Government and Power in the First Bulgarian Empire

Originally posted by Constantine XI So the question must be asked, what form of social organisation did the Bulgarian state have? How powerful was its monarchy and what was the economic basis for supporting itself.

The highest rank of them all was the Khan-supreme ruler of the country.Next was the kavkhan who was something like vicepresident-replaces the leader in his duties when he's not available-for example when he leads the army.

Next were the boils(not sure if it's the same in english) and joupans.They controlled a region and got taxes from it similar to the western feudals.When war was declared the khan called them all and they had to arrive with every capable soldier from their region.They were responsible for giving them armor and weapons.The boils were the aristocracy and the most influential boil families were the houses of Dulo,Vokil and Ugain.

Next were the farmers and craftsmen.

But in front of the laws it didn't matter if you're a boil or a peasant-they were equally treated.




Edited by Liudovik_Nemski - 30-Oct-2006 at 21:40

Found some information (in Bulgarian) here:

I had made a laic compilation of some Bulgar titles, offices, ranks etc., which I posted in the "Bulgaria" thread. I'll repost it here. But I have to note that it's an old and not-professional list, which could and probably has some mistakes in it...


In alphabetical order:

Bagain � Lower noble rank, the so called �fed people� of the khan, used by the khan�s authority for restriction of the boils influence. The backbone of the armoured cavalry {2}; Lower officers (this title has many variations such as biri-bagain, batir-bagain, bagir-bagain, bagatur-bagain) {2}; Title from the time of the First Bulgarian state. It�s met in the Bulgarian inscriptions from the IX century. It signifies a commander or a leader of a small military detachment. The bagains are bolyars, which stand lower than the boils. {3};
Bagatur - (Turkic) � literally �brave man�. Title, given by the Bulgars to the representatives of the aristocracy, which have glorified themselves in battles. {1}; It literally means a brave champion, a hero. It was used as a lower noble rank, again under the khan�s auspices, basis of the unarmoured cavalry or the horse archers. {2}; A warrior caste, the heavily armed horsemen, the core of the army (as an analogy with the western knights and the Japanese samurais) {2}; A title from the ruling system from the time of the First Bulgarian state. Given mainly for military merits. Used in the Bulgarian inscriptions usually in combination with other titles. {3};
Bagatur-boila-kolober - (Bulgar) � High post in the early-medieval Bulgarian state, which signifies a military leader, belonging to the class of the boils, who showed courage in battles. {1};
Boila-tarkan (vulias-tarkan) - (Bulgar) � Title, given in the Bulgarian Khanate to a governor of a big border region. {1}; Bulgar title. It was given in the First Bulgarian state to the second son of the ruler. Together with the class belonging, it shows also ranking position, as the title tarkan signifies that its bearer is performing the duties of a deputy of the ruler in a particular region. {3};
Boils (bolyars) - (Bulgar) � General name for the higher class of the Bulgarian aristocracy. It passed from medieval Bulgaria to other Slavic states (Serbia, Russia) and in the XIV-XV century also in Walachia and Moldavia. {1}; High noble rank, usually these families were 100 and every boil family governed one region of the khanate. After Kniaz Boris, who killed 52 boil families, these families decreased and gradually decayed. {2}; Bulgar title, equal to the Slavic �bolyarin�. Given to representatives of the ruling feudal class in the time of the First Bulgarian state. In some sources it�s mentioned in combination with other titles and shows the class position of the official person. From other sources: The title means �notable�, �high-ranked� and shows belonging to the highest class of the Bulgarian aristocracy. It�s a hereditary title. {3};
Bori-tarkan - (Bulgar) � An official title of a governor of a region in the early-medieval Bulgarian state. {1}; Commander of the heavily armoured cavalry, in later time a commandant of an �aul� (fortress) {2}; Bulgar title from the First Bulgarian state. Familiar is bori-tarkan Radislav, who welcomed the disciples of Cyril and Methodius after they were expelled from Velikomoravia. {3};
Chigot � (Bulgar) � literally �sword-bearer�. A warrior from the bodyguard unit of the early-medieval Bulgarian khans and tsars. {1};
