Group
Bulgarian Empire (First)
The First Bulgarian Empire is a medieval Bulgarian state founded in the northeastern Balkans in c. 680 by the Bulgars, who subdue or drive out the Byzantines and make the South Slavic settlers their allies.
At the height of its power, it spreads between Budapest and the Black Sea and from the Dnieper River in modern Ukraine to the Adriatic Sea.
As the state solidifies its position in the Balkans, it enters into a centuries-long interaction, sometimes friendly and sometimes hostile, with the Byzantine Empire.
Bulgaria emerges as Byzantium's chief antagonist in the Balkans, resulting in several wars.
The two powers, however, also enjoyed periods of peace and alliance, most notably during the Second Arab siege of Constantinople, where the Bulgarian army plays a crucial role in breaking the siege.
Byzantium has a strong cultural influence on Bulgaria, which also leads to the eventual adoption of Christianity by Bulgaria in 864.
After the disintegration of the Avar Khaganate, the Bulgarians expand their territory up to the Pannonian Plain (in present-day Hungary).
Later, the Bulgarians confront the advance of the Pechenegs and Cumans, and achieve a decisive victory over the Magyars, forcing them to establish themselves permanently in Pannonia.
Member Cities
- Pliska > Shumen > Sumen Varna Bulgaria Capital
- Adrianople Edirne Turkey Location
- Aleppo > Halab Halab Syria Location
- Amasya Amasya Turkey Location
- Amisus > Samsun Samsun Turkey Location
- Amorium > Hisarköy Kutahya Turkey Location
- Ancyra > Ankara Ankara Turkey Location
- Antioch > Antakya Hatay Turkey Location
- Arcadiopolis > Lüleburgaz Kirklareli Turkey Location
- Belgrade > Beograd Serbia Serbia Location
- Bihac Bosnia & Herzegovina Location
- Blagoevgrad Sofiya Bulgaria Location
- Bucharest > Bucuresti Bucuresti Romania Location
- Burgas > Apollonia Burgas Bulgaria Location
- Chersonesos Khersons'ka Oblast Ukraine Location
- Constantinople > Istanbul Istanbul Turkey Location
- Constantinople Istanbul Turkey Location
- Damascus > Dimashq Dimashq Syria Location
- Deva Hunedoara Romania Location
- Dvin Ararat Armenia Location
- Dyrrhachium > Durrës Durrës Albania Location
- Györ Gyor-Moson-Sopron Hungary Location
- Karnobat Burgas Bulgaria Location
- Kaumburg Lower Austria Austria Location
- Krivoj Rog Dnipropetrovs'ka Oblast Ukraine Location
- Marcelae > Markeli Burgas Bulgaria Location
- Mesembria > Nesebur Burgas Bulgaria Location
- Nachicevan' > Nakhchivan City Naxçivan Azerbaijan Location
- Odessus > Varna Varna Bulgaria Location
- Ohrid Macedonia Location
- Philippi > Fílippoi Greece Location
- Pomorie Burgas Bulgaria Location
- Preslav > Veliki Preslav Bulgaria Location
- Quierzy-sur-Oise Aisne France Location
- Regensburg Bayern Germany Location
- Rish Pass Khaskovo Bulgaria Location
- Salonae > Split Split-Dalmatia Croatia Location
- Samosata > Samsat Adiyaman Turkey Location
- Samosdelka > Atil Astrakhanskaya Oblast Russia Location
- Serdica > Sofia Grad Sofiya Bulgaria Location
- Shumen > Sumen Varna Bulgaria Location
- Sis > Kozan Adana Turkey Location
- Sisak > Siscia Sisak-Moslavina Croatia Location
- Skopje Macedonia Location
- Stara Zagora Khaskovo Bulgaria Location
- Tarsus Icel Turkey Location
- Theodosiopolis > Erzurum Erzurum Turkey Location
- Thessalonica > Thessaloníki (Salonika) Thessaloniki Greece Location
- Tyana Nigde Turkey Location
- Ulpia Traiana Sarmizegetusa Romania Location
- Varbitsa Pass Varna Bulgaria Location
- Varbitsa Pass Varna Bulgaria Location
- Varna Varna Bulgaria Location