Hranislav

Hranislav
Allegiance	Second Bulgarian Empire Byzantine Empire
Years of service	1270s, 1300s (documented)
Rank	possibly Bulgarian megas primikerios Byzantine megas tzaousios
Battles/wars	Uprising of Ivaylo Byzantine–Catalan campaigns against the Anatolian beyliks

Hranislav (Bulgarian: Хранислав; Medieval Greek: Χρανίσθλαβος,Chranisthlavos) (fl. 1278–1304) was a Bulgarian military commander who was a close associate of rebel leader and later Tsar Ivaylo (r. 1277–1280). After being captured by the Byzantines, Hranislav entered the service of Andronikos II Palaiologos (r. 1282–1328) as his megas tzaousios. As a Byzantine officer, he commanded a detachment which assisted the Catalan Company in the anti-Turkish wars in Asia Minor.

Few details are known about Hranislav prior to his capture by the Byzantines. Byzantine historian George Pachymeres describes him as a "warlike man, a Bulgarian by descent" and one of Ivaylo's officers and supporters. Historian Plamen Pavlov theorizes that Hranislav must have been an early follower of Ivaylo from the very outbreak of his uprising and thus one of his most trusted commanders. He believes Hranislav was granted the Byzantine loan-title of megas primikerios after Ivaylo was installed in the capital Tarnovo.

Hranislav was taken captive by the armies of Michael VIII Palaiologos (r. 1259–1282), whose campaigns against Bulgaria in 1278–1280 sought to eliminate Ivaylo and put Ivan Asen III (r. 1279–1280) on the Bulgarian throne. Hranislav had to spend at least a few years imprisoned in Constantinople before Michael's son and next Byzantine Emperor Andronikos II Palaiologos released him. Andronikos desired to make use of Hranislav's military talents and elevated him to the status of megas tzaousios. Bulgarian scholars interpret the role of the megas tzaousios as the head of the imperial guard and a chief assistant of the megas primikerios. In fact, the nature of this military office, which derives from Turkish çavuş, "messenger", is far from clear.

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