Isbul
Encyclopedia
Isbul (fl.
820s–830s) was the kavhan, or first minister, of the First Bulgarian Empire
during the reigns of Omurtag
, Malamir
and Presian I
. Appointed to the kavhan office under Omurtag, Isbul was a regent
or co-ruler of the underage Malamir and his successor Presian.
Under Malamir and Presian, Isbul headed Bulgaria's successful campaigns against the Byzantines
in southern Thrace
and Macedonia
, which led to a significant territorial expansion of the Bulgarian realm. As a co-ruler of Malamir, Isbul also financed the construction of a water conduit in the capital Pliska
. As second-in-charge, Isbul held enormous power and wealth, and was unusually often mentioned beside the name of the ruler in inscriptions. Due to his merits, Isbul has been described as an architect of medieval Bulgarian statehood by historians.
The office of the kavhan was a hereditary title in the First Bulgarian Empire, monopolised by the members of the tentatively known "Kavhan family", In order to accede to that position, Isbul must have belonged to the Kavhan family, which is indirectly evidenced by his Bulgar
name. Historian Plamen Pavlov theorises that Isbul may have begun his career under the ruler Krum (r. 803–814), and by the time of Krum's son Omurtag (r. 815–831), Isbul was already an influential noble. As he is referred to as a kavhan and regent of the next ruler, Malamir (r. 831–836), it is conjectured that he had been appointed to the office at some point during Omurtag's rule.
The earliest record of Isbul is the stone epigraph
known as the Malamir Chronicle, which states that Malamir "ruled together with kavhan Isbul". Malamir was the youngest son of Omurtag and must have been considered too young to rule by himself, so that a regent had to be appointed. Omurtag specified Malamir as his heir because his eldest son, Enravota
, was a Christian
. The Byzantines
hoped to take advantage of Bulgaria's instability at the time, caused by the presence of the underage Malamir on the throne, and broke the long-lasting peace established with the Treaty of 815
, which they had initially reaffirmed upon Malamir's accession. In 836, Isbul was in charge of the Bulgarian forces which repulsed the Byzantine invasion and proceeded to raid into Byzantine territory.
As part of this campaign, Isbul and Malamir captured the Thracian
fortresses of Probaton (near Adrianople, modern Edirne
) and Bourdizon (modern Babaeski
). After conquering these two fortresses, the Bulgarian troops reached Philippopolis (now Plovdiv
). As the defence forces of Philippopolis had abandoned the city, Isbul and Malamir entered negotiations with the population in order to persuade them to cede the fortress. Pavlov is of the opinion that the war ended with a continuation of the peace of 815. He believes that Byzantine Emperor Theophilos
(r. 829–842) was forced to make concessions to Bulgaria, which may have included the incorporation of Philippopolis and its close surroundings into the Bulgarian Empire.
During his time as co-ruler and kavhan of Malamir, Isbul financed the construction of a water conduit
(aqueduct
) or fountain
in Pliska
, which he donated to Malamir. That construction was the occasion for a great feast, which the ruler organised, and for gifts to the nobility. The building of such an installation and its donation to Malamir testifies to Isbul's affluence. In the source pertaining to that construction, Isbul is hailed alongside Malamir: "May God let the God-appointed ruler live a hundred years together with the kavhan Isbul". Normally, such blessings were only directed at the ruler, and this is the only case from the First Bulgarian Empire which references another person. The inscription also mentions Isbul's old age at the time.
After the surprise death of Malamir in 836, the Bulgarian throne was succeeded by Presian I (836–852), who too was likely underage. As evidenced by the Presian Inscription
from Philippi
, Isbul retained his position as kavhan and his decisive influence in the Bulgarian court. In 837, the Slavic
tribe of the Smolyani
(Smolenoi), who inhabited the lower Nestos (Mesta) River and Western Thrace
near Drama
, rose against their Byzantine rulers. The inscription of Philippi mentions large-scale Bulgarian activity in the lands of the Smolyani. The Bulgarian forces were led by Isbul, as well as the ichirgu-boil
(commander of the capital garrison) and the head priest. As the inscription is damaged, it is unclear who Presian and Isbul supported in that conflict. However, during this campaign the Bulgarian army conquered most of Macedonia including Philippi, where the inscription was found. From that point on, Isbul disappears from the sources, and there is no information about the date and circumstances of his death.
n historian Florin Curta emphasises the similarity of Isbul's role to that of 8th-century Mayors of the Palace
in the Frankish
lands under the Merovingian dynasty
.
