Aron of Bulgaria
Encyclopedia
Aron was a Bulgarian
noble, brother of Emperor Samuil of Bulgaria
and third son of Comita Nikola
, Duke of Sofia
. After the fall of the eastern parts of the country under Byzantine
occupation in 971, he and his three brothers David
, Moses
and Samuil continued the resistance to the west. They were called Comutopuli and ruled the country together, as the rightful heir to the throne, Boris II
and Roman
were imprisoned in Constantinople
. The residence of Aron was Sofia
situated on the main road between Constantinople and Western Europe. He had to defend the area from enemy invasions and attack the Byzantine territories in Thrace
.
, the two eldest brothers David and Moses perished but the Bulgarians achieved great successes including the return of north-eastern Bulgaria. During that time, the Byzantine Emperor Basil II
had to fight both the Bulgarians and the dangerous rebellion under Bardas Skleros
and he turned the customary means of the Byzantine policy: conspiracy.
His attention concentrated to Aron, who was more dangerous at the time due to the proximity of his seat to Thrace; and because of his ambition to rule over Bulgaria alone which made an eventual peace profitable for both Aron and Basil. The Bulgarian nobel asked for the Emperor's sister hand and Basil agreed but he tried to deceive Aron and sent him the wife of one of his nobles and the bishop of Sevast. However the attempted deceit was revealed and the bishop was killed, but the negotiations continued nonetheless. In the end Samuil learned of the secret negotiations and on 14 June 976 Aron together with all of his kin were executed in the vicinity of Dupnitsa. Only his eldest son Ivan Vladislav
, who eventually became the last Emperor of the Empire
was spared due to the vindication of Samuil's son Gavril Radomir
. Ironically, Ivan Vladislav murdered his saviour 39 years later.
• Simeon I of Bulgaria had several daughters and four sons:
1. Michael.
2. Peter I of Bulgaria (married to an Armenian Irina (Maria)/ Boris, Roman.
3. Ivan (married to an Armenian in Caesarea)/ Moses, Aaron/ John (Ivan) Vladislav.
4. Benjamin (Bajan).
• Comes Nikola had two sons:
1.David.
2.Samuel/ Gabriel (Gavril Radomir) and several other children.
Bulgarians
The Bulgarians are a South Slavic nation and ethnic group native to Bulgaria and neighbouring regions. Emigration has resulted in immigrant communities in a number of other countries.-History and ethnogenesis:...
noble, brother of Emperor Samuil of Bulgaria
Samuil of Bulgaria
Samuel was the Emperor of the First Bulgarian Empire from 997 to 6 October 1014. From 980 to 997, he was a general under Roman I of Bulgaria, the second surviving son of Emperor Peter I of Bulgaria, and co-ruled with him, as Roman bestowed upon him the command of the army and the effective royal...
and third son of Comita Nikola
Comita Nikola
Nikola the Comes was a father of counts David and Samuel. His son Samuel ruled as emperor of the First Bulgarian Empire from 997 to 1014.-Family tree:-Literature:...
, Duke of Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
. After the fall of the eastern parts of the country under Byzantine
Byzantine
Byzantine usually refers to the Roman Empire during the Middle Ages.Byzantine may also refer to:* A citizen of the Byzantine Empire, or native Greek during the Middle Ages...
occupation in 971, he and his three brothers David
David of Bulgaria
David was a Bulgarian noble, brother of Emperor Samuil and eldest son of Comita Nikola. After the disastrous invasion of Rus' armies and the fall of North-eastern Bulgaria under Byzantine occupation in 971, he and his three younger brothers took the lead of the defence of the country. They...