Great boils � There were 4 great boils (�veliki boili� on Bulgarian) according to Fadlan, respectively 6 of them according to K. Porfirogenet � most probably their number was increased with the enhancing of the state. After the conversion the 4 of them were probably increased to 6, as by obvious reasons the khana-boila-kolober fell off. It could be presumed that the three new ones were the minik (head of the royal stables) and two, which bore the title sampsis (at the council in 869-870 there were two with this title � Pressian and Alexius Hunol). {2}; 6 high counselors of the khan, they sit on his right side. {2};
Ichirgu-bagain � Bulgar title from the time of the First Bulgarian state. It is mentioned for the first time in the second half of the IX century when it was given to an unknown military leader. {3};
Ichirgu-boila (churgubilia) - (Bulgar) � High official title in the early-medieval Bulgarian state, governor of its �interior region�. It held the third place in the state�s hierarchy after the ruler and the kavhan. {1}; First and most important boil, taking care of the interior of the khanate. {2}; There are reports that he carried out internal political missions, as well as taking care of administering of regions. {2}; Bulgar title from the time of the First Bulgarian state. It is know in Slavic translation as �churgobilia�. It�s mentioned in the beginning of the IX century. It was given to the closest persons to the Bulgarian ruler, which performed the duty of governing the inner fortresses of the capital. Except military, the bearers of this title performed also juridical functions and took part in diplomatic missions. At the time of Khan Krum (803-814) this title was given to the bolyar Tsok and in the first half of the X century � the bolyar Mostich. {3};
Ichirgu-kolober � Bulgar military title from the time of the First Bulgarian state. It is mentioned in one of Omurtag�s inscriptions. {3};
Kanasubigi, Iuvigi Khan � Title of the Bulgarian rulers in the first half of the IX century. The name corresponds to the Slavic words �velik� (great), �preslaven� (most glorious). It is mentioned in memorial inscriptions from the time of Khan Omurtag (814-831), Khan Malamir (831-836) and Khan Pressian (836-852). {3};
Kanartikin (Kana-irthituin) � (Bulgar) � Title of the heir to the crown of the Bulgarian khan, also used after the conversion. {1}; The first-born son of the khan and the future successor to the throne. {2}; The eldest tarkan (it�s not a title of the heir to the throne by rule, but most probably it was given at the moment of the delegating of the heir (as for example Kniaz Kiril of Preslav was a regent of Simeon II, but regent is not the title of the kniaz�s brother)) {2}; Title of the Bulgarian heir to the crown in the period of the First Bulgarian state. {3};
Kana-bagatur - (Bulgar) � Official title in the early-medieval Bulgarian state. {1};
Kana-boila-kolober � (Bulgar) � High official title in the early-medieval Bulgarian state. It is presumed that it was given to a military commander, whose detachment enters first in a fight with the enemy. {1};
Kandidat � Title in the First Bulgarian state, member of the personal guard of the ruler, institution, borrowed from Byzantium. From the time of Khan Omurtag it is known the kandidat Turdacis. {3};
Kavhan - (Bulgar) � High official title in the early-medieval Bulgarian state. Its bearer was the first assistant in the ruler�s governing and held the second place in the hierarchy. {1}; The highest title after the khan�s. First deputy and assistant. In a time of war he commanded the armies in the khan�s absence. This title is preserved until 1018. {2}; Bulgar title, given to representatives of the most notable Bulgar families. It was transferred also hereditary. Its bearer performed important administrative functions (usually as a governor of a region). In war times he was given command of parts of the khan�s army. In the time of Khan Omurtag (814-831) kavhan was now the second person in the state after the ruler. More familiar names, which bore this title, were Iratais (by Khan Krum), Isbul (by Omurtag, Malamir and Pressian), Todor (by Tsar Simeon I), Dometian (by Tsar Samuil) and others. {3};
Khagan - (Turkic) � Title of supreme leader among the Turkic nations. Equal by importance to �great khan� (�iuvigi khan�), which was the title of the Bulgarian rulers in the pagan period. {1};
