List of Bulgarian monarchs

The monarchs 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...

ruled the country, with interruptions, from the establishment 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...

in 681 to the abolition of monarchy in a manipulated referendum

Bulgarian republic referendum, 1946

A referendum on becoming a republic was held in Bulgaria on 8 September 1946. The result was 95.6% in favour of the change, with voter turnout reported to be 91.7%. Following the referendum, a republican constitution was introduced the following year....

held on 15 September 1946. The Bulgarian monarchy had two long periods of foreign domination: a century and a half of Byzantine rule and almost five centuries of Ottoman rule. Early Bulgarian rulers possibly used the title khan
Khan (title)
Khan is an originally Altaic and subsequently Central Asian title for a sovereign or military ruler, widely used by medieval nomadic Turko-Mongol tribes living to the north of China. 'Khan' is also seen as a title in the Xianbei confederation for their chief between 283 and 289...

, later knyaz
Knyaz
Kniaz, knyaz or knez is a Slavic title found in most Slavic languages, denoting a royal nobility rank. It is usually translated into English as either Prince or less commonly as Duke....

for a brief period, and subsequently tsar
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...

.

The title tsar, the Slavic form of the Latin

Latin

Latin is an Italic language originally spoken in Latium and Ancient Rome. It, along with most European languages, is a descendant of the ancient Proto-Indo-European language. Although it is considered a dead language, a number of scholars and members of the Christian clergy speak it fluently, and...

caesar

Caesar (title)

Caesar is a title of imperial character. It derives from the cognomen of Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator...

(meaning emperor) but in modern Bulgaria and in pre-1721 Russia equivalent to emperor

Emperor

An emperor is a monarch, usually the sovereign ruler of an empire or another type of imperial realm. Empress, the female equivalent, may indicate an emperor's wife or a woman who rules in her own right...

, was first adopted and used in Bulgaria

History of Bulgaria

The 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...

by Simeon I

Simeon I of Bulgaria

Simeon I the Great ruled over Bulgaria from 893 to 927, during the First Bulgarian Empire. Simeon's successful campaigns against the Byzantines, Magyars and Serbs led Bulgaria to its greatest territorial expansion ever, making it the most powerful state in contemporary Eastern Europe...

, following a decisive victory over 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...

in 913. It was also used by all of Simeon I's successors until the fall of Bulgaria under Ottoman

Ottoman Empire

The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...

rule in 1396. After Bulgaria's liberation from the Ottomans in 1878, its first monarch Alexander I adopted the title knyaz. However, when de jure independence was proclaimed under his successor Ferdinand in 1908, the title was elevated to the customary tsar once more. The use of tsar continued under Ferdinand and later under his heir Boris III

Boris III of Bulgaria

Boris III the Unifier, Tsar of Bulgaria , originally Boris Klemens Robert Maria Pius Ludwig Stanislaus Xaver , son of Ferdinand I, came to the throne in 1918 upon the abdication of his father, following the defeat of the Kingdom of Bulgaria during World War I...

until the abolition of monarchy in 1946. In international relations the title was used but foreign powers only recognized Bulgarian sovereigns as Kings and not Emperors.

In the few surviving medieval Bulgarian royal charters

Medieval Bulgarian royal charters

The medieval Bulgarian royal charters are some of the few secular documents of the medieval Bulgarian Empire . The eight preserved charters all date to the 13th and 14th century, the time of the Second Bulgarian Empire, and were issued by five tsars roughly between 1230 and 1380...

, the monarchs of Bulgaria styled themselves as “In Christ the Lord Faithful Emperor and Autocrat of all Bulgarians” or similar variations, sometimes including “... and Greeks”.

This list does not include the mythical Bulgar rulers and the rulers of Old Great Bulgaria

Old Great Bulgaria

Old Great Bulgaria or Great Bulgaria was а term used by Byzantine historians to refer to Onoguria during the reign of the Bulgar ruler Kubrat in the 7th century north of the Caucasus mountains in the steppe between the Dniester and Lower...

listed in the Nominalia of the Bulgarian khans

Nominalia of the Bulgarian khans

The Nominalia of the Bulgarian khans is a short manuscript containing the names of some early Bulgar rulers, their clans, the year of their ascending to the throne according to the cyclic Bulgar calendar and the length of their rule, including the times of joint rule and civil war...

as well as unsuccessful claimants to the throne who are not generally listed among the Bulgarian monarchs.

