Simeon I - biography, photographs. Simeon I: biography Bulgarian Tsar Simeon 1

Chercher 03.06.2024

Painting

The Golden Age of the Bulgarian state is associated with the name of Tsar Simeon. His military campaigns against the Byzantine Empire, the Hungarians and the Serbs, brought the Bulgarian state to a territorial apogee comparable only to the era of Krum. Bulgaria has become the most powerful state in the Balkans and throughout Eastern Europe.

In his time, Bulgaria extended from Budapest, the northern slopes of the Carpathians and the Dnieper in the north to the Adriatic Sea in the west, the Aegean Sea in the south and the Black Sea in the east.

The era of Simeon I was characterized by an unprecedented cultural upsurge, which was later called the golden age of Bulgarian civilization.

The state concept that Simeon approved was the construction of a civilized, Christian and Slavic state led by an emperor (tsar), an independent (autocephalous) national church led by a patriarch, and significant book schools.

early years

Simeon was born in 864 (or 865), when Bulgaria was already Christian. He was the third son of Prince Boris and a descendant of Khan Krum. Since the throne was intended for his elder brother Vladimir, Simeon was being groomed to become the head of the Bulgarian church. He received an excellent education at the most prestigious university of his time - the Magnaur School in Constantinople. Around 888 Simeon returned to Bulgaria and went to the Preslav Monastery.

Meanwhile (889), Prince Boris I also went into a monastery, and Vladimir Rasate, who reigned, tried to restore paganism.

Boris left the monastery, dethroned and blinded his eldest son (893), after which he convened a church-people's council.

The Council made three important decisions: it declared the Bulgarian (Church Slavonic) language the official and only language of the church and state, moved the capital from Pliska to Veliki Preslav and elevated Simeon I to the Bulgarian throne.

Trade war with Byzantium and attack by the Hungarians (893-895)

Immediately after Simeon's coronation, Bulgarian-Byzantine relations began to become complicated. The Byzantine Emperor Leo VI the Philosopher moved the trade of Bulgarian merchants from Constantinople to Thessaloniki and increased customs duties. Simeon I's attempts to solve the problem peacefully were unsuccessful. The emperor relied on the inexperience of the new ruler of Bulgaria, but was mistaken.

Father of Peter I. Came to power after Boris I overthrew his reigning son Vladimir Rasate, who led the pagan reaction.

Simeon was born in 864 (or 865), when Bulgaria was already Christian. He was the third son of Prince Boris and a descendant of Khan Krum. Since the throne was intended for his elder brother Vladimir, Simeon was being prepared to become the head of the Bulgarian church. He received an excellent education at the Magnaur school in Constantinople. Around 888 Simeon returned to Bulgaria and went to the Preslav Monastery..

Meanwhile (889), Prince Boris I also went into a monastery, and Vladimir Rasate, who reigned, tried to restore paganism.

Boris left the monastery, dethroned and blinded his eldest son (893), after which he convened a church-people's council.

In the fall of 894, Simeon I invaded Eastern Thrace (in the Middle Ages this region was called Macedonia) and defeated the Byzantine army in a battle in the vicinity of Adrianople. The Roman commander Krinit was killed, and the imperial guard, consisting of Khazars, was captured. The Bulgarian prince ordered the noses of the guards to be cut off and released to the emperor. These events were later called by Bulgarian historians "the first trade war in medieval Europe".

Leo VI resorted to the traditional method of Byzantine diplomacy: setting the enemy against his enemy. With generous handouts, he convinced the Hungarians to attack the Bulgarians. At the same time, the famous commander Nikephoros Phocas the Old (840-900) was recalled from Italy and in the spring of 895 led the Byzantine army.

Simeon immediately set out on a campaign against Nicephorus, but the Romans offered peace and began negotiations. Not trusting the Byzantines, Simeon I threw the imperial envoy into prison, left most of his army in the south against Byzantium, and he himself went north to fight the Hungarians. This campaign started unsuccessfully for the Bulgarians and the prince himself had to seek refuge in the Dristr fortress. As a result, Simeon concluded a truce with Byzantium in order to concentrate on the war with the Hungarians.

