Emperor Samuel of Bulgaria.

Day 3,145, 23:26 • Published in Armenia Georgia • by Rodica Bostanica

Statue of Tsar (Emperor) Samuel of Bulgaria, Skopje Macedonia.

Samuel or Samuil became the Tsar of the first Bulgarian Empire from 997 to October 6, 1014.

Samuel was the fourth and youngest son of count Nicholas, possibly a Bulgarian or Armenian noble and Ripsimia of Armenia, the daughter of King Ashot II of Armenia of the Armenian royal Bagratid dynasty.

Samuel served as a general under Roman I of Bulgaria and co-ruled with him from 977 to 997. He managed to defeat the Byzantines during several major battles and go on the offensive in Byzantine territories, fighting against much superior armies. During Samuel's reign, Bulgaria managed to control most of the Balkans (with the notable exception of Thrace) as far as southern Greece. The capital was moved from Skopje to Ohrid.

Because of his victories Samuel was considered to be "invincible in power and unsurpassable in strength". Similar comments were made even in Constantinople, where John Kyriotes made a comparison between the Bulgarian Emperor and Halley's comet in 989.

Two months after his catastrophic battle of Kleidion, on October 6, 1014 Samuel died of a heart attack. Samuel's energetic reign restored Bulgarian might on the Balkans, and although the Empire was disestablished after his death, he is regarded as a heroic ruler in Bulgaria.