Image	Title	Name	Reign	Notes/Death
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... (681-1018)
Dulo dynasty Dulo clan The Dulo Clan or the House of Dulo was the name of the ruling dynasty of the early Bulgars.This was the clan of Kubrat who founded Old Great Bulgaria, and his sons Batbayan, Kuber and Asparuh, the latter of which founded Danube Bulgaria.... (681-753)
	Khan Khan (title) Khan is an originally Altaic and subsequently Central Asian title for a sovereign or military ruler, widely used by medieval nomadic Turko-Mongol tribes living to the north of China. 'Khan' is also seen as a title in the Xianbei confederation for their chief between 283 and 289...	Asparukh Asparukh of Bulgaria Asparuh was ruler of a Bulgar tribe in the second half of the 7th century and is credited with the establishment of the First Bulgarian Empire in 680/681...	681-700	Son of Khan Kubrat Kubrat Kubrat or Kurt was a Bulgar ruler credited with establishing the confederation of Old Great Bulgaria in 632. He is said to have achieved this by conquering the Avars and uniting all the Bulgar tribes under one rule.... , ruler of Old Great Bulgaria Old Great Bulgaria Old Great Bulgaria or Great Bulgaria was а term used by Byzantine historians to refer to Onoguria during the reign of the Bulgar ruler Kubrat in the 7th century north of the Caucasus mountains in the steppe between the Dniester and Lower... . After the victory in the battle of Ongal Battle of Ongal The Battle of Ongal took place in the summer of 680 in the Ongal area, an unspecified location in around the Danube delta near the Peuce Island... in 680 he formed the modern country Bulgaria. Died in 700 in battle against the Khazars Khazars The Khazars were semi-nomadic Turkic people who established one of the largest polities of medieval Eurasia, with the capital of Atil and territory comprising much of modern-day European Russia, western Kazakhstan, eastern Ukraine, Azerbaijan, large portions of the northern Caucasus , parts of... .
	Khan	Tervel Tervel of Bulgaria Khan Tervel also called Tarvel, or Terval, or Terbelis in some Byzantine sources, was the Emperor of the Bulgarians at the beginning of the 8th century. In 705 he received the title Caesar which was a precedent in history. He was probably a Christian like his grandfather Khan Kubrat...	700-721	Received the title Caesar Caesar (title) Caesar is a title of imperial character. It derives from the cognomen of Julius Caesar, the Roman dictator... in 705. Tervel was called by his contemporaries the Saviour of Europe referring to the decisive Bulgarian blow against the Arabs in the siege of Constantinople (717-718). Died in 721.
	Khan	Kormesiy Kormesiy of Bulgaria Kormesiy was a ruler of Danubian Bulgaria in the first half of the 8th century. Western chronicles name Kormesiy "the third ruler over the Bulgarians", and he is sometimes considered the direct successor of Tervel....	721-738	Unknown date of death.
	Khan	Sevar Sevar of Bulgaria Sevar was a ruler of Bulgaria in the 8th century.The Nominalia of the Bulgarian khans, which states that he belonged to the royal Dulo clan and ruled for 15 years. According to the chronology developed by Moskov, Sevar would have reigned 721–737...	738-753	Last ruler of the Dulo dynasty. Died of natural death or was dethroned in 753.
Vokil clan Uokil Uokil is one of Yuezhi tribes, defeated and displaced by the Hun's expansion in the 2nd century BC. Uokil may have been one of the two Yuezhi dynastic tribes. Traces of ethnonym "Uokil" are found in the East Mongolia and Manchuria territories in the Syanbi Uokil (Ukil, Vokil, Augal) is one of... (753-762)
	Khan	Kormisosh Kormisosh of Bulgaria Kormisosh was a ruler of Bulgaria during the 8th century.The Namelist of Bulgarian Rulers states that he belonged to the Ukil clan and ruled for 17 years. According to the chronology developed by Moskov, Kormisosh would have reigned from 737 to 754...	753-756	Beginning of a period of internal instability. Deposed in 756.
	Khan	Vinekh Vinekh of Bulgaria Vinekh was ruler of Bulgaria in the mid-8th century.According to the Namelist of Bulgarian Rulers, Vinekh reigned for 7 years and was a member of the Uokil clan . According to the chronology developed by Moskov, Vinekh would have reigned 754–762...	756-762	Murdered in 762.
Ugain clan (762-765)