Isbul Point
on Livingston Island of the South Shetland Islands
, Antarctica, was named in honour of kavhan Isbul by the Antarctic Place-names Commission
of Bulgaria
. Isbul also features as a character in Aleksandar Raychev's opera
Khan Asparuh, which debuted at the Ruse Opera House
in 1981. In the opera, however, Isbul is erroneously described as the kavhan of the first Bulgarian ruler, Asparuh
.
Floruit
Floruit , abbreviated fl. , is a Latin verb meaning "flourished", denoting the period of time during which something was active...
820s–830s) was the kavhan, or first minister, of the First Bulgarian 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...
during the reigns of Omurtag
Omurtag of Bulgaria
Omurtag was a Great Khan of Bulgaria from 814 to 831. He is known as "the Builder".In the very beginning of his reign he signed a 30-year peace treaty with the neighboring Eastern Roman Empire which remained in force to the end of his life...
, Malamir
Malamir of Bulgaria
Malamir was the ruler of Bulgaria 831–836.Malamir was a son of Omurtag and a grandson of Krum. His name may be of Slavic origin, and is claimed to be the first Bulgar khan to possess a Slavic name; however another theory is that it was an Iranian name, as there is an Iranian city named Malamir...
and Presian I
Presian I of Bulgaria
Presian was the Khan of Bulgaria from 836–852. He ruled during an extensive expansion in Macedonia.-Origin:The composite picture of the Byzantine sources indicates that Presian I was the son of Zvinica , who was a son of Omurtag...
. Appointed to the kavhan office under Omurtag, Isbul was a regent
Regent
A regent, from the Latin regens "one who reigns", is a person selected to act as head of state because the ruler is a minor, not present, or debilitated. Currently there are only two ruling Regencies in the world, sovereign Liechtenstein and the Malaysian constitutive state of Terengganu...
or co-ruler of the underage Malamir and his successor Presian.
Under Malamir and Presian, Isbul headed Bulgaria's successful campaigns against the Byzantines
Byzantine 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...
in southern 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...
and Macedonia
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
, which led to a significant territorial expansion of the Bulgarian realm. As a co-ruler of Malamir, Isbul also financed the construction of a water conduit in the capital Pliska
Pliska
Pliska is the name of both the first capital of Danubian Bulgaria and a small town which was renamed after the historical Pliska after its site was determined and excavations began....
. As second-in-charge, Isbul held enormous power and wealth, and was unusually often mentioned beside the name of the ruler in inscriptions. Due to his merits, Isbul has been described as an architect of medieval Bulgarian statehood by historians.
Biography
Bulgars
The Bulgars were a semi-nomadic who flourished in the Pontic Steppe and the Volga basin in the 7th century.The Bulgars emerge after the collapse of the Hunnic Empire in the 5th century....
name. Historian Plamen Pavlov theorises that Isbul may have begun his career under the ruler Krum (r. 803–814), and by the time of Krum's son Omurtag (r. 815–831), Isbul was already an influential noble. As he is referred to as a kavhan and regent of the next ruler, Malamir (r. 831–836), it is conjectured that he had been appointed to the office at some point during Omurtag's rule.
The earliest record of Isbul is the stone epigraph
Epigraphy
Epigraphy Epigraphy Epigraphy (from the , literally "on-writing", is the study of inscriptions or epigraphs as writing; that is, the science of identifying the graphemes and of classifying their use as to cultural context and date, elucidating their meaning and assessing what conclusions can be...
known as the Malamir Chronicle, which states that Malamir "ruled together with kavhan Isbul". Malamir was the youngest son of Omurtag and must have been considered too young to rule by himself, so that a regent had to be appointed. Omurtag specified Malamir as his heir because his eldest son, Enravota
Enravota
Saint Enravota or Voin or Boyan was the eldest son of Omurtag of Bulgaria and the first Bulgarian Christian martyr, as well as the earliest Bulgarian saint to be canonized....