Prince Simeon turned out to be a worthy student of Byzantine diplomacy and concluded an anti-Hungarian treaty with the Pechenegs.

In the spring of 896, Simeon moved rapidly north and met the Hungarians in a decisive battle at the Battle of the Southern Bug (modern Ukraine). In a fierce battle, the Hungarians (probably led by the legendary Arpad) suffered a heavy defeat. The Pechenegs drove the defeated Hungarians far to the west, as a result of which they settled in modern Hungary. Some historians claim that the decisive battle took place a year earlier (895) south of the Danube, and in 896 the Bulgarians carried out a punitive campaign against the Southern Bug.

Simeon “returned proud of victory and triumphant” and became “even more arrogant” (John Skylitzes and Leo Gramatik). In the summer of 896 he again moved south, completely destroyed the Roman troops at the Battle of Bulgarofigon and besieged Constantinople.

Byzantium had to sign peace, cede to Bulgaria the territory between modern Strandzha and the Black Sea and pay it an annual tribute. Bulgarian merchants returned to Constantinople.

Meanwhile, the Bulgarian ruler established his control over Serbia in exchange for the recognition of Petar Gojnikovich as a Serbian prince.

Simeon constantly violated the peace treaty and attacked Byzantium, seizing more and more territories.

A new peace treaty (904) established Bulgarian sovereignty over Northern Greece and most of modern Albania. The border between Bulgaria and Byzantium passed 20 km north of Thessaloniki.

In May 912, Leo VI the Philosopher died and the throne was occupied by his brother Alexander as regent under the young Constantine VII Porphyrogenitus. In the spring of 913 he refused to pay the annual tribute to Bulgaria. Simeon began military preparations, but Alexander died before the Bulgarians went on the offensive, leaving the empire in the hands of a regency council led by Patriarch Nicholas the Mystic. The Patriarch made great efforts to convince Simeon not to attack Byzantium, but attempts to resolve the matter peacefully were unsuccessful.

In July - August 913, the Bulgarian army besieged Constantinople. New negotiations approved the renewal of tribute and the marriage of Constantine VII to one of the daughters of the Bulgarian ruler, which would turn Simeon into a basileopator (father-in-law of the emperor) and would give him the opportunity to rule Byzantium.

But the most significant part of the agreement is the official recognition of Simeon as king and emperor of the Bulgarians by the Roman Patriarch Nicholas the Mystic in the Blachernae Palace in Constantinople (August 913).

The act was of great significance and represented a revolution in the Byzantine ecumenical doctrine, according to which there is only one God in heaven and only one emperor on earth - the emperor of Byzantium. He is called to be the true master and father of all peoples, and other rulers are only his sons, and power can be vested exclusively with imperial permission.

In February 914, Zoya Carbonopsina, mother of Constantine VII, abolished the regency council and seized power in Byzantium. She immediately renounced recognition of Simeon's imperial title and refused a possible marriage between her son and Simeon's daughter.

War was the only alternative for the Bulgarian Tsar. Simeon again invaded Thrace and captured Adrianople. Byzantium began preparations for a decisive war with Bulgaria.

In the spring of 917, Byzantium's preparations for war were in full swing. The Romans negotiated simultaneously with the Pechenegs, Hungarians and Serbs for a joint fight against Bulgaria. In June 917, peace was concluded with the Arab Caliphate, which allowed Byzantium to concentrate all its resources on the war against the Bulgarians. Elite troops and capable officers from all provinces from Armenia to Italy concentrated in Constantinople. The Bulgarians had to experience the full power of the Empire.

After the solemn prayer service, a miraculous cross was brought out, before which everyone bowed and vowed to win or die. To further raise the spirit of the soldiers, they were paid money in advance. The Empress and Patriarch escorted the troops to the city gates. The Byzantines moved north along the Black Sea coast. The army was under the command of Master Leo Phocas, and the fleet was under the command of the future emperor of the Drungarian fleet (admiral) Roman Lekapin.

