Chaka of Bulgaria
Encyclopedia
Chaka reigned as emperor (tsar
) of Bulgaria
from 1299 to 1300. The date of his birth is unknown.
Chaka was the son of the Mongol leader Nogai Khan
by a wife named Alaka. Sometime after 1285 Chaka married an unnamed daughter of George Terter I
of Bulgaria. In the late 1290s, Chaka supported his father Nogai in a war against the legitimate khan of the Golden Horde
Toqta
, but Toqta was victorious and defeated and killed Nogai in 1299.
At about the same time Chaka had led his supporters into Bulgaria, intimidated the regency for Ivan II
into fleeing the capital, and imposed himself as ruler in Tărnovo
in 1299. It is not completely certain whether he reigned as Emperor of Bulgaria or simply acted as the overlord of his brother-in-law Theodore Svetoslav
. He is accepted as a ruler of Bulgaria by Bulgarian historiography.
Chaka did not long enjoy his new position of power, as the armies of Toqta
followed him into Bulgaria and besieged Tărnovo. Theodore Svetoslav, who had been instrumental in assisting Chaka's seizure of power, organized a plot in which Chaka was deposed and strangled in prison in 1300. His head was sent to Toqta, which in turn secured Theodore Svetoslav's position as the new emperor of Bulgaria. It seems that Theodore Svetoslav's cooperation contributed to the withdrawal of Mongol interference in Bulgaria.
. He had at least one son, born probably by a concubine:
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
) of Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
from 1299 to 1300. The date of his birth is unknown.
Chaka was the son of the Mongol leader Nogai Khan
Nogai Khan
Nogai , also called Isa Nogai, was a general and de facto ruler of the Golden Horde and a great-great-grandson of Genghis Khan. His grandfather was Baul/Teval Khan, the 7th son of Jochi...
by a wife named Alaka. Sometime after 1285 Chaka married an unnamed daughter of George Terter I
George I of Bulgaria
George Terter I ruled as emperor of Bulgaria 1280-1292. The date of his birth is unknown, and he died in 1308/1309.The reign of George Terter I represents a continuation of Bulgaria's precipitous decline during the second half of the 13th century...
of Bulgaria. In the late 1290s, Chaka supported his father Nogai in a war against the legitimate khan of the Golden Horde
Golden Horde
The Golden Horde was a Mongol and later Turkicized khanate that formed the north-western sector of the Mongol Empire...
Toqta
Toqta
Tokhta was a khan of the Golden Horde, son of Mengu-Timur and great grandson of Batu Khan.His name "Tokhtokh" means "hold/holding" in the Mongolian language....
, but Toqta was victorious and defeated and killed Nogai in 1299.
At about the same time Chaka had led his supporters into Bulgaria, intimidated the regency for Ivan II
Ivan II of Bulgaria
Ivan II , reigned as emperor of Bulgaria from 1298 to 1299. The date of his birth is unknown, but probably not much earlier than c. 1290. He died as a monk in exile before 1330.Ivan II succeeded his father Smilets as emperor in Tărnovo in 1298...
into fleeing the capital, and imposed himself as ruler in Tărnovo
Veliko Tarnovo
Veliko Tarnovo is a city in north central Bulgaria and the administrative centre of Veliko Tarnovo Province. Often referred to as the "City of the Tsars", Veliko Tarnovo is located on the Yantra River and is famous as the historical capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire, attracting many tourists...
in 1299. It is not completely certain whether he reigned as Emperor of Bulgaria or simply acted as the overlord of his brother-in-law Theodore Svetoslav
Theodore Svetoslav of Bulgaria
Theodore Svetoslav ruled as emperor of Bulgaria from 1300 to 1322. The date of his birth is unknown. He was a wise and capable ruler who brought stability and relative prosperity to the Bulgarian Empire after two decades of constant Mongol intervention in the internal issues of the Empire...
. He is accepted as a ruler of Bulgaria by Bulgarian historiography.
Chaka did not long enjoy his new position of power, as the armies of Toqta
Toqta
Tokhta was a khan of the Golden Horde, son of Mengu-Timur and great grandson of Batu Khan.His name "Tokhtokh" means "hold/holding" in the Mongolian language....
followed him into Bulgaria and besieged Tărnovo. Theodore Svetoslav, who had been instrumental in assisting Chaka's seizure of power, organized a plot in which Chaka was deposed and strangled in prison in 1300. His head was sent to Toqta, which in turn secured Theodore Svetoslav's position as the new emperor of Bulgaria. It seems that Theodore Svetoslav's cooperation contributed to the withdrawal of Mongol interference in Bulgaria.
Family
It is not known if Chaka had children from Elena, daughter of George I of BulgariaGeorge I of Bulgaria
George Terter I ruled as emperor of Bulgaria 1280-1292. The date of his birth is unknown, and he died in 1308/1309.The reign of George Terter I represents a continuation of Bulgaria's precipitous decline during the second half of the 13th century...
. He had at least one son, born probably by a concubine:
- Kara Küçük, who led a fragment of the Nogai Horde until after 1301.