, was a Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
. The Byzantines
Byzantine 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...
hoped to take advantage of Bulgaria's instability at the time, caused by the presence of the underage Malamir on the throne, and broke the long-lasting peace established with the Treaty of 815
Treaty of 815
The Treaty of 815 was a 30-year peace agreement signed in Constantinople between the Bulgarian Khan Omurtag and the Byzantine Emperor Leo V the Armenian.- Background :...
, which they had initially reaffirmed upon Malamir's accession. In 836, Isbul was in charge of the Bulgarian forces which repulsed the Byzantine invasion and proceeded to raid into Byzantine territory.
As part of this campaign, Isbul and Malamir captured the Thracian
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...
fortresses of Probaton (near Adrianople, modern Edirne
Edirne
Edirne is a city in Eastern Thrace, the northwestern part of Turkey, close to the borders with Greece and Bulgaria. Edirne served as the capital city of the Ottoman Empire from 1365 to 1453, before Constantinople became the empire's new capital. At present, Edirne is the capital of the Edirne...
) and Bourdizon (modern Babaeski
Babaeski
Babaeski is a town and district of Kırklareli Province in the Marmara region of Turkey. The countyship has a population of 27,712 and the total area of the district is 652 km².-Name:...
). After conquering these two fortresses, the Bulgarian troops reached Philippopolis (now Plovdiv
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...
). As the defence forces of Philippopolis had abandoned the city, Isbul and Malamir entered negotiations with the population in order to persuade them to cede the fortress. Pavlov is of the opinion that the war ended with a continuation of the peace of 815. He believes that Byzantine Emperor Theophilos
Theophilos (emperor)
Theophilos was the Byzantine emperor from 829 until his death in 842. He was the second emperor of the Phrygian dynasty, and the last emperor supporting iconoclasm...
(r. 829–842) was forced to make concessions to Bulgaria, which may have included the incorporation of Philippopolis and its close surroundings into the Bulgarian Empire.
During his time as co-ruler and kavhan of Malamir, Isbul financed the construction of a water conduit
Water pipe
Water pipes are pipes or tubes, frequently made of polyvinyl chloride , ductile iron, steel, cast iron, polypropylene, polyethylene, or copper, that carry pressurized and treated fresh water to buildings , as well as inside the building.-History:For many centuries, lead was the favoured material...
(aqueduct
Aqueduct
An aqueduct is a water supply or navigable channel constructed to convey water. In modern engineering, the term is used for any system of pipes, ditches, canals, tunnels, and other structures used for this purpose....
) or fountain
Fountain
A fountain is a piece of architecture which pours water into a basin or jets it into the air either to supply drinking water or for decorative or dramatic effect....
in Pliska
Pliska
Pliska is the name of both the first capital of Danubian Bulgaria and a small town which was renamed after the historical Pliska after its site was determined and excavations began....
, which he donated to Malamir. That construction was the occasion for a great feast, which the ruler organised, and for gifts to the nobility. The building of such an installation and its donation to Malamir testifies to Isbul's affluence. In the source pertaining to that construction, Isbul is hailed alongside Malamir: "May God let the God-appointed ruler live a hundred years together with the kavhan Isbul". Normally, such blessings were only directed at the ruler, and this is the only case from the First Bulgarian Empire which references another person. The inscription also mentions Isbul's old age at the time.
After the surprise death of Malamir in 836, the Bulgarian throne was succeeded by Presian I (836–852), who too was likely underage. As evidenced by the Presian Inscription
Presian Inscription
The Presian Inscription or Philippi Inscription is a medieval Greek text inscribed upon a stone in Philippi during the reign of the Bulgarian ruler Presian I .- Background history :...
from Philippi
Philippi
Philippi was a city in eastern Macedonia, established by Philip II in 356 BC and abandoned in the 14th century after the Ottoman conquest...
, Isbul retained his position as kavhan and his decisive influence in the Bulgarian court. In 837, the Slavic
Slavic peoples
The Slavic people are an Indo-European panethnicity living in Eastern Europe, Southeast Europe, North Asia and Central Asia. The term Slavic represents a broad ethno-linguistic group of people, who speak languages belonging to the Slavic language family and share, to varying degrees, certain...
tribe of the Smolyani
Smolyani
The Smolyani were a medieval Slavic tribe that settled in the Rhodope Mountains, the valley of the Mesta River and the region around Blagoevgrad Province, possibly in the 7th-8th century...
