daughter |oth=others }} {{Tree chart | |,|-|^|-|v|-|-|-|v|-|-|-|v|-|-|-|.| | | | | | | | | | | | | |:| }} {{Tree chart | Pre | | Aro | | Alu | | Tro | | Cat |~| IKo | | | | | | | | Pet |Pre=[[Presian (son of Ivan Vladislav)|Presian]] |Aro=Aron |Alu=[[Alusian of Bulgaria|Alusian]] |Tro=Troian |Cat=[[Catherine of Bulgaria|Catherine]] |IKo=[[Isaac I Komnenos|Isaac I Komnenos]] |Pet=[[Peter Delyan|Peter Delyan]] |oth=others}} {{Tree chart/end}}

==Nomenclature== [[File:Bitola Inscription, Museum of Bitola.jpg|thumb|250px|The [[Bitola inscription]] of [[Ivan Vladislav]], where he claims Bulgarian origin to himself and to his people.]] Contemporary Byzantine sources,<ref name="gibiV320">"Poems by John Geometres" in GIBI, vol.{{nbsp}}V, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, [http://www.promacedonia.org/gibi/5/gal/5_320.html p. 320]</ref><ref>{{Cite book|editor-last=Thurn|editor-first=Hans|title=Ioannis Scylitzae Synopsis historiarum|year=1973|location=Berlin-New York|publisher=De Gruyter|isbn=9783110022858|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=79jH-QXdf0EC|pages=255–256, 328–331, 343–344, 348–365}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title = Гръцки извори за българската история (ГИБИ), том III|trans-title=Greek Sources about Bulgarian History (GIBI)|volume=XIX|url=https://docs.yandex.ru/docs/view?url=ya-disk-public%3A%2F%2F8nNsL2ZYgv5RqfLXhwrCKjDJj1gJc5NE932scPhKmkDRsRG5J4B9tmEh2038LtiHq%2FJ6bpmRyOJonT3VoXnDag%3D%3D%3A%2F%D0%98%D0%91%D0%98%2019.%20%D0%93%D0%98%D0%91%D0%98.%20%D0%A2.%209.%20%D0%A7.%201.%201974.pdf&name=%D0%98%D0%91%D0%98%2019.%20%D0%93%D0%98%D0%91%D0%98.%20%D0%A2.%209.%20%D0%A7.%201.%201974.pdf|year=1974|quote=Theophylactus, the Byzantine [[Archbishopric of Ohrid|Archbishop of Achrida]] from 1078 to 1107, for example, calls Saint [[Clement of Ohrid]] a ''"Bulgarian"'' in his hagiography, and, in his numerous letters, makes a number of statements, e.g., ''"he has lived a long time in the land of the Bulgarians"'', refers to his enemies in the local population as ''"Bulgarians"'', addresses a letter to the ''"Bulgarians taught by him"'', etc.|pages=6–9}}</ref> contemporary Arab sources,<ref>{{citation|last=Ibn Sa'id D'Antioche|first=Yahya|title=Histoire de Yahya Ibn Sa'id D'Antioche. Edition critique du texte arabe préparé par Ignace Kratchkovsky. Translated into French by Françoise Micheau and Gérard Troupeau. In: Patrologia Orientalis, Volume 47|language=fr|year=1997|location=Turnhout, Belgium|publisher=Brepols|pages=407–408}}</ref> contemporary Bulgarian sources (see [[Bitola inscription]]) and the vast majority of modern scholars view the Cometopuli dynasty as an integral part and direct continuation of the First Bulgarian Empire.<ref>{{cite book |first=Daniel |last=Ziemann |title=Das Erste bulgarische Reich. Eine frühmittelalterliche Großmacht zwischen Byzanz und Abendland |language=de |trans-title=The First Bulgarian Empire. An early medieval great power between Byzantium and the Occident |series=Online handbook on the history of South-East Europe. Volume I: ''Rule and politics in Southeastern Europe until 1800'' |publisher=Institute for East and Southeast European Studies of the [[Leibniz Association]] |place=Regensburg |year=2016 |pages=41–43|url=https://hgsoe.ios-regensburg.de/fileadmin/doc/texte/Band1/Ziemann_Das_Erste_Bulgarische_Reich.pdf}}</ref><ref name="Fine">{{cite book|title = The Early Medieval Balkans, A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century |last = Fine | first = J. | year = 1991 | publisher = [[University of Michigan Press]] |pages=36–37, 189–193|isbn = 0-472-08149-7 }}</ref><ref>{{cite book|title = The Making of Byzantium (600–1025)|last = Whittow|first = Mark| year = 1996|publisher = [[University of California Press]]|location = [[Los Angeles]]|isbn = 0-520-20497-2|pages=196–297}}</ref><ref name="Crampton">{{citation|last=Crampton|first=Richard|title=A Concise History of Bulgaria|publisher=Cambridge University Press|location=New York|year=2005|isbn=0-521-85085-1 |pages=17–21}}</ref><ref name=Stephenson>Byzantium's Balkan frontier: a political study of the Northern Balkans, 900–1204, Author Paul Stephenson, Publisher Cambridge University Press, 2000, {{ISBN|0-521-77017-3}}, pp. 58–66.</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Holmes|first=Catherine|title=Biography of Basil II with notes on Scylitzes by Catherine Holmes|year=2022|url=http://www.roman-emperors.org/basilii.htm}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Stephenson |first=Paul |title=The Legend of Basil the Bulgar-Slayer |location=New York |publisher=Cambridge University Press |date= 2010 |isbn=978-0521815307 }}</ref> In this connection, reference is made, among other things, to [[Basil II]]'s nickname, the ''"Bulgar-Slayer"'', the Cometopuli's self-designation and designation of their state as ''"Bulgarians"'' and ''"Bulgaria"'', the designation ''"[[Archbishopric of Justiniana Prima and all Bulgaria]]"'' given to the successor of the autocephalous [[Bulgarian Patriarchate]], the designation ''"[[Bulgaria (theme)|Theme of Bulgaria]]"'' of the theme created out of the conquered Cometopuli's state, etc. etc. For example, according to [[John Van Antwerp Fine Jr.|John Fine]]:{{blockquote|''"Scholars at times (particularly Macedonian scholars who want to depict this as a distinctly Macedonian state) have tried to stress the differences between Samuel's state and the earlier Bulgarian state. The main difference seems to lie in the geographical locations of their centers; the earlier state had been centered near the Danube while Samuel's state was centered to the west in Macedonia. However, this geographical difference is quite irrelevant. Macedonia was simply a geographical term; there was then no Macedonian ethnic awareness. And though some historians may stress the Slavic character of Macedonia and claim there had never been Bulgars here, this too has little meaning. By Samuel's time whatever Bulgars there had been anywhere in Bulgaria or Macedonia were slavicized; moreover, Kuver's activities in Macedonia would have given this area some earlier Bulgar background as well. What is important is that Samuel called his state Bulgarian, a fact which shows that he considered it Bulgarian; furthermore, Byzantine sources called it Bulgarian also and treat Samuel simply as a ruler, continuing the former Bulgarian state."''<ref name="Fine"/>}}