On August 20, 917, north of the port of Anhialo on the Aheloy River, the Romans and the Bulgarians met in a decisive battle. This was undoubtedly one of the greatest battles of the Middle Ages. According to the chroniclers, it can be concluded that the Bulgarians used their traditional maneuver - an offensive, a false retreat and a decisive counter-offensive (Markeli 792, Versinikia 813, Thessaloniki 996, Adrianople 1205). When the Byzantines became carried away in pursuit of the retreating Bulgarians, losing strict order and opening their left flank, Simeon threw heavy cavalry from the north-west, and the entire Bulgarian army launched a counter-offensive. The cavalry attack, led by the king himself (Simeon's horse was killed), was so swift and unexpected that it immediately swept away the left flank and reached the rear of the Byzantines. The Romans, pushed back to the sea and attacked from three sides, were completely destroyed. The commander-in-chief Leo Phocas barely managed to escape, and the rest of the Byzantine commanders died. The battle was, according to the chronicler Simeon Logothetes, “ which has not happened for centuries". Leo the Deacon, who visited the battle site 50 years later, noted: “ And today you can see near Achelous heaps of bones of the then shamefully beaten, fleeing Roman army". The Bulgarian army rushed into its usual decisive strategic pursuit (after the victory at Ongle (680), the Bulgarians pursued the Byzantines for 150-200 km).

The Pecheneg-Hungarian attack from the north failed. The Serbs also did not dare to confront Bulgaria.

Byzantium received no help, and the Bulgarian army was already approaching its capital. In a desperate attempt to stop the Bulgarians, the Empire gathered all the troops it still had and, joining the remnants of the defeated Achelous army, went out against the Bulgarian army. According to the Roman chronicler Theophanes the Continuator, the Byzantine army was numerous. The commander-in-chief of the Romans was Lev Foka, thirsty for revenge, with his assistant Nikolai, son of Duca.

This is how the battle of Katasirts took place, near Constantinople. It was a night battle in which the Bulgarians attacked the Byzantines and defeated them again. Lev Foka fled again, and Nikolai died. The path to Constantinople was open to the army of King Simeon.

However, the Bulgarian army returned back to Bulgaria. Just as after the Battle of Cannae, when Hanibal did not continue his attack on Rome, historians cannot satisfactorily explain why Simeon did not march on Constantinople.

Immediately after the end of the campaign against Byzantium, Simeon overthrew Petar Gojnikovich, who tried to betray him, from the Serbian throne and threw him into prison. In his place, the tsar appointed his protégé Pavel Branovich.

On Simeon’s initiative, a church council was convened (917 or 918), which proclaimed the independence of the Bulgarian Church, and the newly elected patriarch consecrated Simeon’s title “ Simeon, by the will of Christ God, autocrat of all Bulgarians and Romans«.

In 918, the Bulgarian army marched into Hellas and captured Thebes.

Continuous defeats led to a coup in Byzantium in 919. Drungary of the fleet Roman Lekapin replaced Empress Zoya as regent, and exiled her to a monastery, after which he betrothed his daughter Helen to the young Constantine VII and in 920 became co-emperor, usurping real power in the empire.

This is exactly what Simeon has been trying to do for seven years. It became impossible to ascend the Byzantine throne through diplomatic means, and Simeon decided to start a new war.

In 920-922, the Bulgarian army launched a simultaneous attack on two fronts: in the east it crossed the Dardanelles Strait and besieged the city of Lampsacus in Asia Minor, and in the west it captured the entire territory up to the Isthmus of Corinth. In 921, the Bulgarians again captured Adrianople, which Simeon sold to Zoe in 914, and again approached Constantinople.

Meanwhile (921), Roman diplomacy tried to rebel the Serbs, led by Pavel Branovic, against Simeon, but the Bulgarian autocrat replaced Paul with Zechariah on the Serbian throne and the rebellion failed.

In the east, the Bulgarian army, maneuvering near Constantinople between 11 and 18 March 922, met the Byzantine army at Pyghi. The Roman army was under the command of the rector John and Potus Argir. It also included the imperial guard. The flanks of the Byzantines were supported by a fleet led by the drungari of the fleet, Alexei Musele.

In the battle, the Romans were unable to hold back the rapid advance of the Bulgarians. Some of the Byzantine soldiers were killed, the rest, including Alexei, drowned in the Golden Horn Bay.