Khan � The ruler of medieval Bulgaria. This title was until 864, replaced with the title kniaz and in 927 with tsar. {2}; Ruler, monarch. Originally the title signified a chief of a tribe. Later � a kniaz�s (prince) title and subsequently � ruler�s title of many eastern nations (Tatars and others). The power of the khan was given by heritage to the first-born son. His authority was unlimited. It was considered to have a divine origin. The Bulgar rulers kept the title until 864 (until the conversion to Christianity). Replaced with the title tsar. From other sources: In the latest researches it�s considered that the title is �kan� (from �kun�/�кън� � blood) � a leader of blood relatives. In line with this it�s now also considered that it�s not equal to the title khagan, meaning khan of the khans. The Bulgarian ruler bears the title khan, as in the inscriptions from the VII-IX century it is �kanasubigi� � great khan. An older thesis exists, which spells out the title as �kana su bigi� � the kana master of forces. In the foreign sources the Bulgarian ruler is mentioned as �archon�, �igimon�, �rex�, �kirios�, which are translated as kniaz, chief, master. The title �kanasubigi� disappears from the inscriptions after Khan Malamir. After the acceptance of the Christianity by Khan Boris the title of the Bulgarian ruler is replaced with the title kniaz, coming from the Indo-European �kuneng� � tribal chief, elder. The power of the khan is practically unlimited, as he has the functions of a military leader, lawgiver, judge and high priest. The power itself is viewed as given to him by God, for which signifies the phrase �ek teu archon� � put by God, but in the sense put by heaven � a formula met also among the Turkic nations. According to the sources, the power by the Bulgarians is transferred by birth, i.e. by heritage and by the right of the first-born son. But in the Bulgarian history there are a number of examples, in which these rules were not followed. {3};
Kolober � The priest society. Many ranks exist also of this title, but unfortunately there is no accurate data for their ranking. They sit on the left side of the khan. {2};
Komit � [Note: This title was put to use in the time of Khan Omurtag, i.e. after the establishment of Danubian Bulgaria] Title, given to regional governors from the IX to the XI century. Borrowed from Byzantium at the time of Khan Omurtag (814-831). Its bearer combined both the administrative and the military power in his entrusted region � komitat. Better known bearers of this title are: Taridin � governor of the Bregalnitsa region, Dameta � of the Devol region, Dristur � of the Struma region, and Nikola � of the Sredets region. {3};
Kopan � Bulgar title, given to high military commanders, close associates of the khan. A bearer of this title in the time of Khan Omurtag (814-831) was Okors. {3};
Minik - (Bulgar) � High official title in the early-medieval Bulgarian khanate (tsardom). Its bearer took care for the ruler�s stables and commanded the cavalry. {1};
Oglu-tarkan (olgu-tarkan) - (Bulgar) � High official title in the early-medieval Bulgarian state of a governor of a big region. {1}; Bulgar title, given in the time of the First Bulgarian state to the highest dignitaries. {3};
Sampsis � At the council in 869-870 there were two with this title � Pressian and Alexius Hunol. {2}; Bulgar title, given to representatives of the Bulgar aristocracy, performing diplomatic and other missions. {3};
Shaman - (Turkic) � Priest in the pagan religions of the Turkic-nomadic nations, also by the Bulgars. {1};
Tarkan - (Bulgar) � High official title in the early-medieval Bulgarian state. Its bearer was usually a governor of a border region. {1}; Commander of 1 000 horsemen (�thousander�) {2}; The high officers (this title has many variations like bori-tarkan; probably every one of them was responsible for a definite number of sabers) {2}; Bulgar military title, given mainly to representatives of the high capital aristocracy. It�s usually met combined with another title: bori-tarkan, zhupan-tarkan, oglu-tarkan etc. {3};
Zera-Tarkan - (Bulgar) � Governor of a border region in the early-medieval Bulgarian state. {1}; Official title of persons with military functions on the First Bulgarian state. Known is zera-tarkan Onegavon, who drowned in the river Tissa. {3};
Zhupan-tarkan - (Bulgar) � Official title in the early-medieval Bulgarian khanate (tsardom) of a governor of a Slavic region. {1}; The zhupan � K. Porfirogenet says that this was an elder by the Serbs. Therefore, the zhupan-tarkan is most probably an elder, who was approved by the khan to administrate his tribe (something like a vassal). {2}; Bulgar military title. According to the existing in the First Bulgarian state military hierarchy, it was placed second after the boila-tarkan. Known bearer of this title was Okhsun, who�s mentioned in one of Omurtag�s inscriptions. {3};