(Smolenoi), who inhabited the lower Nestos (Mesta) River and Western Thrace
Western Thrace
Western Thrace or simply Thrace is a geographic and historical region of Greece, located between the Nestos and Evros rivers in the northeast of the country. Together with the regions of Macedonia and Epirus, it is often referred to informally as northern Greece...
near Drama
Drama, Greece
Drama , the ancient Drabescus , is a town and municipality in northeastern Greece. Drama is the capital of the peripheral unit of Drama which is part of the East Macedonia and Thrace periphery. The town is the economic center of the municipality , which in turn comprises 53.5 percent of the...
, rose against their Byzantine rulers. The inscription of Philippi mentions large-scale Bulgarian activity in the lands of the Smolyani. The Bulgarian forces were led by Isbul, as well as the ichirgu-boil
Ichirgu-boil
The Ichirgu-boil or Chargobilya was a high-ranking official in the First Bulgarian Empire. He was the commander of the garrison of the capital and was the third most important person in the state after the ruler and the Kavkhan. In peace-time the ichirgu-boil had diplomatic functions...
(commander of the capital garrison) and the head priest. As the inscription is damaged, it is unclear who Presian and Isbul supported in that conflict. However, during this campaign the Bulgarian army conquered most of Macedonia including Philippi, where the inscription was found. From that point on, Isbul disappears from the sources, and there is no information about the date and circumstances of his death.
Assessment and legacy
In his biography of Isbul, Pavlov underlines his "extraordinary merits for the development of the Bulgarian state" and describes him as "one of the architects of medieval Bulgarian statehood during the years of its rise". RomaniaRomania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n historian Florin Curta emphasises the similarity of Isbul's role to that of 8th-century Mayors of the Palace
Mayor of the Palace
Mayor of the Palace was an early medieval title and office, also called majordomo, from the Latin title maior domus , used most notably in the Frankish kingdoms in the 7th and 8th centuries....
in the Frankish
Franks
The Franks were a confederation of Germanic tribes first attested in the third century AD as living north and east of the Lower Rhine River. From the third to fifth centuries some Franks raided Roman territory while other Franks joined the Roman troops in Gaul. Only the Salian Franks formed a...
lands under the Merovingian dynasty
Merovingian dynasty
The Merovingians were a Salian Frankish dynasty that came to rule the Franks in a region largely corresponding to ancient Gaul from the middle of the 5th century. Their politics involved frequent civil warfare among branches of the family...
.
Isbul Point
Isbul Point
Isbul Point is a narrow rocky point projecting 500 m from the coast of Ray Promontory into Svishtov Cove in the northwest extremity of Byers Peninsula of Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica. Situated 600 m east of Start Point, 1.2 km west-southwest of Kardzhali...
on Livingston Island of the South Shetland Islands
South Shetland Islands
The South Shetland Islands are a group of Antarctic islands, lying about north of the Antarctic Peninsula, with a total area of . By the Antarctic Treaty of 1959, the Islands' sovereignty is neither recognized nor disputed by the signatories and they are free for use by any signatory for...
, Antarctica, was named in honour of kavhan Isbul by the Antarctic Place-names Commission
Antarctic Place-names Commission
The Antarctic Place-names Commission was established by the Bulgarian Antarctic Institute in 1994, and since 2001 has been a body affiliated to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria. The Commission approves Bulgarian place names in Antarctica, which are formally given by the President of the...
of Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
. Isbul also features as a character in Aleksandar Raychev's opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
Khan Asparuh, which debuted at the Ruse Opera House
Rousse State Opera
- History :Founded in 1949, the Rousse Opera Theatre is the inheritor of the Rousse Opera Society , which makes it one of the oldest state cultural institutions in Bulgaria. The staff of schooled singers, the monolithic choir, the ballet, and the instrumental culture of the orchestra have a...
in 1981. In the opera, however, Isbul is erroneously described as the kavhan of the first Bulgarian ruler, Asparuh
Asparukh of Bulgaria
Asparuh was ruler of a Bulgar tribe in the second half of the 7th century and is credited with the establishment of the First Bulgarian Empire in 680/681...
.