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Home , Basileus

PART TWO

CONVERSION, EXPANSION, POLITICAL IDEOLOGY, AND SOCIAL CONDITIONS DURING THE FIRST BULGARIAN TSARDOM, 864–1018

Seals

Lead seals of Prince Boris-Michael (864–889, 893, + 907). 34 The seals document the newly converted ruler’s dedication to Christianity by referring to him by his Christian name only and underscore the territorial concept of the Bulgarian polity as opposed to earlier references to people rather than land. Both the name and the invocation of the Mother of God stress the link to . Especially interesting is the last seal, which might be attributed to the time of Michael’s brief (and illegitimate) return to power to suppress the pagan reaction under his son Rasate and re-establish Christian- ity and the pro-Byzantine orientation of by putting his younger son Simeon on the Bulgarian throne. Editions: Nikola Mushmov, Monetite i pechatite na Balgarskite tsare (Sofi a, 1924), 157; Jordanov, Korpus, 31–36. (r) + Christ help your servant Michael ruler of Bulgaria. (v) + Mother of God help your servant Michael ruler of Bulgaria. (r) + Mother of God help Michael ruler of Bulgaria. (v) + Lord God help Michael, ruler of Bulgaria. (r) ΘΚΕΡΟΗΘΤωCω (v) Mother of God help your servant Michael the monk, from God ruler of Bulgaria.

Seals of Simeon (893–927). 35 The seals refl ect the progressive growth of Simeon’s political aspirations within the framework of the Byzantine political theology, from a prince and a ruler of a friendly country technically acknowledging Byzantine overarching authority, to (basileus or tsar), to emperor of the “Roman” Empire, to guardian of the universal peace. Edition: PI, 330, 332 (#88–90); Jordanov, Korpus, 40–54. (v) + Mother of God help Simeon ruler of Bulgaria. (r) + Lord God help Simeon ruler of Bulgaria. (v) + Mother of God help Simeon ruler of Bulgaria. (r) + Christ help Simeon ruler of Bulgaria.

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(v) + Simeon basileus. (r) + Mother of God (image). (v) + Simeon, in Christ basileus of the Romaioi. (r) To the basileus established by God many years. (v) + Simeon basileus to live many years. (r) + Many years to the peacemaker basileus. (v) Christ of . (r) Simeon basileus.

36 Lead seals of Tsar Peter and his spouse Maria. Tsar Simeon’s universal claims were not accepted as legitimate by Byzantium, but the political of his heir, Peter (927–969), was acknowledged in a compromise that left him with the of basileus of the , a return to a non-territorial defi nition of his authority. The legitimacy of the title was buttressed by his marriage to the Byzantine princess Maria Lakapena (911–962). She appears on his offi cial seals of which a large number (about 50 so far) have been found in a Preslav workshop. Edition: Jordanov, Korpus, 58–63. (v) + (Image of Christ). (r) + Peter . (v) + Peter basileus of the Bulgarians. (r) + (Image of Jesus Christ). (v) Peter, pious basileus. (r) + Jesus Christ. (v) + Peter and Maria basilei of Bulgaria. (r) + Jesus Christ. (v) Peter and Maria in Christ autocrats of the Bulgarians. (r) + Jesus Christ. (v) Peter and Maria in Christ august autocrats and basilei. (r) + Jesus Christ. (v) Peter tsar of the Bulgarians (matrix of an offi cial state seal).

37 Seal of Ioan bagatur, tenth century. The seal records two of a high-ranking Bulgarian; their exact meaning and hence his position in the hierarchy of the Bulgarian court is still unclear. Ioan could have been a bagatur in service of the heir presumed, the kanartikin,

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