	Khan	Telets Telets of Bulgaria Telets was the ruler of Bulgaria from 762 to 765.According to the Namelist of Bulgarian Rulers, Telets reigned for 3 years "instead of another", and he was a member of the Ugain clan. This is corroborated by the Byzantine sources, which indicate that Telets replaced the legitimate rulers of...	762-765	Murdered in 765.
Non-dynastic (765-766)
	Khan	Sabin Sabin of Bulgaria Sabin was the ruler of Bulgaria from 765 to 766.Some scholars think that Sabin was omitted from the Namelist of Bulgarian Rulers because he was a Slav, but his name could indicate Latin or even Iranian origins. He was related by marriage to Kormisosh, who was either a father-in-law or a...	765-766	Might have been of Slavic origin. Deposed by a People's Council in 766, fled to the Byzantine Empire.
Vokil clan (766)
	Khan	Umor Umor of Bulgaria Umor was the ruler of Bulgaria in 766.According to the Namelist of Bulgarian Rulers, Umor reigned for only 40 days in 766 and belonged to the Ukil clan, which makes him a relative of the former rulers Vinekh and possibly Kormisosh. The Byzantine sources indicate that his predecessor Sabin...	766	Ruled for only 40 days. Deposed in 766 and fled to the Byzantine Empire.
Non-dynastic (766-803)
	Khan	Toktu Toktu of Bulgaria Toktu was the ruler of Bulgaria 766–767.The Byzantine chronicler Patriarch Nikephoros records that Toktu was "a Bulgarian, and a brother of Bayan". Although this suggests that Bayan was a man of some importance, nothing more is definitely known about Toktu's basis of support...	766-767	Killed in the forests of the Danube Danube The Danube is a river in the Central Europe and the Europe's second longest river after the Volga. It is classified as an international waterway.... in 767 by the opposition.
	Khan	Pagan Pagan of Bulgaria Pagan was the ruler of Bulgaria 767–768.Pagan has been identified as a member of that faction of the Bulgarian aristocracy, which sought to establish peaceful relations with the Byzantine Empire...	767-768	Murdered by his servants in the region of Varna.
	Khan	Telerig Telerig of Bulgaria Telerig was the ruler of Bulgaria 768–777.Although Telerig is first mentioned in the Byzantine sources in 774, he is considered the immediate successor of Pagan, who was murdered in 768...	768-777	Fled to 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:... in 777 and baptised.
	Khan	Kardam Kardam of Bulgaria Kardam was the ruler of Bulgaria .The name of Kardam is first encountered in the Byzantine sources in 791, when Emperor Constantine VI embarked on an expedition against Bulgaria, in retaliation for Bulgarian incursions in the Struma valley since 789. Kardam pre-empted the Byzantine invasion and...	777-803	End of the internal crisis. Stabilization and consolidation of the country. Unknown date of death.
Krum/Dulo dynasty (803-977)
	Khan	Krum	803-814	Famous for the battle of Pliska Battle of Pliska The Battle of Pliska or Battle of Vărbitsa Pass was a series of battles between troops, gathered from all parts of the Byzantine Empire, led by the Emperor Nicephorus I Genik, and Bulgaria, governed by Khan Krum... in which the Byzantine emperor Nikephoros I Nikephoros I Nikephoros I or Nicephorus I, Logothetes or Genikos was Byzantine emperor from 802 to 811, when he was killed in the Battle of Pliska.... perished and for his laws. Died of natural death (very likely from stroke Stroke A stroke, previously known medically as a cerebrovascular accident , is the rapidly developing loss of brain function due to disturbance in the blood supply to the brain. This can be due to ischemia caused by blockage , or a hemorrhage... ) on 13 April 814. There are several theories on his death.
	Great Khan (Kanasubigi Kanasubigi Kanasubigi or Kana subigi, as it is written in Bulgarian Greek inscriptions, was a title of the Bulgars.The title khan for early Bulgar rulers is an assumed one, as only the form kanasubigi is attested in stone inscriptions... ), Ruler of the many Bulgarians	Omurtag Omurtag of Bulgaria Omurtag was a Great Khan of Bulgaria from 814 to 831. He is known as "the Builder".In the very beginning of his reign he signed a 30-year peace treaty with the neighboring Eastern Roman Empire which remained in force to the end of his life...	814-831	Known for his construction policy, the administrative reform and the persecution of the Christians.