Nevertheless, two [[Byzantinology|Byzantinologists]] working during the [[Cold War]], [[George Ostrogorsky]] and [[Dimitri Obolensky]] have questioned this, to various degrees, as its centres, [[Skopje]], [[Ohrid]], [[Prespa (medieval town)|Prespa]] and [[Bitola]], are located in what is currently referred to as the geographical [[region of Macedonia]] (however, the region at the time was known as [[Kutmichevitsa]], whereas the [[Macedonia (theme)|theme of Macedonia]] was in Southern [[Thrace]], with a capital at [[Adrianople]]).<ref name="ReferenceA">In The Bogomils: A Study in Balkan Neo-Manichaeism, Obolensky discusses the connection between the Bogomils and the Cometopuli, and traces the origin of both in Macedonia.</ref><ref>The probable toleration of heretics for political motives, may well have given rise to popular legend associating Tsar Samuel with Bogomilism, Obolensky, The Bogomils...</ref> George Ostrogorsky discusses the issue and concludes that to its creators and to the Byzantines it was simply Bulgarian kingdom, but for various geographical, political and religious factors he labels their state ''Macedonian Empire''.<ref>Georgije Ostrogorski, Geschichte des Byzantinischen Staates. C.H.Beck, 1963, {{ISBN|3-406-01414-3}}, s. 250–255.</ref>{{Request quotation|date=May 2026}}<ref>"Politically and ecclestistically the new empire was direct descendant of the empire of Simeon and Peter, and was regarded by Samuel and the Byzantines alike as being simply the Bulgarian Empire. For apart from Byzantium, only Bulgaria at that time possessed a tradition of empire with a patriarchate of its own". George Ostrogorsky, "The history of the Byzantine State" (Chapter VI – 6. The Apogee of Byzantine power – Basil II) pp. 301–302. Rutgers University Press, 1957.</ref> [[Dimitri Obolensky]] refers to Samuil's state as an "independent empire of Western Bulgaria" that originated in [[Macedonia (region)|Macedonia]].<ref name="ReferenceA"/> Historians in [[North Macedonia]] (see [[Macedonian historiography]]) refer to the Cometopuli's state as a "[[Macedonian Slavs|Slavic Macedonian]]" Empire.<ref>An outline of Macedonian history from ancient times to 1991. Macedonian Embassy London. Retrieved on 2007-04-28.</ref> However, this view is regarded as an example of backdated modern nationalism.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=ppbuavUZKEwC&q=samuil&pg=PA20 ''Who are the Macedonians?''] Hugh Poulton, C. Hurst & Co. Publishers, 2000, {{ISBN|1-85065-534-0}}, p. 20.</ref><ref name="Fine"/> For example, in his history of the medieval Balkans, Fine notes:{{blockquote|''"Until the late nineteenth century both outside observers and those Bulgaro-Macedonians who had an ethnic consciousness believed that their group, which is now two separate nationalities, comprised a single people, the Bulgarians. Thus the reader should ignore references to ethnic Macedonians in the Middle Ages which appear in some modern works. In the Middle Ages and into the nineteenth century, the term Macedonian was used entirely in reference to a geographical region. Anyone who lived within its confines, regardless of nationality, could be called a Macedonian. Nevertheless, the absence of a national consciousness in the past is no grounds to reject the Macedonians as a nationality today."''<ref name="Fine"/>}}

