Theodore Peter of Bulgaria
| Peter II Теодор-Петър |
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Detail of the painting ″The uprising of Asen and Petеr″, Georgi Bogdanov, 1961
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| Reign | 1185–1197 |
| Coronation | 1185 |
| Successor | Kaloyan |
| Died | 1197 |
| House | Asen dynasty |
Peter II, born Theodor, also known as Theodor-Peter (Bulgarian: Петър ІV, Теодор-Петър; died in 1197) was the first emperor (or tsar) of the restored Bulgarian Empire from 1185 to 1197. He was the son of a wealthy shepherd from the mountains of the Byzantine theme (or district) of Paristrion. He and his younger brothers, Asen and Kaloyan, were mentioned as Vlachs in most primary sources, but they were most probably of mixed (Vlach, Bulgarian and Cuman) origin.
Theodor-Peter and Asen approached the Byzantine Emperor, Isaac II Angelos, in Thrace in 1185, demanding an estate in the Balkan Mountains. After the emperor refused and humiliated them, they decided to stir up a rebellion, taking advantage of the discontent that a new tax had caused among the Bulgarians and Vlachs. To convince their compatriots to join them, they hired native profets who declared that Saint Demetrius of Thessaloniki supported them. Before the end of the year, Theodor-Peter was crowned and adopted insignia that was used only by the emperors.
The Byzantine army defeated the rebels, forcing Theodor-Peter and Asen to flee to the Cumans in April 1186. They returned at the head of Cuman troops in autumn. They took control of Paristrion, thus their uprising ended with the establishment of a new state, regarded as the successor of the First Bulgarian Empire. The brothers made regular raids against the nearby Byzantine territories in the early 1190s. Conflicts between Isaac II and the Holy Roman Emperor, Frederick Barbarossa, during Barbarossa's crusade enabled Theodor-Peter to conquer new territories in 1190. Theodor-Peter and Asen divided their realm in 1192, with Theodor-Peter receiving Preslav and the northeastern region. He concluded a peace treaty with the Byzantine Empire. After Asen was murdered by a boyar in 1196, Theodor-Peter appointed Kaloyan to rule Asen's former realm. Theodor-Peter was murdered in the following year.
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