Samuel of Bulgaria

Tsar of Bulgaria from 997 to 1014

Samuel, Samuil or Samoil (Bulgarian: Самуил, romanized: Samuil, pronounced [sɐmuˈiɫ]; Macedonian: Самоил/Самуил, romanized: Samoil/Samuil, pronounced [samɔˈiɫ/sɐmuˈiɫ]; Old Church Slavonic: Самоилъ; died 6 October 1014) was the Tsar (Emperor) of the First Bulgarian Empire from 997 to 6 October 1014. From 977 to 997, he was a general under Roman I of Bulgaria, the second surviving son of Emperor Peter I of Bulgaria, and co-ruled with him, as Roman bestowed upon him the command of the army and the effective royal authority. As Samuel struggled to preserve his country's independence from the Byzantine Empire, his rule was characterized by constant warfare against the Byzantines and their equally ambitious ruler Basil II. In his early years, Samuel managed to inflict several major defeats on the Byzantines and to launch offensive campaigns into their territory.

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