	Khan	Malamir Malamir of Bulgaria Malamir was the ruler of Bulgaria 831–836.Malamir was a son of Omurtag and a grandson of Krum. His name may be of Slavic origin, and is claimed to be the first Bulgar khan to possess a Slavic name; however another theory is that it was an Iranian name, as there is an Iranian city named Malamir...	831-836	Third and youngest son of Omurtag. Died of natural death at early age.
	Khan	Presian I Presian I of Bulgaria Presian was the Khan of Bulgaria from 836–852. He ruled during an extensive expansion in Macedonia.-Origin:The composite picture of the Byzantine sources indicates that Presian I was the son of Zvinica , who was a son of Omurtag...	836-852	Almost the whole of 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... was included in Bulgaria.
	Khan/Prince (Knyaz Knyaz Kniaz, knyaz or knez is a Slavic title found in most Slavic languages, denoting a royal nobility rank. It is usually translated into English as either Prince or less commonly as Duke.... )	Boris I Boris I of Bulgaria Boris I, also known as Boris-Mihail and Bogoris was the Knyaz of First Bulgarian Empire in 852–889. At the time of his baptism in 864, Boris was named Michael after his godfather, Emperor Michael III...	852-889	Christianization of Bulgaria Christianization of Bulgaria The Christianization of Bulgaria was the process by which 9th-century medieval Bulgaria converted to Christianity. It was influenced by the khan's shifting political alliances with the kingdom of the East Franks and the Byzantine Empire, as well as his reception by the Pope of the Roman Catholic... ; adoption of Old Bulgarian Old Church Slavonic Old Church Slavonic or Old Church Slavic was the first literary Slavic language, first developed by the 9th century Byzantine Greek missionaries Saints Cyril and Methodius who were credited with standardizing the language and using it for translating the Bible and other Ancient Greek... as the official language of the State and the Church; recognition of an autocephalous Bulgarian Church. Abdicated in 883, died on 2 May 902, aged around 80. Proclaimed a Saint.
	Prince	Vladimir Vladimir of Bulgaria Vladimir-Rasate was the ruler of Bulgaria from 889 to 893.He became ruler of Bulgaria when his father Boris-Mihail I decided to retire to a monastery after a reign of 36 years...	889-893	Eldest son of Boris I. Tried to restore Tengriism Tengriism Tengriism is a Central Asian religion that incorporates elements of shamanism, animism, totemism and ancestor worship. Despite still being active in some minorities, it was, in old times, the major belief of Turkic peoples , Bulgars, Hungarians and Mongols... . Deposed and blinded by his father in 893.
	Prince/Emperor (Tsar 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... ) Emperor of the Bulgarians and the Romans (claimed) Emperor of the Bulgarians (recognized)	Simeon I Simeon I of Bulgaria Simeon I the Great ruled over Bulgaria from 893 to 927, during the First Bulgarian Empire. Simeon's successful campaigns against the Byzantines, Magyars and Serbs led Bulgaria to its greatest territorial expansion ever, making it the most powerful state in contemporary Eastern Europe...	893-927	Third son of Boris I, prepared for a cleric but enthroned during the Council of Preslav Council of Preslav The People's Council of Preslav took place in 893. It was among the most important events in the history of the First Bulgarian Empire and was a cornerstone of the Christianization of Bulgaria under prince Boris I.-Background and sources:... . Bulgaria reached its apogee and greatest territorial extend. Golden age of the Bulgarian culture. Died of heart attack on 27 May 927, aged 63.
	Emperor Emperor of the Bulgarians	Peter I Peter I of Bulgaria Peter I was emperor of Bulgaria from 27 May 927 to 969.-Early reign:Peter I was the son of Simeon I of Bulgaria by his second marriage to Maria Sursuvul, the sister of George Sursuvul. Peter had been born early in the 10th century, but it appears that his maternal uncle was very influential at...	927-969	Second son of Simeon I. His 42-year rule is the longest in Bulgarian history. Abdicated in 969 and died as a monk on 30 January 970. Proclaimed a Saint.
	Emperor	Boris II Boris II of Bulgaria Boris II was emperor of Bulgaria from 969 to 977 .-Reign:Boris II was the eldest surviving son of Emperor Peter I of Bulgaria and Maria Lakapena, a granddaughter of Emperor Romanos I Lakapenos of Byzantium...	970-971	Eldest son of Peter I. Dethroned by the Byzantines in 971. Accidentally killed by the Bulgarian border guards in 977 when he tried to return to the country.
