Kaliman II of Bulgaria
Encyclopedia
Kaliman Asen II or commonly, but less accurately Koloman Asen II, ruled as emperor (tsar
) of Bulgaria for a short time in 1256. The year of his birth is unknown.
Kaliman Asen II was the son of sebastokrator
Alexander, who was the younger brother of Ivan Asen II of Bulgaria
. Kaliman Asen II's mother is unknown, and attempts to identify her as a Serbian princess are based on the erroneous identification of Kaliman Asen II with the sebastokrator Kalojan, who was still alive in 1258/59.
In 1256 Kaliman Asen murdered his first cousin Michael Asen I
during a hunting party in the environs of the capital Tărnovo
and usurped the throne. In the process he married Michael Asen I's widow, the unnamed daughter of Rostislav Mihailovich, but he was unable to maintain himself on the throne. Rostislav advanced on Tărnovo from Belgrade, and Kaliman Asen II fled the capital. Rostislav returned home with his daughter and claiming the title of emperor of Bulgaria, while a brother-in-law of Michael Asen I, Mitso Asen took the throne. In the meantime, Kaliman Asen II had been murdered after being abandoned by most of his supporters.
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
) of Bulgaria for a short time in 1256. The year of his birth is unknown.
Kaliman Asen II was the son of sebastokrator
Sebastokrator
Sebastokratōr was a senior court title in the late Byzantine Empire. It was also used by other rulers whose states bordered the Empire or were within its sphere of influence. The word is a compound of "sebastos" Sebastokratōr was a senior court title in the late Byzantine Empire. It was also used...
Alexander, who was the younger brother of Ivan Asen II of Bulgaria
Ivan Asen II of Bulgaria
-Early rule:He was a son of Ivan Asen I of Bulgaria and Elena . Elena, who survived until after 1235, is sometimes alleged to be a daughter of Stefan Nemanja of Serbia, but this relationship is questionable and would have caused various canonical impediments to marriages between various descendants...
. Kaliman Asen II's mother is unknown, and attempts to identify her as a Serbian princess are based on the erroneous identification of Kaliman Asen II with the sebastokrator Kalojan, who was still alive in 1258/59.
In 1256 Kaliman Asen murdered his first cousin Michael Asen I
Michael Asen I of Bulgaria
Michael II Asen of Bulgaria , ruled as emperor of Bulgaria from 1246 to 1256. He was the son of Ivan Asen II and his third wife Irene Komnene of Epirus , daughter of Theodore I Ducas of the Despotate of Epirus...
during a hunting party in the environs of the capital Tărnovo
Veliko Tarnovo
Veliko Tarnovo is a city in north central Bulgaria and the administrative centre of Veliko Tarnovo Province. Often referred to as the "City of the Tsars", Veliko Tarnovo is located on the Yantra River and is famous as the historical capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire, attracting many tourists...
and usurped the throne. In the process he married Michael Asen I's widow, the unnamed daughter of Rostislav Mihailovich, but he was unable to maintain himself on the throne. Rostislav advanced on Tărnovo from Belgrade, and Kaliman Asen II fled the capital. Rostislav returned home with his daughter and claiming the title of emperor of Bulgaria, while a brother-in-law of Michael Asen I, Mitso Asen took the throne. In the meantime, Kaliman Asen II had been murdered after being abandoned by most of his supporters.