High (administrative/official) ranking (the khan and the great boils):

1. Khan (khagan, kanasubigi)
2. Kavhan
3. Ichirgu-boila
4. Kana-boila-kolober (falls away after the Christianization)
5. Kanartikin
6. Minik
7. 2 Sampsises

Lower (military) ranking:

1. Boila-tarkan
2. Zhupan-tarkan
3. �


Bibliography legend (secondary sources):
{1} � History textbook for 11th grade by publishing house �Anubis�
{2} � Internet (Military-historical forum �Boina Slava �)
{3} � Electronic encyclopedia �History of Bulgaria� by publishing house �Sirma�


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Old Bulgar dignities

According to Petur Dobrev the Bulgars come to this side of the Danube with a developed state structure, in which there are 37 dignities. At least those are we know of, but they may have been more. We draw information about them from different stone inscriptions, in which Bulgarian officials are mentioned, as well as from foreign chroniclers. Unfortunately, their titles were written on Greek or with Greek letters and in the worst case they were translated according to their Byzantine correspondences. Thus for example the komits appear � throught the Byzantine influence (from Latin �comes�) and the kandidats (spatarius or protospatarius). In other cases there are difficulties to determine whether it is a name or a title. For example, the title boritarkan of the governor of Belgrade, who welcomed the disciples of Cyril and Methodius coming from Velikomoravia to Bulgaria, is written by Teophilakt of Ohrid as a personal name � Boritarkan. In another case it is not clear if �tortuna pile zhoapan� is a title or is it the �pile zhoapan Tortuna�. Despite these difficulties with a great accuracy could be restored the names and meaning of these 37 titles or dignities (ranks). It is also not completely clear if they are offices, classes, military ranks or combinations of the three. Their numeration is given by Beshevliev. The explanation of the titles is of Petur Dobrev.


Inscription № 59 of kanasubigi Omurtag:
�Kanasubigi Omurtag: the kopan Korsis was my �fed man�. When he went to the army, he drowned in the river Dniepr. He was from the Chakarar family.�

Inscription № 60 of kanasubigi Omurtag:
�Kanasubigi Omurtag: the zera tarkan Negavon was my �fed man�. When he went to the army, he drowned in the river Tissa. He was from the Kubiar family.�

Inscription № 64 of kanasubigi Omurtag:
�Kanasubigi Omurtag. The bagatur bagain Slavnas was my �fed man� and when he got ill he died.�

Inscription № 66 of kanasubigi Omurtag:
�Kanasubigi Omurtag: the kandidat Turdachis was my �fed man�. He died inside.� (Kandidat is a Byzantine title, given to spatariuses and protospatariuses.)

Inscription № 58 of kanasubigi Malamir:
�Kanasubigi Malamir, from God ruler. His old boila, kavhan Isbul, made this aqueduct and gave it to the ruler. And the ruler gave to the Bulgarians a lot of food and drink and to the boils and the bagains he gave large gifts. May God honour the ruler from God to live together with kavhan Isbul many years.�

The Hambarli inscription № 47 of kanasubigi Krum:
�...I made my brother, and the strategus Leon to be his subordinate. From Beroia � Dultroini is first for the right side the ichirgu boila Tuk, and the strateguses Vardan and Iani to be his subordinates. For the left side of my sarakt [sarakt was the name for the Bulgarian state], for Anhialo, Debelt, Sozopol, Ranuli [Bulgarian fortresses and cities] chief is Iratais, the boila kavhan, and Kordil and Grigora his subordinated strateguses.�

Inscription № 13 of kanasubigi Malamir:
�(Kanasubigi Malamir) from God ruler. My grandfather Krum found with us these works� My father the ruler Omurtag, as concluding a 30 years peace, lived well with the Greeks. And I lived well, but the Greeks devastated our lands and the ruler Malamir, who ruled together with kavhan Isbul, went to war with the Greeks and destroyed the fortress of Provat and the fortress of Burdizon in the lands of the Greeks and acquired all glory. And he came to Philipopolis and the Greeks fled. And then kavhan Isbul, together with the glorified ruler made a meeting with Philipopolians.�

Inscription №14 of kanasubigi Pressian at Philippi:
�Pressian of God ruler of the many Bulgarians sent kavhan Isbul, by giving him an army, the ichirgu boila and the kana boila kolober. And the kavhan at the Smolians��

Inscription № 69 of kanasubigi Malamir:
�Kanasubigi Malamir: Chepa, bagatur boila kolober was my �fed man�. He got ill and died inside.�

Konstantin Bagrianorodni [�Mantle-born�?] writes in �For the governing� for the war of Boris-Mikhail I with the Serbs: �The Serbs inflicted upon him such a defeat that they captured and chained his son Vladimir and twelve great boils�, but in his work �For the ceremonies� he writes only for six great boils.