	Emperor	Roman Roman of Bulgaria Roman was emperor of Bulgaria from 977 to 997 .-Reign:Roman was the second surviving son of Emperor Peter I of Bulgaria by his marriage with Maria Lakapene, the granddaughter of the Byzantine Emperor Romanos I Lakapenos...	977-991 (997)	Second son of Peter I. Castrated by the Byzantines but escaped to Bulgaria in 977. Captured in battle by the Byzantines in 991 and died in prison in Constantinople in 997.
Cometopuli dynasty (997-1018)
	Emperor Emperor of the Bulgarians	Samuel	997-1014	Co-ruler and general under Roman between 976 and 997. Officially proclaimed Emperor of Bulgaria in 997. Died of heart attack on 6 October 1014, aged 69-70.
	Emperor	Gavril Radomir Gavril Radomir of Bulgaria Gavril Radomir , normally rendered as Gabriel Radomir in English and Gavriil Romanos 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...	1014-1015	Eldest son of Samuel, crowned on 15 October 1014. Murdered by his cousin Ivan Vladislav in August 1015.
	Emperor	Ivan Vladislav Ivan Vladislav of Bulgaria Ivan Vladislav ruled as emperor of Bulgaria from August or September 1015 to February 1018. The year of his birth is unknown, but he was born at least a decade before 987, but probably not much earlier than that....	1015-1018	Son of Aron and nephew of Samuel. Killed in the siege of Drach Durrës Durrës is the second largest city of Albania located on the central Albanian coast, about west of the capital Tirana. It is one of the most ancient and economically important cities of Albania. Durres is situated at one of the narrower points of the Adriatic Sea, opposite the Italian ports of Bari... . His death brought the end of the First Bulgarian Empire which was annexed by the Byzantine Empire.
Proclaimed monarchs during the Byzantine rule (1018–1185)
Cometopuli dynasty
	Emperor	Peter II Delyan Peter Delyan Peter Delyan was the leader of the local Bulgarian uprising against the Byzantine rule, started in the Theme of Bulgaria during summer of 1040. He was proclaimed Tsar of Bulgaria, as Samuel`s grandson in Belgrade...	1040-1041	Claimed to have been descendent of Gavril Radomir. Led an unsuccessful uprising against Byzantine rule.
	Emperor	Peter III	1072	Named Constantine Bodin and Descendent of Samuel, he was proclaimed Emperor of Bulgaria after the sainted emperor Peter I during the Uprising of Georgi Voiteh Uprising of Georgi Voiteh The Uprising of Georgi Voiteh was a Bulgarian uprising against the Byzantine Empire in 1072. It was the second major attempt to restore the Bulgarian Empire after the Uprising of Peter Delyan in 1040-1041.... . Between 1081 and 1101 he ruled as King of Duklja Duklja Doclea or Duklja was a medieval state with hereditary lands roughly encompassing the territories of present-day southeastern Montenegro, from Kotor on the west to the river Bojana on the east and to the sources of Zeta and Morača rivers on the north.... .
Second Bulgarian Empire Second Bulgarian Empire The Second Bulgarian Empire was a medieval Bulgarian state which existed between 1185 and 1396 . A successor of the First Bulgarian Empire, it reached the peak of its power under Kaloyan and Ivan Asen II before gradually being conquered by the Ottomans in the late 14th-early 15th century... (1185–1396)
Asen dynasty Asen dynasty The Asen dynasty ruled a medieval Bulgarian state, called in modern historiography the Second Bulgarian Empire, between 1187 and 1280.The Asen dynasty and the Second Bulgarian Empire rose as the leaders of a rebellion against the Byzantine Empire at the turn of the year 1185/1186 caused by the...
	Emperor	Peter IV Peter IV of Bulgaria Peter IV ruled as emperor of Bulgaria 1185–1197. Together with his brother Asen he managed to restore the Bulgarian Empire after nearly 170 years of Byzantine domination.-Name:...	1185-1190	Named Theodore, he was proclaimed Emperor of Bulgaria as Peter IV during the successful Uprising of Asen and Peter. In 1190 he gave the throne to his younger brother.
	Emperor	Ivan Asen I Ivan Asen I of Bulgaria Ivan Asen I ruled as emperor of Bulgaria 1189–1196. The year of his birth is unknown.-Life:...	1190-1196	Younger brother of Peter IV. A successful general, he ruled until 1196 when he was murdered by his cousin Ivanko Ivanko of Bulgaria Ivanko killed Ivan Asen I, ruler of the renascent Second Bulgarian Empire, in 1196. The murder occurred when Asen angrily summoned Ivanko to discipline him for having an affair with his wife's sister.... .
