B U L 



B U L 



the Tartars, became fubjeft to Ruflia- Their country was 

 rich and extenfive ; its borders extended along the Volga, 

 from the mouth of the Oka downwards to the Khoalifles, or 

 Nether-Bulgarians, where they had their peculiar fovereigns; 

 and the Avcsor Votiaks, along the Kama, were under their 

 fuprcmacy. It is not known how far it reached weftward, 

 and en the Don : however, the 'i'fcheremiffes and Tfchu- 

 yafches were fubjeft to tlicni. Their language was the 

 Sarmatic. The ruins of large towns and Hone buildings 

 are evidences of their opulence, tlitir civilization, and their 

 induftry ; and the coins that are dug out of the earth, with 

 Arabic and Indian infcriptions, demonftrate their extenfive 

 commerce. 



It was not till the reign of Zeno, about the 3'enr 485, 

 that they began to be heard of and dreaded by the Ro- 

 mans. Ennodius, the molt ancient writer who mentions 

 them, informs us, in the panegyric which he compcfed on 

 Theodoric, king of the Oltrogoths, that they were a war- 

 like and numerous nation, enured to the toils of war, ever 

 ready to prefer death to (lavery, and never known to have 

 been put to flight, till they engaged this hero. From 

 Afiatic Scythia and other countries which they occupied, 

 they advanced, in quell of a more fertile country, to the 

 Tanais, and from thence, in the reign of Zeno, to the 

 banks of the Danube, under the conduct of their king or 

 leader Bladinus. Having palFed this river, they made an 

 irruption into Thrace, with a view of fettling in that coun- 

 tiy ; but they were oppofed by Theodoric, the Ollrogoth, 

 at that time general of the Roman troops in that province, 

 and compelled to repafs the Danube. In 41^9, they made 

 a fuccefsful irruption into Thrace and committed dreadful 

 ravages, and defeated the army of the emperor Analiafius, 

 commanded by Arillus, which was fent to refill them. Three 

 years after this expedition they again invaded Thrace, and 

 carried off an immenfe booty, of which they plundered the 

 province. In 539, the 13th year of the emperor Juftinian, 

 they made an incurfion over the Danube into Moefia, defeated 

 the Roman troops, and were retreating with their fpoils and 

 captives, after having dellroyed with fire and fword what they 

 could not remove, when they were attacked by Jullinian's 

 army under the command of an expeiienced officer, and 

 obliged to furrender their booty and to fave themfclves by 

 flight. However, in the following year they again entered 

 Thrace, which they phmdered and laid wafte ; but they were 

 routed with great fiaughtcr, and the lofs of many prifoners. 

 For thefe viftories the emperor alTumed the appellation of 

 " Bulgaricus," which appears on his coins. Hillory gives 

 no account of them till the reign of Conllantine III. or V. 

 (Blair) furnamed Pugonatus, which commenced in the year 

 668. In his time they pafied the Danube, and entering the 

 Roman territories, committed great devatlations in the 

 provinces bordering on that river. They were feebly op. 

 pofed by the powerful army of Conftanline, and left at full 

 " liberty to ravage the open country at pleafure. At length, 

 in 678, Conftantine agreed to pay them an annual penlion, 

 on condition of their not infefting the Roman territories, 

 and joining his forces againll all other barbarians, wherever 

 he required their afiiftance. About this time fome of them 

 fettled in the dukedom of Benevento. 



It is faid that Conllantine allowed them to fettle in 

 Lower Moefia, to which they gave the name of Bulgaria, 

 which this province Hill retains. Other writers, however, 

 fuppofe that they had fettled there feveral years before the 

 reign of Conftantine. In 687 Juftinian II. refufing to ac- 

 quiefee in the treaty ftipnlated with theiti by his lather, in. 