, Moses
Moses of Bulgaria
Moses was a Bulgarian noble, brother of Emperor Samuil of Bulgaria and second son of Comita Nikola, Duke of Sofia. After the fall of the eastern parts of the Empire under Byzantine occupation in 971, he and his brothers David, Aron and Samuil continued the fight to the west. They ruled together...
and Samuil continued the resistance to the west. They were called Comutopuli and ruled the country together, as the rightful heir to the throne, Boris II
Boris II of Bulgaria
Boris II was emperor of Bulgaria from 969 to 977 .-Reign:Boris II was the eldest surviving son of Emperor Peter I of Bulgaria and Maria Lakapena, a granddaughter of Emperor Romanos I Lakapenos of Byzantium...
and Roman
Roman of Bulgaria
Roman was emperor of Bulgaria from 977 to 997 .-Reign:Roman was the second surviving son of Emperor Peter I of Bulgaria by his marriage with Maria Lakapene, the granddaughter of the Byzantine Emperor Romanos I Lakapenos...
were imprisoned in Constantinople
Constantinople
Constantinople was the capital of the Roman, Eastern Roman, Byzantine, Latin, and Ottoman Empires. Throughout most of the Middle Ages, Constantinople was Europe's largest and wealthiest city.-Names:...
. The residence of Aron was Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
situated on the main road between Constantinople and Western Europe. He had to defend the area from enemy invasions and attack the Byzantine territories in Thrace
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
.
Treason and death
In 976 in the beginning the major campaign against the Byzantine EmpireByzantine Empire
The Byzantine Empire was the Eastern Roman Empire during the periods of Late Antiquity and the Middle Ages, centred on the capital of Constantinople. Known simply as the Roman Empire or Romania to its inhabitants and neighbours, the Empire was the direct continuation of the Ancient Roman State...
, the two eldest brothers David and Moses perished but the Bulgarians achieved great successes including the return of north-eastern Bulgaria. During that time, the Byzantine Emperor Basil II
Basil II
Basil II , known in his time as Basil the Porphyrogenitus and Basil the Young to distinguish him from his ancestor Basil I the Macedonian, was a Byzantine emperor from the Macedonian dynasty who reigned from 10 January 976 to 15 December 1025.The first part of his long reign was dominated...
had to fight both the Bulgarians and the dangerous rebellion under Bardas Skleros
Bardas Skleros
Bardas Skleros or Sclerus was a Byzantine general who led a wide-scale Asian rebellion against Emperor Basil II in 976–979.-Background:...
and he turned the customary means of the Byzantine policy: conspiracy.
His attention concentrated to Aron, who was more dangerous at the time due to the proximity of his seat to Thrace; and because of his ambition to rule over Bulgaria alone which made an eventual peace profitable for both Aron and Basil. The Bulgarian nobel asked for the Emperor's sister hand and Basil agreed but he tried to deceive Aron and sent him the wife of one of his nobles and the bishop of Sevast. However the attempted deceit was revealed and the bishop was killed, but the negotiations continued nonetheless. In the end Samuil learned of the secret negotiations and on 14 June 976 Aron together with all of his kin were executed in the vicinity of Dupnitsa. Only his eldest son Ivan Vladislav
Ivan Vladislav of Bulgaria
Ivan Vladislav ruled as emperor of Bulgaria from August or September 1015 to February 1018. The year of his birth is unknown, but he was born at least a decade before 987, but probably not much earlier than that....
, who eventually became the last Emperor of the Empire
First Bulgarian Empire
The First Bulgarian Empire was a medieval Bulgarian state founded in the north-eastern Balkans in c. 680 by the Bulgars, uniting with seven South Slavic tribes...
was spared due to the vindication of Samuil's son Gavril Radomir
Gavril Radomir of Bulgaria
Gavril Radomir , normally rendered as Gabriel Radomir in English and Gavriil Romanos in Greek, was the ruler of the First Bulgarian Empire from October 1014 to August or September 1015. He was the son of Samuel of Bulgaria. During his father's reign, his cousin Ivan Vladislav and Ivan's entire...
. Ironically, Ivan Vladislav murdered his saviour 39 years later.
Family tree
However, there's also another version about Aaron's origin:• Simeon I of Bulgaria had several daughters and four sons:
1. Michael.
2. Peter I of Bulgaria (married to an Armenian Irina (Maria)/ Boris, Roman.
3. Ivan (married to an Armenian in Caesarea)/ Moses, Aaron/ John (Ivan) Vladislav.
4. Benjamin (Bajan).
• Comes Nikola had two sons:
1.David.
2.Samuel/ Gabriel (Gavril Radomir) and several other children.