	Emperor	Peter IV Peter IV of Bulgaria Peter IV ruled as emperor of Bulgaria 1185–1197. Together with his brother Asen he managed to restore the Bulgarian Empire after nearly 170 years of Byzantine domination.-Name:...	1196-1197	Murdered in 1197.
	Emperor Emperor of Bulgarians and Vlachs	Kaloyan Kaloyan of Bulgaria Kaloyan the Romanslayer , Ivan II , ruled as emperor of Bulgaria 1197-1207. He is the third and youngest brother of Peter IV and Ivan Asen I who managed to restore the Bulgarian Empire...	1197-1207	Third brother of Asen and Peter. Expanded Bulgaria and concluded a Union with the Catholic Church. Murdered by plotters during the siege of Salonica Thessaloniki Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace... .
	Emperor	Boril Boril of Bulgaria Boril reigned as emperor of Bulgaria from 1207 to 1218. He was the son of an unnamed sister of his predecessor Kaloyan.-Biography:It is unclear whether Boril was party to the murder of Kaloyan in front of the walls of Thessalonica in 1207, but Kaloyan's intended heirs, his nephews Ivan Asen and...	1207-1218	Son of a sister of Kaloyan. Deposed and blinded in 1218.
	Emperor Emperor of the Bulgarians and the Greeks	Ivan Asen II Ivan Asen II of Bulgaria -Early rule:He was a son of Ivan Asen I of Bulgaria and Elena . Elena, who survived until after 1235, is sometimes alleged to be a daughter of Stefan Nemanja of Serbia, but this relationship is questionable and would have caused various canonical impediments to marriages between various descendants...	1218-1241	Eldest son of Ivan Asen I. The Second Bulgarian Empire reached its apogee. Died of natural death on 24 June 1241, aged 46-47.
	Emperor	Kaliman I Asen Kaliman I of Bulgaria Kaliman Asen I , reigned as emperor of Bulgaria from 1241 to 1246. Kaliman Asen I was the son of Ivan Asen II and Anna Maria of Hungary. His maternal grandparents were Andrew II of Hungary and Gertrude of Merania....	1241-1246	Son of Ivan Asen II. Born in 1234, he died or was poisoned in 1246, aged 12.
	Emperor	Michael II Asen Michael Asen I of Bulgaria Michael II Asen of Bulgaria , ruled as emperor of Bulgaria from 1246 to 1256. He was the son of Ivan Asen II and his third wife Irene Komnene of Epirus , daughter of Theodore I Ducas of the Despotate of Epirus...	1246-1256	Son of Ivan Asen II. Murdered by his cousin Kaliman.
	Emperor	Kaliman II Asen	1256	Murdered in 1256.
	Emperor	Mitso Asen Mitso Asen of Bulgaria -Reign:Mitso Asen ascended the throne by virtue of his marriage to Maria, a daughter of Ivan Asen II of Bulgaria by Irene Komnene of Epirus. The dates of his birth and death are unknown...	1256-1257	Fled to the Nicaean Empire in 1261.
	Emperor In Christ the Lord Faithful Emperor and Autocrat of the Bulgarians	Constantine Tikh Asen Constantine Tikh of Bulgaria Constantine I , which includes the shortened form of the name of his father as a patronymic), ruled as emperor of Bulgaria from 1257 to 1277....	1257-1277	Bolyar of Skopie. Murdered in 1277 by the peasant leader Ivaylo.
	Emperor	Ivan Asen III Ivan Asen III of Bulgaria Ivan Asen III , ruled as emperor of Bulgaria 1279–1280. Ivan Asen III was the son of Mitso Asen of Bulgaria and Maria of Bulgaria, a daughter of Ivan Asen II of Bulgaria and Irene of Thessalonica...	1279-1280	Eldest son of Mitso Asen. Fled to Constantinople with the treasury.
Non-dynastic
	Emperor	Ivaylo Ivaylo of Bulgaria Ivaylo, also spelled Ivailo, , nicknamed Bardokva or Lakhanas in Greek, was a rebel leader and emperor of Bulgaria. In 1277, he spearheaded a peasant uprising, and forced the nobles to accept him as emperor...	1277-1280	Leader of a major peasant uprising Uprising of Ivaylo The Uprising of Ivaylo was an uprising of the Bulgarian peasantry against the Emperor Constantine Tikh and the Bulgarian nobility. The revolt was fuelled by resentment at the beginning feudalization of the Bulgarian Empire, as well as by the failure to confront the Mongol menace over north-eastern... . Fled to 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... but was murdered by the Mongol Khan Nogai 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... .