 vajed their country, and reduced thtm to great diftrefs ; 

 but the Bulgarians, animated by defpair, determined to 



VOL.V, 



make a laft effort in defence of their libcrtiei ; and fallinff 

 imexpeCleJly upon the emperor's army, put it to flight» 

 and obliged him to confirm his father's treaty. In 713 

 they made an irruption into Thrace and advanced to the 

 gate? of Conftantinoplc, and after having ravaged the 

 country, returned home, with an immenfe booty, unmo- 

 Iclled. When Conllantine Copronymus, in the Qlh year of 

 his rtign, A.D. 749, ordered forts tn be built on the borders 

 of the provinces, adjoining the country of th; Bulgarians, 

 they remonllrated ; but tlieir ambaffadors were difmifTed 

 with a difdainful anfwer. Upon this the iiicenfcd Bulga- 

 rians made a fuddcn irruption into the Roman territories, 

 and having laid wafte the country, returned home loaded 

 with booty. The emperor collecting his forces marched 

 againft them in perfon ; but whilll he was laying wafte 

 their country, they took advantage of attacking him in a 

 narrow pafs, obliged him to fly, andpurfued him with great 

 flaughter to the gates of Couftantinople. In the years 

 763 and 775 the Bulgarians fuffered great ii'jury in tlieir 

 conflicts with the Romans ; but upon the ace -(uon of Leo 

 IV. A.D. 775, he concluded a peace with their king, whofc 

 daughter Irene he had married ; but his fon and fucceffor 

 Conftantine Porphyrogenitus, in the I zth year of his reign, 

 A.D. 791, deluded by fome aftrologers, attacked the Bul- 

 garians, and was totally defeated. The Bulgarians renewed 

 their irruption into the Roman provinces in the reign of 

 Nicephorus ; and the emperor retaliated by marching with 

 a large army into their country and ravaging it with fire 

 and fword. The ambafladors of the Bulgariajis, who were 

 fent to him to fue for peace and to requed his leaving their 

 country, were treated with fcorn ; upon which their king 

 Crumus, adtuated by defpair and the third of revenge, began 

 with fortifying all the paflfes through which the emperor 

 was to retire, and then proceeded to attack the Roman 

 camp. This he forced, flew the emperor, and cut off al- 

 moft his whole army. The favage conqueror ordered the 

 head of Nicephorus to be ftrock off, and after having ex- 

 pofed it to public view, he inclofed the flcuU in filver, and 

 ufed it in all grand entertainments inftead of a cup. In 8ii 

 Michael I. afcended the throne, and a peace was concluded 

 between the Romans and Bulgarians ; but it was of very 

 fhort duration. Crumus, offended by the treacherous 

 efcape of fome Roman prifoners, levied a confiderable army, 

 entered the Roman territories, and aflifted by an Arabian 

 in the ufe of military engines, reduced feveral fortified 

 places, and ravaged the whole country. Among other 

 cities which he reduced, he made himfelf mafter of Mefem- 

 bria, in the vicinity of Mount Hasmus, and put the garrifon 

 to the fword. The emperor prepared for an engagement, 

 and the two armies met in the neighbourhood of Couft.anti- 

 nople. After a furious conflict of doubtful ifl'ue, the Ro- 

 mans were utterly defeated ; and Michael retired to a mo- 

 naftery, and i-efigned the purple to Leo V. A.D. 813. 

 The Bulgarians wantonly triumphing in their fuccef?, 

 refufed to liften to any pacific overiures; and a fccond en- 

 gagement took place, in which the Romans, after an ob- 

 ftinate refiftance, were routed. But whilll the Bulgarian* 

 were bufily engaged in plundering the Roman camp, Leo 

 renewed the fight and ohtaintJ a complete vi<5torv.- The 

 Bulgarians I'emaincd for five years in a ftate of tranquillity ; 

 but at length, in the year S77, they took occafion to 

 re-enter the Roman territories, and in their ufual manner 

 to ravage them with fire and fword. A battle enfued, and 

 the Roman army was routed. The prifoners were 

 led by the viftor in triumph round his camp, and having 

 caufed their nofcs to be cut off, he fent them, thus defaced, 

 to Conftantinopk. After fubfequent advantages gained oa 



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