Simeon had a powerful army, but he understood that to conquer Constantinople, a strong fleet was also needed to neutralize the Byzantine one and surround the great city from the sea. The king turned to the Arabs, who at that time had powerful naval forces. In 922, a Bulgarian embassy was sent to Caliph Ubaidallah al-Mahdi in the capital of the Fatimid Caliphate, Kairouan (in modern Tunisia). The Caliph agreed to the proposal for a joint attack on Constantinople from land and sea, and sent his people to Bulgaria to clarify the details. However, on the way back they were captured by the Byzantines in Calabria (Southern Italy). Simeon made a second attempt, this time with al-Dulafi, but this too failed.

Under Byzantine influence, the Serbian zupan Zachary rebelled against Bulgaria. In 924, Serbia was conquered and annexed to the Bulgarian kingdom, and Zachary fled to Croatia, which was proclaimed a kingdom in 925 and was an ally of Byzantium. A Bulgarian corps led by Alogobothur invaded Croatia (926), but was ambushed in the mountains of Bosnia and defeated. Fearing a Bulgarian response, the first king of Croatia, Tomislav I, agreed to dissolve the alliance with Byzantium and sign a peace based on the status quo. After the conclusion of peace, Pope John X sent his legates Duke John and Bishop Madalbert to Veliki Preslav, who recognized (in the fall of 926) the imperial title of Simeon and the patriarchate of the head of the Bulgarian church.

From the beginning of 927, despite desperate calls for peace from Roman Lecapinus, Simeon began large-scale preparations for the siege of Constantinople. However, this siege never took place. On May 27, 927, Simeon I the Great died of heart failure in his palace in Preslav.

In the north to the Adriatic Sea in the west, the Aegean Sea in the south and the Black Sea in the east.

At this time, a new alphabet was created in the Preslav book school, named after St. Cyril - the Cyrillic alphabet, which began to replace the Glagolitic alphabet created by Cyril and Methodius.

In the middle of his reign, Simeon replaced his title "Prince" with "Tsar" (emperor, basileus).

The state concept that Simeon approved was the construction of a civilized, Christian and Slavic state led by the emperor (tsar), an independent (autocephalous) national church led by the patriarch and significant book schools.

1. Early years

Hungarian attack on Bulgaria

In this situation, Leo VI turned to the traditional means of Byzantine diplomacy - to find an ally from the north. The Hungarians were persuaded by generous gifts to attack Bulgaria. At the same time, the famous Byzantine commander Nikephoros Phocas the Old (840-900) was called up from Italy and in the spring of the year led the newly formed Byzantine army.

Simeon immediately set off on a campaign against Nikephoros, but the Romans offered peace and began negotiations. Not trusting the Byzantines, Simeon imprisoned the imperial envoy, left most of his army in the south against the Byzantine army, and he himself moved north to fight the Hungarians. This campaign started unsuccessfully for the Bulgarians and the prince himself was forced to seek refuge in the fortress of Dristr (Silistra). Finally, Simeon negotiated a truce with the Byzantines, allowing him to concentrate on the war with the Hungarians.

3. Hungarian campaign and new wars with Byzantium (895-904)

Taking advantage of the truce with Byzantium, Simeon prepared a punitive campaign against the Hungarians. There were also diplomatic preparations - an anti-Hungarian treaty was signed with the Pechenegs.

After the defeat of the Hungarians, Simeon again went south in the summer of the year, completely destroyed the Roman troops in the battle of Bulgarofigone (Babaeski) and besieged Constantinople.

The Byzantines were forced to sign a peace treaty, under which the Byzantine Empire returned Bulgarian trade to Constantinople, pledged to pay annual tribute, and ceded to Bulgaria the territory between modern Strandzha and the Black Sea.

Meanwhile, the Bulgarian ruler established his control over Serbia in exchange for the recognition of Peter Gojnikovich as the Serbian sovereign.

Simeon regularly violated the peace treaty and attacked Byzantium, annexing new territories.

4. Recognition as Emperor (913)

In May 912, Leo VI the Philosopher died and the throne was occupied by his brother Alexander, who ruled as regent under the young Constantine VII. In the spring of 913 he refused to pay the annual tribute to Bulgaria. Simeon began military preparations, but Alexander died before the Bulgarians went on the offensive, leaving the empire in the hands of a regency council led by Patriarch Nicholas Mystic. The Patriarch made significant efforts to convince Simeon not to attack Byzantium, but attempts to solve the problems peacefully were unsuccessful.