Inscription № 48 from the village of Narush of tsar Simeon:
�In the year 6412 (904) from the Creation of the world, indiktion 7, a border between the Bulgarians and the Romeans by the from God ruler of the Bulgarians Simeon, olgu tarkana Teodor and komita Dristar.�

From these inscriptions and from other data the assumption could be made that boils and bagains are honorary titles, showing the belonging to a certain class. The classes were probably four � ordinary Bulgarians, bagains, boils and kolobers. At least thus are numbered the first three in the above quoted inscription № 58 of Malamir.

The kolobers were probably a priest class, but this assumption is based only upon the chronicler Teophilakt Simokata, who writes for one Avar priest, called on Greek βοοκολοβρα ς, translated by Ivan Venedikov as bu-kolober. Bu from the root boi (boila), which according to him means �family of kolobers�. To this uncertain assumption we could not give a confirmation from the Bulgarian stone inscriptions, because there the title kolober is given in a military or neutral context. This however does not exclude the priestly functions. It is possible that the kolobers were not a separate class, but a part of the bagain and boil ones.

The offices are in the same time military-administrative and political. The kavhan was the first substitute of the kanasubigi, co-ruler, as in the case with kavhan Isbul and is commanding the left part of the army, as with Krum. In the inscription he is called the boila kavhan. Probably the title boila shows the belonging to the class or rank of nobility, while kavhan � the office of a first substitute of kanasubigi.

The ighirgu boila is next in rank after the kavhan, commanding the right wing of the army, and sometimes he�s also a diplomatic delegate. Thus, for example, the ichirgu boila Stazis, who wrote in the Chividalsko Gospel the names of the members of kniaz Boris�s family, so that they would be mentioned in prayers, was sent by kniaz Boris in Rome to the Pope.

The tarkans are probably governors, military and administrative. The boritarkan is chief of a city. According to P. Dobrev it comes from the Iranian boru (borui) � fortress and tarkan (chief or judge) in the East-Iranian languages. For the olgu tarkan it is known only that he�s higher than komita, maybe a regional/provincial governor over several komitats. Zhoapan tarkan is with a rank of governor � he rules an independent region/province. Known are also zeratarkans, kalu tarkans and kulu tarkans.

Samuchii ( самъчий ) is a secretay of kanasubigi. There is one mentioned Eskhach [Есхач] in service of kniaz Boris. Kopan is probably a military office, chigot � sword-bearer. The bagaturs are lower military ranks. Some consider them as an analogue of the knights. There are after all kana boila kolober and bagatur boila kolober. If for the first one it could be considered to be the personal priest of the khan from the class of the boils, then for the second one it could hardly be explained the title bagatur, if it�s given to lower warriors.

Some researchers believe that the dignity ichirgu is given to officials in service in the inner region/province of the state, while iuk is for those from the outer regions (komitats). And from there are the iuk-boil and the ichirgu-boil, ichirgu bagain and ichirgu kolober.

The heir to the throne is called kanartikin, while the second son is boila tarkan.

Kanasubigi is the title of the ruler. Because it is written on Greek as καναςυβίγ&a mp;# 953; the possible pronounciations are many: kanasiubigi and kanas iubigi, kanasubigi or kana siuvigi. According to Ivan Venedikov, unlike the Russian-Slavic kniaz, in Bulgarian the name is kunaz (къназ ( кънїз ). It could even be assumed that kniaz is a derivative from kanasubigi � through kanas � kunaz � kniaz.



