Peter of Bulgaria

   1) Tsar of Bulgaria (qq.v.) from 927-969; son of Symeon (q.v.). Unlike his bellicose father, Peter sought peace with Byzantium (q.v.), concluding a treaty (927) that lasted almost 40 years. This policy produced important concessions from Byzantium. Peter's title basileus (q.v.) of Bulgaria was recognized, as was the independence of the Bulgarian church. His marriage to Maria, daughter of the brother of Romanos I Lekapenos (q.v.), made Peter a subservient member of the imperial family. The remainder of his reign saw Bulgaria weakened by internal dissension with the Bogomils (q.v.) and by the plotting of his nobility. The weakness of Bulgaria toward the end of Peter's reign prompted Nikephoros II Phokas (q.v.) to rescind tribute in 966, and to encourage Svjatoslav (q.v.) to invade Bulgaria. This Svjatoslav did in 968, shortly before Peter died.

   2) Founder with his brother Asen I (q.v.) of the Second Bulgarian Empire in 1185; its capital was at Turnovo (q.v.). The brothers may have been Vlachs (q.v.), as suggested by Niketas Choniates (q.v.). By 1190 Peter andAsen had defeated every attempt of Isaac II Angelos (q.v.) to gain control of Bulgaria (q.v.). Peter's alliance with Isaac II in 1193 produced a split between the brothers. Peter died in Turnovo in 1197, a year after Asen was murdered by Ivanko (q.v.).