In July-August, the Bulgarian army besieged Constantinople. New peace negotiations began, which approved renewals of the annual tribute and the marriage of Constantine VII to one of the daughters of the Bulgarian ruler, which would turn Simeon into basileopator (guardian of the emperor) and give him the legal right to rule Byzantium.

Simeon's troops take Adrianople

But the most significant part of the deal is the official recognition of Simeon as Emperor of the Bulgarians by the Roman Patriarch Nicholas the Mystic in the Blachernae Palace. This happened in August 913. The act was of great significance and revolutionized the Byzantine ecumenical doctrine, according to which there is only one God in heaven and only one emperor on earth - the Byzantine emperor. He is the real master of all nations, and other rulers are his sons and they have power exclusively from the emperor.

In February 914, Zoe, the mother of Constantine VII, abolished the regency council and power in Byzantium passed to her. She immediately renounced recognition of Simeon's imperial title and refused a possible marriage between her son and Simeon's daughter.

War was the only alternative for the Bulgarian Tsar. Simeon again broke into Thrace and took Adrianople by storm. Byzantium began preparations for a decisive war with Bulgaria.

5. Victories at Aheloy and Katasirtos (917)

In the spring of 917, Byzantium's preparations for the war were in full swing. The Romans negotiated simultaneously with the Pechenegs, Hungarians and Serbs for a joint attack on Bulgaria. In June, peace was concluded with the Arab Caliphate, which allowed Byzantium to concentrate all its resources. Elite troops and combat-ready officers from all provinces from Armenia to Italy were concentrated in Constantinople. The Bulgarians had to experience the full power of the Empire.

After a solemn prayer service, a miraculous cross was brought out, before which everyone bowed and vowed to win or die. To further increase the morale of the soldiers, money was paid to them in advance. The Empress and Patriarch accompanied the troops to the city gates. The Byzantines moved north along the Black Sea coast. The army was under the command of the master Leo Phocas, and the navy was under the command of the future Drungarian emperor (admiral) Roman Lekapin.

However, the Bulgarian army returned back to Bulgaria. As after the Battle of Cannae, when Hannibal did not attack Rome, historians cannot satisfactorily explain why Simeon did not attack Constantinople.

6. Serbian and Croatian campaigns. Death of Simeon

Immediately after the end of the campaign against Byzantium, Simeon overthrew the throne of Serbia and sent Peter Goinikovich, who tried to cheat on him, to prison. In his place, the tsar appointed his protégé Pavel Branovich.

On the initiative of Simeon, a church council was convened (917 or 918), proclaimed independence

Simeonov Simeon

Preface

Part one. Let's go for a shift

Part two. Masters of the sky

Part three. Troubled nights

Part four. Higher, lower altitudes and faster

Part five. Steepness

Notes

Simeonov Simeon

Tempered Wings

Publisher's abstract: The book by the former Deputy Minister of Defense of the People's Republic of Belarus and Commander-in-Chief of the Air Force of the Bulgarian People's Army tells the story of the formation and development of military aviation in Bulgaria after the victory of the socialist revolution.

I dedicate to the revolution and its aviators, communists and Komsomol members, dead and alive, to those who are replacing us, and to those who taught us to fly, to Soviet pilots with brotherly love and wishes for brave and happy flights.

Preface

The successes of aviation and the problems of its development invariably attracted everyone's attention, and the heroism of pilots and the romance of their service always captured the hearts of young men and women.

With deep knowledge of the matter, he writes about the difficult, dangerous and heroic everyday life of pilots. His book is filled with sincere love for aviation.

It is well known: in order to destroy an enemy aircraft from the very first attack, the pilot must have impeccable command of piloting techniques and all means of firing, and have mature tactical thinking. In other words, in order to successfully complete the attack - the crown of the battle, the pilot must invest all his strength, knowledge and experience into it. And to achieve this, it takes years of daily hard work. This is where the young personnel of the newly created military aviation in Bulgaria focused their attention.