Terter dynasty Terter dynasty Terter , also Terterids or Terterovtsi , was a Bulgarian noble and royal house that ruled the Second Bulgarian Empire between 1280 and 1292, as well as between 1300 and 1323.The Terterids were originally of Cuman origin Terter , also Terterids or Terterovtsi (Тертеровци), was a Bulgarian noble and... (1280–1292)
	Emperor	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...	1280-1292	Bolyar of Cherven Cherven (fortress) The stronghold of Cherven was one of the Second Bulgarian Empire's primary military, administrative, economic and cultural centres between the 12th and the 14th century... . Fled to the Byzantine Empire in 1292, died Bulgaria in 1308-1309.
Non-dynastic (1292–1300)
	Emperor	Smilets Smilets of Bulgaria Smilets reigned as emperor of Bulgaria from 1292 to 1298. The date of his birth is unknown.Although Smilec is credited with being descended "from the noblest family of the Bulgarians", his antecedents are completely unknown...	1292-1298	Bolyar of Kopsis Anevo Fortress The Anevo Fortress or Kopsis is a medieval castle in central Bulgaria, the ruins of which are located some from the village of Anevo in Sopot Municipality, Plovdiv Province. Constructed in the first half of the 12th century, it lies on a steep hilltop at the southern foot of the Balkan... . Murdered or died of natural death in 1298.
	Emperor	Chaka Chaka of Bulgaria Chaka reigned as emperor 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...	1299-1300	Son of the Mongol Nogai Khan. Deposed and strangled in prison in 1300.
Terter dynasty (1300–1322)
	Emperor	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...	1300-1321	Son of George Terter I. Spent his youth as a hostage in the Golden Horde. His rule marked a revival of Bulgaria. Died of natural death in the late 1321, aged 50-55.
	Emperor	George Terter II George II of Bulgaria George Terter II reigned as emperor of Bulgaria 1321–1322. The date of his birth is unknown, but he was born not long before 1307.George Terter II was the son of Theodore Svetoslav and Euphrosyne, and was named after his paternal grandfather George Terter I. It is possible that he was associated...	1321-1322	Son of Theodore Svetoslav. Died of natural death in the late 1322.
Shishman dynasty Shishman Shishman , also Shishmanids or Shishmanovtsi , was a medieval Bulgarian royal dynasty of partial Cuman origin.The Shishman dynasty consecutively ruled the Second Bulgarian Empire for approximately one century, from 1323 to 1422, when it was conquered by the Ottomans... (1323–1396)
	Emperor	Michael III Shishman Michael Shishman of Bulgaria Michael Asen III ), ruled as emperor of Bulgaria from 1323 to 1330. The exact year of his birth is unknown but it was between 1280 and 1292. He was the founder of the last ruling dynasty of the Second Bulgarian Empire, the Shishman dynasty...	1323-1330	Bolyar of Vidin Vidin Vidin is a port town on the southern bank of the Danube in northwestern Bulgaria. It is close to the borders with Serbia and Romania, and is also the administrative centre of Vidin Province, as well as of the Metropolitan of Vidin... . Mortally wounded in the battle of Velbazhd on 28 July 1330 against the Serbs.
	Emperor	Ivan Stephen Ivan Stephen of Bulgaria Ivan Stefan ruled as emperor of Bulgaria for eight months from 1330 to 1331. He was the eldest son of emperor Michael III Shishman and Anna Neda of Serbia, a daughter of King Stefan Uroš II Milutin of Serbia. Ivan Stephen was descendent to the Terter dynasty, the Asen dynasty and the Shishman...	1330-1331	Son of Michael III Shishman. Deposed in March 1331 and fled to Serbia. Might have died in 1373.
	Emperor In Christ the Lord Faithful Emperor and Autocrat of all Bulgarians and Greeks	Ivan Alexander Ivan Alexander of Bulgaria Ivan Alexander , also known as John Alexander, ruled as Emperor of Bulgaria from 1331 to 1371, during the Second Bulgarian Empire. The date of his birth is unknown. He died on February 17, 1371. The long reign of Ivan Alexander is considered a transitional period in Bulgarian medieval history...	1331-1371	Bolyar of Lovech Lovech Lovech is a town in north-central Bulgaria with a population of 36,296 as of February 2011. It is the administrative centre of the Lovech Province and of the subordinate Lovech Municipality. The town is located about 150 km northeast from the capital city of Sofia... . Descended of the Asen, Terter and Shishman dynasties. Second Golden Age of Bulgarian culture. Died of natural death on 17 February 1371, leaving Bulgaria divided among his sons.
