Ktenia ( bg, Ктения, gr, Κτένια) is a ruined

Roman Roman or Romans most often refers to: *Rome, the capital city of Italy *Ancient Rome, Roman civilization from 8th century BC to 5th century AD *Roman people, the people of ancient Rome *'' Epistle to the Romans'', shortened to ''Romans'', a lette ...

and

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the late 5th to the late 15th centuries, similar to the post-classical period of global history. It began with the fall of the Western Roman Empire ...

fortress, north of the village of Lozarevo in Sungurlare Municipality,

Burgas Province Burgas Province ( bg, Област Бургас, translit=Oblast Burgas, formerly the Burgas okrug) is a province in southeastern Bulgaria, including the southern Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. The province is named after its administrative and ind ...

, south-eastern

Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedo ...

. In the Middle Ages, Ktenia often changed hands between

and Byzantium. The ruins of the fortress lie northeast of the town of Sungurlare, in the Grebenets section of the Eastern Balkan Mountains. In ancient and medieval times, it served as an important defensive position guarding the Karnobat Pass through the mountains. Neighbouring castles included Rusokastro to the southeast and

Aytos Aytos ( bg, Айтос ), sometimes written Aitos and Ajtos, is a town located in eastern Bulgaria some 30 kilometers from the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast and belonging to the administrative boundaries of Burgas Province. It is the administrati ...

to the east. It is uncertain whether Ktenia is identical with the castle named Goloe, which lay in the same region, or whether these were separate fortifications. In 705, Ktenia became part of the First Bulgarian Empire when the

Zagore Zagore may refer to: * Zagore (region) (also Zagora, Zagorie, Zagoriya), a region in medieval Bulgaria * , a village Mošćenička Draga Municipality, Primorje-Gorski Kotar County, Croatia * , a village Stara Zagora Municipality, Stara Zagora Prov ...

area was ceded to

Tervel Khan Tervel ( bg, Тервел) also called ''Tarvel'', or ''Terval'', or ''Terbelis'' in some Byzantine sources, was the khan of Bulgaria during the First Bulgarian Empire at the beginning of the 8th century. In 705 Emperor Justinian II named ...

by the Byzantine Empire. When the Bulgarian Empire was reestablished at the end of the 12th century, Ktenia was once again under Bulgarian control until it was conquered by the Byzantines during the

Uprising of Ivaylo The Uprising of Ivaylo ( bg, Въстанието на Ивайло) was a rebellion of the Bulgarian peasantry against the incompetent rule of Emperor Constantine Tikh and the Bulgarian nobility. The revolt was fuelled mainly by the failure ...

(1277–1280). The fortress was recovered by Bulgaria after a successful war by emperor

Theodore Svetoslav Theodore Svetoslav ( bg, Тодор Светослав, ''Todor Svetoslav'' and also Теодор Светослав, ''Teodor Svetoslav'') ruled as emperor (tsar) of Bulgaria from 1300 to 1322. The date of his birth is unknown. He expanded the ter ...

(r. 1300–1321) in 1304. However, it was lost during the period of uncertainty after the premature death of his son George II Terter (r. 1321–1322). Ktenia was quickly recaptured by the new emperor Michael Shishman (r. 1323–1330) in 1324. After another brief Byzantine occupation between 1330 and 1332, it was once again captured by the Bulgarians in the aftermath of the

Battle of Rusokastro The Battle of Rusokastro ( bg, Битка при Русокастро, el, Μάχη τοῦ Ῥουσοκάστρου) occurred on July 18, 1332 near the village of Rusokastro, Bulgaria, between the armies of the Bulgarian and Byzantine Empires ...

on 18 July 1332.Andreev, p. 268-270

Footnotes

Sources

* {{Castles in Bulgaria Castles in Bulgaria Buildings and structures in Burgas Province