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1. Kanasubigi
Emperor
2. Kanartikin
Heir to the throne
3. Kavhan
First substitute of the khan, co-ruler
4. Boila kavhan
5. Ichirgu boil
Probably minister for foreign affairs and commandant of the capital
6. Chitkoi ichirgu boil
7. Ichirgu kolober
8. Ichigu bagain
9. Kana boila kolober
10. Kana tarkan
11. Boil
12. Iuk boil
13. Boila tarkan
The second son of the ruler
14. Boila chigat
15. Bagatur
16. Bagatur boila kolober
High priest
17. Bagatur kana
18. Bagatur bagain
19. Bagain
20. Setit bagain
21. Iuk bagain
22. Biri bagain
23. Tarkan
24. Boritarkan
Chief of fortress
25. Zera
26. Zeratarkan
27. Olgutarkan
Governor of a region including komitats
28. Kalutarkan
29. Kulutarkan
30. Zhoapan tarkan
Governor of a big region
31. Zhoapan
32. Tortuna pile zhoapan
Military deputy for the region � elder zhoapan
33. Chitkoimir
34. Kormuchii [кормъчий]
Superior
35. Chigot (chigat)
36. Samuchii [самъчий]
Secretary of the khan
37. Kopan
38. Imnik


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Edited by NikeBG - 01-Nov-2006 at 06:53

Originally posted by Krum A very good list NikeBG.Well done!!!! The main reason that bulgarian state survived is protobulgars.You know that most of today's slavic countries were not created by slavs but by others(vikings and russia).So slavs were not able to create a country alone.

Simple people don't make a country.It is we who united them under the bulgar banner(btw it was a spear with a horse tail at the end if anyone wants to know)

The first part is my compilation mainly from three sources (Internet forums (least sure), my history textbook for 11th grade and an electronic history encyclopaedia). The second part is not mine, it's just my translation. I don't claim that any of the two parts is absolutely correct, but that's the general idea of what I could find from those three things. Btw, the translation might not be best as well and I might have mixed ranks, titles and dignities into one, but I don't have enough free time to edit it right now. But if I do have some time and I go to the library, I'll look for some real books about the topic. I've already set my eye on one book about the military system of the FBE, but it's a bit expensive, so I hope I'll be able to find it in the libraries...

I don't think there's much I can add after Nike's splendid post!
About the discipline in the Bulgar army- after the christianisation of the country the Pope (who first send emmisaries to Boris) asked that the death penalties to be removed and substituted with less harsher now.

By the time of Tsar Simeon I The Great (893-927) when the First Bulgarian Tsardom/Empire reached it's zenith the power of the monarch was absolute and the state was very centralised.

Economicaly the Bulgar state between the early IXth (khan Krum) and to the very late years of it's existence in the early XIth was regarded as the third power in Europe after the Frankish Empire and Byzantium. While even at the days of Simeon (who sadly deeply decreased the financial and military strenght of the state) Bulgaria couldn't muster as many troops as Byzantium, which was it formost adversary it was still a large power and able to beat its opponents.

The main force of the bulgar army also was the heavy cavalry which compared to XVth century knights may be considered "medium" by the time of the First Tsardom and even the second (compared to the knight of the Fourth Crusade) was heavily armoured and well equipped.

I couldn't find any decent information on metallurgy in the Medieval Bulgarian state, but from what I've seen in museums the quality of Bulgar weapons and tools from the VI-VIIIc is a lot higher then later ones. Of course, this could be explained by the fact that such weapons were in the hands of the nobility and were taken care of on a regular basis, maybe even after the fall of the state under Ottoman rule, while ordinary swords and armor made later on didn't have such luck.

During the First Tsardom coins weren't widely spread and trade (in the state itself) was mostly based on natural exchange. During the Second Tsardom rulers started minting their own coins, instead of using byzantine ones.

can anyone give me the list of Bulgarian khan's? 

Or you want the "Nominalia of the Bulgarian khans" (Именник на българските ханове)?

Edit: Added a link...


Edited by NikeBG - 06-Nov-2006 at 10:05

By the way it's disturbing to see how bulgarian historians always say "First and Second Bulgarian Tzardom" without seeing that it was actually an EMPIRE


Edited by Liudovik_Nemski - 11-Nov-2006 at 02:42

From the rule of Simeon it became an empire, so he (or his successor) was the first Bulgarian emperor(Caesar).
What about the Third Bulgarian Empire, was it really empire, because although we call it tzardom, I've seen it 's translation in English almost exclusively as kingdom-Kingdom of Bulgaria.
    

Edited by Desperado - 11-Nov-2006 at 11:05