The book offered to the reader is a memoir written in artistic form, it is an enthusiastic confession about the difficult deeds and heroic efforts of young guys who yesterday were partisans, and today they have taken on the difficult task of creating military aviation for a new, socialist Bulgaria. Among them you will not find sentimental and weak people who fall into despair at every plane crash. No, in aviation the death of a comrade is perceived as a hard, cruel lesson on the steady path forward and further, into the heavenly heights.

The author does not hide anything from the reader. He honestly and frankly declares that the path to true mastery, the path to the heights of flying art for a pilot is not strewn with roses, it requires persistent, often dangerous work and superhuman efforts. Sometimes along the way you lose dear comrades. And if the author remembers them, it is not only to show the difficulties, but most likely to give the dead the honor they deserve and perpetuate their memory. The names of Angelov, Sodev and others are written in golden letters in the history of our aviation.

I would like to warn readers against the erroneous impression that it is impossible to do without casualties in aviation. Just the opposite. These victims are rare. There are many aviation units (including those commanded by the author of this book) where for many years there was not a single flight accident. The author is modest and leaves it to the reader to guess for himself that he and his life can serve as an example in this regard. After all, it was Simeon Simeonov who had the opportunity to perform the most difficult aerobatics and complex flights in day and night conditions, and on the most modern supersonic fighters. And he flew masterfully, selflessly, like a youth, he was in love with the sky. That was until that tragic moment when death caused by a serious illness stopped his fiery heart...

Undoubtedly, the author speaks about some events in passing, while remaining completely silent about others and focusing on those episodes in which he personally plays a leading role. This manner of narration left a certain imprint of subjectivity on the assessment of some facts. But this does not detract from the merits of the book, because the author correctly and truthfully assesses and explains the situation. And I will not agree with those who, after reading, may assume that the author is to some extent exalting himself.

Simeon Simeonov does not hide his sincere feelings of respect and brotherly love for the Soviet pilot officers Eldyshev, Drekalov, Shinkarenko and others, who gave all their strength, knowledge, experience and flying skills to help in the construction of the Bulgarian Air Force. In this regard, the book is one of the documents reflecting the truly cordial and pure friendship between Soviet and Bulgarian pilots.

The book runs through the idea that in aviation and on days of peace the battle continues, that day and night pilots must protect the peaceful labor of workers and peasants who have taken power into their own hands. This can explain the emotional trepidation that grips the reader when he reads about the dedication of their defenders, who are ready to go to any lengths to fulfill their duty. It becomes clear to the reader how responsible the service of a pilot is, and he himself is overcome by a feeling of love and pride for true patriots. Therefore, the book is read with great interest by people of all ages.

Hero of the People's Republic of Bulgaria, Hero of the Soviet Union, Colonel General of Aviation, Honored Pilot Zakhary Zakhariev

Part one. Let's go for a shift

A clear sunny morning over the capital foreshadowed an unforgettable holiday for people. Above the earth, breathing freshness and the aroma of flowers, like a crystal dome, the azure sky sparkled, tempting and unattainable, like a dream, waiting for its conquerors. Neither music nor human hubbub could reach him - all this still belonged to the earth. Even on this solemn day, people could not tear themselves away from their earthly worries. Some were in a hurry to take comfortable places in front of the Mausoleum, others were hurrying to the festive columns of demonstrators.

Cameramen and photo reporters were busily scurrying about, television workers were preparing their cameras, filled with pride that they had to fulfill a noble mission. They had to capture this day and preserve it for future generations, just as the Egyptian pyramids preserve memories of the power of the pharaohs to this day. On this day, it seemed that no one was thinking about the future, everyone sincerely rejoiced at the holiday, overwhelmed by the desire to absorb in their memory the unusual panorama that the busy boulevard presented to their eyes. Some kind of uncontrollable impulse gripped the people, and the roar of their steps on the yellow paving stones merged with the rhythm of the music, with the festive mood of the demonstrators...

