Gavril Radomir of Bulgaria
Encyclopedia
Gavril Radomir normally rendered as Gabriel Radomir in English
and Gavriil Romanos (Γαβριὴλ Ρωμανός) in Greek, was the ruler of the First Bulgarian Empire
from October 1014 to August or September 1015. He was the son of Samuel of Bulgaria. During his father's reign, his cousin Ivan Vladislav and Ivan's entire family were all sentenced by Samuel to death for treason. Gavril's intervention saved them. He is said also to have saved his fathr's life in the disastrous defeat of the Battle of Spercheios
and he was described as a gallant fighter
Around the same time that Emperor Basil II
captured the bulk of Samuel's army, Gavril and his forces defeated the army of Theophylactus Botaniates
. Having inherited Samuel's war with the Byzantine Empire
, Gavril Radomir raided Byzantine territory, reaching as far as Constantinople
. Unfortunately for him, however, the Byzantines secured the assistance of Ivan Vladislav, who owed his life to Gavril. Ivan murdered Radomir while hunting near Ostrovo
, and then took the throne for himself.
Some sources connect Gavrilo Radomir with the medieval dualist sect, Bogomilism
, a popular heretic movement that flourished in Macedonia
during his, and his father's reign.
Gavril Radomir married twice. His son Peter (II) Delyan played a role in attempting to secure independence for Bulgaria several decades later.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Gavriil Romanos (Γαβριὴλ Ρωμανός) in Greek, was the ruler of the First Bulgarian Empire
First Bulgarian Empire
The First Bulgarian Empire was a medieval Bulgarian state founded in the north-eastern Balkans in c. 680 by the Bulgars, uniting with seven South Slavic tribes...
from October 1014 to August or September 1015. He was the son of Samuel of Bulgaria. During his father's reign, his cousin Ivan Vladislav and Ivan's entire family were all sentenced by Samuel to death for treason. Gavril's intervention saved them. He is said also to have saved his fathr's life in the disastrous defeat of the Battle of Spercheios
Battle of Spercheios
The Battle of Spercheios took place in 997 AD, on the shores of the river of the same name in present-day central Greece. It was fought between a Bulgarian army led by Tsar Samuil, that in the previous year had penetrated far south into Greece, and a Byzantine army under the command of Nikephoros...
and he was described as a gallant fighter
Around the same time that Emperor Basil II
Basil II
Basil II , known in his time as Basil the Porphyrogenitus and Basil the Young to distinguish him from his ancestor Basil I the Macedonian, was a Byzantine emperor from the Macedonian dynasty who reigned from 10 January 976 to 15 December 1025.The first part of his long reign was dominated...
captured the bulk of Samuel's army, Gavril and his forces defeated the army of Theophylactus Botaniates
Theophylactus Botaniates
Theophylact Botaniates was an 11th-century Byzantine general and governor of Thessalonica. In 1014 the Byzantine Emperor Basil II invaded Bulgaria and reached the ramparts around the village of Klyuch . To distract his attention, the Bulgarian emperor Samuel sent a large army under Nestoritsa...
. Having inherited Samuel's war with the Byzantine Empire
Byzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
, Gavril Radomir raided Byzantine territory, reaching as far as Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
. Unfortunately for him, however, the Byzantines secured the assistance of Ivan Vladislav, who owed his life to Gavril. Ivan murdered Radomir while hunting near Ostrovo
Ostrovo
Ostrovo may refer to:*Arnissa, a town in Greece formerly called Ostrovo* Ostrovo, Croatia, a village near Markušica, Vukovar-Syrmia County, Croatia*Ostrovo , a village in Serbia*Ostrovo , a village in Serbia...
, and then took the throne for himself.
Some sources connect Gavrilo Radomir with the medieval dualist sect, Bogomilism
Bogomilism
Bogomilism was a Gnostic religiopolitical sect founded in the First Bulgarian Empire by the priest Bogomil during the reign of Tsar Petar I in the 10th century...
, a popular heretic movement that flourished in Macedonia
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
during his, and his father's reign.
Gavril Radomir married twice. His son Peter (II) Delyan played a role in attempting to secure independence for Bulgaria several decades later.
Family tree
Source
See also
- History of BulgariaHistory of BulgariaThe history of Bulgaria spans from the first settlements on the lands of modern Bulgaria to its formation as a nation-state and includes the history of the Bulgarian people and their origin. The first traces of human presence on what is today Bulgaria date from 44,000 BC...
- Comitopuli dynastyComitopuli dynastyThe Cometopuli dynasty was the last royal dynasty in the First Bulgarian Empire, ruling from ca. 976 until the fall of Bulgaria under Byzantine rule in 1018. The most notable member of the dynasty, tsar Samuel is famous for successfully resisting Byzantine conquest for more than 40 years.-Origin...
- Bitola inscriptionBitola inscriptionThe Bitola inscription is a medieval stone inscription written in Old Church Slavonic. It was found in 1956 during the demolition of an old Ottoman mosque in the town of Bitola, Republic of Macedonia and it is now kept at the Institute and Museum of Bitola epigraphic monument as "a marble slab with...