==See also== * [[Samuil's Inscription]] * [[History of Bulgaria]] * [[Armenians in Bulgaria]]

==Notes== {{notelist}}

==References== {{Reflist}}

==Literature== * Crampton, Richard. ''A Concise History of Bulgaria''. (2005). [[Cambridge University Press]]. {{ISBN|0521850851}} * Fine, J. ''The Early Medieval Balkans, A Critical Survey from the Sixth to the Late Twelfth Century'' (1991). [[University of Michigan Press]]. {{ISBN|0-472-08149-7}} * Holmes, Catherine. Biography of Basil II with notes on Scylitzes by Catherine Holmes (2022). [http://www.roman-emperors.org/basilii.htm online] * {{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/Adontz2018SamuelRoiDesBulgares/mode/2up|last=Nicholas|first=Adontz|chapter=Samuel l'Arménien, roi des Bulgares|pages=347–407|title=Études Arméno – byzantines|year=1965|place=Lisbon}} * Lang, David M. The Bulgarians, London, 1976. * Lang, David M. The Armenians. A People in Exile. London, 1981. * [[George Ostrogorsky|Ostrogorsky, George]], ''History of the Byzantine State''. tr. (from the German) by [[Joan Hussey]], rev. ed., Rutgers Univ. Press, 1969. * Dimitry Obolensky, "The Bogomils: A study in Balkan Neo-Manicheism", [[Cambridge University Press]] 1948 * {{cite book|title=The Universal History of Step'anos Tarōnec'i|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=HjwkDwAAQBAJ|first=Tim|last=Greenwood|publisher=Oxford University Press|year=2017|isbn=978-0198792512}} * Skylitzes, John. ''Ioannis Scylitzae Synopsis historiarum'' (1973). [[De Gruyter]]. {{ISBN|978-3110022858}} * Stephenson, Paul. ''The Legend of Basil the Bulgar-Slayer'' (2010). [[Cambridge University Press]]. {{ISBN|0521770173}} * Stephenson, Paul. ''Byzantium's Balkan Frontier: a Political Study of the Northern Balkans, 900–1204'' (2000). [[Cambridge University Press]]. {{ISBN|0-521-77017-3}} * {{cite book |first=Daniel |last=Ziemann |title=Das Erste bulgarische Reich. Eine frühmittelalterliche Großmacht zwischen Byzanz und Abendland |language=de |trans-title=The First Bulgarian Empire. An early medieval great power between Byzantium and the Occident |series=Online handbook on the history of South-East Europe. Volume I: ''Rule and politics in Southeastern Europe until 1800'' |publisher=Institute for East and Southeast European Studies of the Leibniz Association |place=Regensburg |year=2016 |url=https://hgsoe.ios-regensburg.de/fileadmin/doc/texte/Band1/Ziemann_Das_Erste_Bulgarische_Reich.pdf}}

[[Category:Cometopuli dynasty| ]]