Boris I.

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The Christianization of the Bulgarians (excerpt from the Manasses Chronicle )

Boris I , also called Boris of Bulgaria or Bogoris ( Bulgarian Борис or Борис-Михаил ; ancient Greek Βόωρίς or Βόγορίς ; * 1st half of the 9th century; † May 2, 907 in Bulgaria ), baptized Michael , was the first Christian ruler ( Knjas ) of the Bulgarians and ruled from 852 to 889 (according to other sources around 853 to 890). He was the son of Khan Presian I. It is believed that he belonged to the influential Bulgarian ruling family Dulo .

Life

Boris I. Michail as Ktitor of the monastery Sveti Naum and the inscription in Greek: "Michail, Archon of Bulgaria"

Both the Catholic and the Orthodox Churches tried to draw Boris under their respective sovereignty. However, when Pope Nicholas I and his successor Hadrian II refused to grant the Bulgarians their own patriarchate , Boris turned disappointedly to Byzantium . Around 865, the Knjas must have received the sacrament of baptism from Byzantine missionaries . Patriarch Ignatius of Constantinople Opel then called for the responsibility for Bulgaria one, which is why we have had serious conflicts with Rome and he by Pope John VIII. With the excommunication was threatened. Notwithstanding this, Ignatius sent an archbishop and several bishops to missionary work in Bulgaria.

A meeting between Boris and the East Franconian King Ludwig II in Tulln must have taken place during this period . Ludwig was able to win the Bulgarians for a common and successful campaign against the Moravian Empire . Further wars of King Boris against the Serbian principality were unsuccessful. When the Byzantine Emperor Michael III. threatened another war, Boris was finally baptized Christian . He took the baptismal name Michael as a homage to the Eastern Roman ruler. According to tradition, the baptism took place in a small chapel at a customs post in or near Develtum . Byzantium thus had a greater influence in its territory. He then submitted his entire reign to the goal of Christianizing his empire.

Shortly afterwards there was a pagan revolt, which was supported by King Ludwig II . Boris put down the revolt with blood. At the same time, however, he tried to reduce the dependence on Byzantium: In 866 the Knjas asked Pope Nicholas I for an instructional letter, which today is considered the most important historical source for this epoch in Bulgaria. With the papal answer, Roman missionaries came to the country. The Orthodox priests were driven out. The time was right for Boris' striving for independence, as Byzantium found itself in a phase of dynastic conflicts. Nevertheless, in 867 Patriarch Photios I had the work of the Roman missionaries in Bulgaria forbidden and Pope Nicholas deposed. This was followed by mutual ban letters , dismissals and the sending of new missionaries . Ultimately, however, the Eastern Church prevailed in Bulgaria . Boris resigned his rule in 890 and entered a monastery .

Due to the attempt of his eldest son Vladimir Rassate and another 50 proto-Bulgarian nobles to reintroduce the ancestral paganism , Boris returned to the throne for a short time, blinded his own son Vladimir and murdered the families of the nobles. In 893, towards the end of his term of office, Boris received the students of the brothers and Slav missionaries Kyrill and Method , Kliment von Ohrid , Naum and Angelarij in Bulgaria. Under Tsar Boris, in a specially convened council, Old Bulgarian was introduced as the liturgical language in the Bulgarian Church . After the council, Tsar Boris passed the rule to his third son, Simeon . Under his rule, got the region Kliment of Ohrid Ohrid awarded to another cultural center next to the capital there Pliska to build. Then Boris returned to the monastery. He is considered to be the founder and founder of several monasteries and the famous Ohrid writing school. He died as a monk on May 2, 907 in the Pantelejmon monastery near Preslaw. Boris is venerated as a national saint in Bulgaria , his feast day is May 2nd .

After him is St. Boris Peak named a mountain on the Livingston Island in Antarctica.

presentation

Boris became a popular and widespread fresco and icon motif. Most depictions show him as a youthful regent wearing a headgear and holding a cross in his hand. For the Bulgarians, their saint Boris is also Tsar Boris , and thus also the first Tsar in history.

See also

literature

Web links

Commons : Boris I. (Bulgaria)  - Collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ As evidence for this, numerous archaeological finds are cited, which were found during excavations in 2007 near Burgas.
  2. ^ Lutz E. von Padberg: The Christianization of Europe in the Middle Ages . Reclam, Stuttgart 1998, ISBN 3-15-017015-X , p. 143.
  3. ^ Klaus-Peter Todt:  SYMEON, tsar and most important ruler of the first Bulgarian empire. In: Biographisch-Bibliographisches Kirchenlexikon (BBKL). Volume 11, Bautz, Herzberg 1996, ISBN 3-88309-064-6 , Sp. 345-350.  ( Article / beginning of article in Internet archive )
predecessor Office successor
Presian I. Knjaz of Bulgaria
852-889 		Vladimir Rassate
personal data
SURNAME Boris I.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Boris of Bulgaria; Baptismal name Michael; Bogoris
BRIEF DESCRIPTION first Christian Khan of the Bulgarians
DATE OF BIRTH before 852
DATE OF DEATH May 2, 907
Place of death Bulgaria