Kaliman I of Bulgaria
Encyclopedia
Kaliman Asen I reigned as emperor (tsar
) of Bulgaria
from 1241 to 1246. Kaliman Asen I was the son of Ivan Asen II and Anna Maria of Hungary
. His maternal grandparents were Andrew II of Hungary
and Gertrude of Merania
.
Kaliman was born about 1234, and died in 1246. Kaliman Asen I was named after his maternal uncle, prince of Hungary.
The reign of Kaliman Asen I is characterized by the gradual weakening of the Bulgarian state. The seven-year-old emperor was obviously not able to rule by himself, and the country was governed by a regency. Early in the reign Bulgaria was invaded by the Mongols
of the Golden Horde
under Batu Khan
. They were bought off by an annual tribute.
Bulgaria's influence over neighboring Thessalonica and Serbia
came to an end, although the boundaries of the enlarged state remained the same until Kaliman Asen I's premature death. In 1245 Pope Innocent IV
addressed a letter to Kaliman Asen I, seeking to bring Bulgaria into a church union with the Roman Catholic Church
. There are indications that local authorities took advantage of the youth of the ruler to abuse their power in the provinces, for example at Melnik
.
Kaliman Asen I's death in August/September 1246 was attributed by the Byzantine chronicler George Acropolites to either natural causes or poisoning. Kaliman Asen I was succeeded by his younger half-brother Michael Asen I (often inaccurately called Michael II Asen).
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
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...
from 1241 to 1246. Kaliman Asen I was the son of Ivan Asen II and Anna Maria of Hungary
Anna Maria of Hungary
Anna Maria of Hungary was a daughter of King Andrew II of Hungary and Gertrude of Merania. She was sister of Saint Elizabeth of Hungary....
. His maternal grandparents were Andrew II of Hungary
Andrew II of Hungary
Andrew II the Jerosolimitan was King of Hungary and Croatia . He was the younger son of King Béla III of Hungary, who invested him with the government of the Principality of Halych...
and Gertrude of Merania
Gertrude of Merania
Gertrude of Merania was the first wife of King Andrew II of Hungary and thereby Queen consort of Hungary from 1205 until her assassination.-Family:...
.
Kaliman was born about 1234, and died in 1246. Kaliman Asen I was named after his maternal uncle, prince of Hungary.
The reign of Kaliman Asen I is characterized by the gradual weakening of the Bulgarian state. The seven-year-old emperor was obviously not able to rule by himself, and the country was governed by a regency. Early in the reign Bulgaria was invaded by the Mongols
Mongols
Mongols ) are a Central-East Asian ethnic group that lives mainly in the countries of Mongolia, China, and Russia. In China, ethnic Mongols can be found mainly in the central north region of China such as Inner Mongolia...
of the Golden Horde
Golden Horde
The Golden Horde was a Mongol and later Turkicized khanate that formed the north-western sector of the Mongol Empire...
under Batu Khan
Batu Khan
Batu Khan was a Mongol ruler and founder of the Ulus of Jochi , the sub-khanate of the Mongol Empire. Batu was a son of Jochi and grandson of Genghis Khan. His ulus was the chief state of the Golden Horde , which ruled Rus and the Caucasus for around 250 years, after also destroying the armies...
. They were bought off by an annual tribute.
Bulgaria's influence over neighboring Thessalonica and Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
came to an end, although the boundaries of the enlarged state remained the same until Kaliman Asen I's premature death. In 1245 Pope Innocent IV
Pope Innocent IV
Pope Innocent IV , born Sinibaldo Fieschi, was pope from June 25, 1243 until his death in 1254.-Early life:...
addressed a letter to Kaliman Asen I, seeking to bring Bulgaria into a church union with the Roman Catholic Church
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
. There are indications that local authorities took advantage of the youth of the ruler to abuse their power in the provinces, for example at Melnik
Melnik, Bulgaria
Melnik is a town in Blagoevgrad Province, southwestern Bulgaria, in the southwestern Pirin Mountains, about 440 m above sea level. The town is an architectural reserve and 96 of its buildings are cultural monuments...
.
Kaliman Asen I's death in August/September 1246 was attributed by the Byzantine chronicler George Acropolites to either natural causes or poisoning. Kaliman Asen I was succeeded by his younger half-brother Michael Asen I (often inaccurately called Michael II Asen).