Statehood is obviously one of the historical passions of the Bulgarians. Except the Chinese, Persians and Italians, few others can pride themselves on the ability to create more than one-two states. But even then it is a formation in one and the same territory in different times. The Bulgarians created their eight states in the enormous space from Pamir and Hindu Kush in the east to the Apennine Peninsula in the west. The most durable and historically most important is Danube Bulgaria, which lived through its medieval period in the 7th-14th centuries.
Bulgarian states
It is difficult to say why the other Bulgarian states came down the stage of history one after the other and disappeared. The Balkan provinces of Moesia, Dacia, Thrace and Macedonia are hardly the most tranquil European places in the Late Antiquity and the medieval period. Probably, the geopolitical vitality of Danube Bulgaria was due to the fact that Kan Asparuh brought over the elite of the Bulgarian community.
“So, after having expanded in these parts [the Bulgarians in Moesia], they became proud and started attacking and capturing the fortresses and the lands, which were under the rule of the Bizantines. Emperor [Constantine IV] was forced to sign a peace treaty with them, agreeing to pay annually a tax because of our many sins. “
The creation of Danube Bulgaria is connected with a precedent, unknown in the history of the “new Europeans” who had been called euphemistically “barbarians” before. It is the firmly established and unchangeable name of Bulgaria. The state appeared on the political map of the world under that name and has kept it until today. In this regard, the words of the Latin language chronicler Zigebert sound almost prophetic. After he describes the defeat of Emperor Constantine IV Pogonat at the Ongal of the estuary of the Danube, he concludes: “From now on, the Bulgarian Kingdom must be marked.”
From the beginning, even without much hesitation, Bulgarian aristocracy found the right direction of development of the country. Kan Tervel (700-721) was the second ruler of Danube Bulgaria who strengthened power and statehood. In 705, at the request of the former emperor, Justinian II, Kan Tervel helped him to return to the throne. For that, he obtained the first territory to the south of the Balkan Mountains (the Zagore Region) and the second in rank title in Byzantium, Cessar. He also received many gifts of silver, gold and silk.
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