Having succumbed to this mood with childish enthusiasm, people simply forgot about the sky. And it seemed to take part in the people’s rejoicing. And this time, as often happened, the sky could remind itself of itself with thunder and lightning, could try to force the inhabitants of the earth to honor it as a deity. Heaven had a right to be angry. After all, people managed to uncover its secrets. Meteorologists have learned to predict whether there will be precipitation or whether hurricane winds will blow. This time their forecasts were accurate - the day promised to be nice and sunny. And so the sky decided to remind itself in another way in order to make people talk about it and recognize that only a select few, who have mastered the power of thunder and lightning, are given the opportunity to rush in the heights across its vast expanses... The sky defended its own!

Father of Peter I. Came to power after Boris I overthrew his reigning son Vladimir Rasate, who led the pagan reaction.

Simeon was born in 864 (or 865), when Bulgaria was already Christian. He was the third son of Prince Boris and a descendant of Khan Krum. Since the throne was intended for his elder brother Vladimir, Simeon was being prepared to become the head of the Bulgarian church. He received an excellent education at the Magnaur school in Constantinople. Around 888 Simeon returned to Bulgaria and went to the Preslav Monastery..

Meanwhile (889), Prince Boris I also went into a monastery, and Vladimir Rasate, who reigned, tried to restore paganism.

Boris left the monastery, dethroned and blinded his eldest son (893), after which he convened a church-people's council.

Prince Simeon turned out to be a worthy student of Byzantine diplomacy and concluded an anti-Hungarian treaty with the Pechenegs.

Byzantium had to sign peace, cede to Bulgaria the territory between modern Strandzha and the Black Sea and pay it an annual tribute. Bulgarian merchants returned to Constantinople.

Meanwhile, the Bulgarian ruler established his control over Serbia in exchange for the recognition of Petar Gojnikovich as a Serbian prince.

Simeon constantly violated the peace treaty and attacked Byzantium, seizing more and more territories.

A new peace treaty (904) established Bulgarian sovereignty over Northern Greece and most of modern Albania. The border between Bulgaria and Byzantium passed 20 km north of Thessaloniki.

War was the only alternative for the Bulgarian Tsar. Simeon again invaded Thrace and captured Adrianople. Byzantium began preparations for a decisive war with Bulgaria.

On August 20, 917, north of the port of Anhialo on the Aheloy River, the Romans and the Bulgarians met in a decisive battle. This was undoubtedly one of the greatest battles of the Middle Ages. According to the chroniclers, it can be concluded that the Bulgarians used their traditional maneuver - an offensive, a false retreat and a decisive counter-offensive (Markeli 792, Versinikia 813, Thessaloniki 996, Adrianople 1205). When the Byzantines became carried away in pursuit of the retreating Bulgarians, losing strict order and opening their left flank, Simeon threw heavy cavalry from the north-west, and the entire Bulgarian army launched a counter-offensive. The cavalry attack, led by the king himself (Simeon's horse was killed), was so swift and unexpected that it immediately swept away the left flank and reached the rear of the Byzantines. The Romans, pushed back to the sea and attacked from three sides, were completely destroyed. The commander-in-chief Leo Phocas barely managed to escape, and the rest of the Byzantine commanders died. The battle was, according to the chronicler Simeon Logothetes, " which has not happened for centuries". Leo the Deacon, who visited the battle site 50 years later, noted: " And today you can see near Achelous heaps of bones of the then shamefully beaten, fleeing Roman army"The Bulgarian army rushed into its usual decisive strategic pursuit (after the victory at Ongle (680), the Bulgarians pursued the Byzantines for 150-200 km).

The Pecheneg-Hungarian attack from the north failed. The Serbs also did not dare to confront Bulgaria.

On the initiative of Simeon, a church council was convened (917 or 918), which proclaimed the independence of the Bulgarian Church, and the newly elected patriarch consecrated Simeon's title " Simeon, by the will of Christ God, autocrat of all Bulgarians and Romans".

In 918, the Bulgarian army marched into Hellas and captured Thebes.

This is exactly what Simeon has been trying to do for seven years. It became impossible to ascend the Byzantine throne through diplomatic means, and Simeon decided to start a new war.

In the battle, the Romans were unable to hold back the rapid advance of the Bulgarians. Some of the Byzantine soldiers were killed, the rest, including Alexei, drowned in the Golden Horn Bay.