	Emperor In Christ the Lord Faithful Emperor and Autocrat of all Bulgarians and Greeks	Ivan Shishman Ivan Shishman of Bulgaria Ivan Shishman ruled as emperor of Bulgaria in Tarnovo from 1371 to 3 July 1395. The authority of Ivan Shishman was limited to the central parts of the Bulgarian Empire. His indecisive and inconsistent policy did little to prevent the fall of his country under Ottoman rule. In 1393 the Ottoman...	1371-1395	Fourth son of Ivan Alexander. Beheaded by the Ottomans on 3 June 1395.
	Emperor Emperor of the Bulgarians	Ivan Sratsimir Ivan Sratsimir of Bulgaria Ivan Sratsimir or Ivan Stratsimir was emperor of Bulgaria in Vidin from 1356 to 1396. He was born in 1324 or 1325, and he died in or after 1397. Despite being the eldest surviving son of Ivan Alexander, Ivan Sratsimir was disinherited in favour of his half-brother Ivan Shishman and proclaimed...	1356-1396	Third son of Ivan Alexander. Ruled in Vidin. Captured by the Ottomans in 1396 and imprisoned in Bursa where he was strangled.
Principality of Bulgaria Principality of Bulgaria The Principality of Bulgaria was a self-governing entity created as a vassal of the Ottoman Empire by the Treaty of Berlin in 1878. The preliminary treaty of San Stefano between the Russian Empire and the Porte , on March 3, had originally proposed a significantly larger Bulgarian territory: its... and Kingdom of Bulgaria Kingdom of Bulgaria The Kingdom of Bulgaria was established as an independent state when the Principality of Bulgaria, an Ottoman vassal, officially proclaimed itself independent on October 5, 1908 . This move also formalised the annexation of the Ottoman province of Eastern Rumelia, which had been under the control... (1878–1946)
House of Battenberg Battenberg family The Battenberg family was a morganatic branch of the House of Hesse-Darmstadt, rulers of the Grand Duchy of Hesse in Germany. The first member was Julia Hauke, whose brother-in-law Grand Duke Louis III of Hesse created her Countess of Battenberg with the style Illustrious Highness in 1851, at her...
	Prince	Alexander I	29 April 1879 - 7 September 1886	Resigned due to Russian pressure. Died on 23 October 1893 in Graz Graz The more recent population figures do not give the whole picture as only people with principal residence status are counted and people with secondary residence status are not. Most of the people with secondary residence status in Graz are students... .
House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha The House of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha is a German dynasty, the senior line of the Saxon House of Wettin that ruled the Ernestine duchies, including the duchy of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha....
	Prince/King (Tsar)	Ferdinand I Ferdinand I of Bulgaria Ferdinand , born Ferdinand Maximilian Karl Leopold Maria of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha-Koháry, was the ruler of Bulgaria from 1887 to 1918, first as knyaz and later as tsar...	7 July 1887 - 3 October 1918	Became Tsar (internationally recognized as King) after the official proclamation of independence on 22 September 1908. Abdicated on 3 October 1918 after the defeat in World War I World War I World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918... . Died on 10 September 1948 in Coburg Coburg Coburg is a town located on the Itz River in Bavaria, Germany. Its 2005 population was 42,015. Long one of the Thuringian states of the Wettin line, it joined with Bavaria by popular vote in 1920... .
	King (Tsar)	Boris III Boris III of Bulgaria Boris III the Unifier, Tsar of Bulgaria , originally Boris Klemens Robert Maria Pius Ludwig Stanislaus Xaver , son of Ferdinand I, came to the throne in 1918 upon the abdication of his father, following the defeat of the Kingdom of Bulgaria during World War I...	3 October 1918 - 28 August 1943	Died on 28 August 1943 in unclear circumstances.
	King (Tsar)	Simeon II Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha Simeon Borisov of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Tsar Simeon II or Simeon II of Bulgaria is an important political and royal figure in Bulgaria...	28 August 1943 - 15 September 1946	Monarchy abolished by the Communists. He served as the 47th Prime Minister of Bulgaria between 24 July 2001 and 17 August 2005.