Smilets ( bg, Смилец) reigned as
tsar of Bulgaria from 1292 to 1298.
Life
Although Smilets is credited with being descended "from the noblest family of the Bulgarians", his antecedents are completely unknown. Judging by the landholdings of Smilets’ brothers Radoslav and Vojsil, the family held extensive lands between the
Balkan mountains
The Balkan mountain range (, , known locally also as Stara planina) is a mountain range in the eastern part of the Balkan Peninsula in Southeastern Europe. The range is conventionally taken to begin at the peak of Vrashka Chuka on the border betw ...
and
Sredna Gora.
Before ascending the throne replacing
George I in 1292, Smilets had married daughter of the ''
sebastokratōr
''Sebastokrator'' ( grc-byz, Σεβαστοκράτωρ, Sevastokrátor, August Ruler, ; bg, севастократор, sevastokrator; sh, sebastokrator), was a senior court title in the late Byzantine Empire. It was also used by other rulers w ...
''
Constantine Palaiologos, a half-brother of Emperor
Michael VIII Palaiologos. Apart from the information that Smilets became emperor of Bulgaria according to the wishes of
Nogai Khan
Nogai, or Noğay (; also spelled Nogay, Nogaj, Nohai, Nokhai, Noqai, Ngoche, Noche, Kara Nokhai, and Isa Nogai; died 1299/1300) was a general and kingmaker of the Golden Horde and a great-great-grandson of Genghis Khan. His grandfather was Bo'al/ ...
, we know nothing of the circumstances of Smilec's accession. Smilets was crowned by Patriarch
Joachim III. Joachim was executed for treason in 1300 by emperor
Theodore Svetoslav, George I's son, and historian
John Van Antwerp Fine Jr. theorizes that the alleged treachery might be linked to the obscure period when Smilets overthrew George Terter I.
The reign of Smilets has been considered the height of Mongol overlordship in Bulgaria. Nevertheless, Mongol raids may have continued, as in 1297 and 1298. Since these raids pillaged parts of
Thrace (then entirely in Byzantine hands), perhaps Bulgaria was not one of their objectives. In fact, in spite of the usually pro-Byzantine policy of Nogai, Smilets was quickly involved in an unsuccessful war against the
Byzantine Empire at the beginning of his reign.
About 1296/1297 Smilets married his daughter
Theodora to the future
Serbian King
This is an archontological list of Serbian monarchs, containing monarchs of the medieval principalities, to heads of state of modern Serbia.
The Serbian monarchy dates back to the Early Middle Ages. The Serbian royal titles used include Knyaz ...
Stefan Dečanski, and this union produced Serbian king
Stefan Dušan.
In 1298 Smilets disappears from the pages of history, apparently after the beginning of
Chaka's invasion. Smilets may have been killed by Chaka or died of natural causes while the enemy advanced against him. Smilets was briefly succeeded by his son
Ivan II.
Smilets Point
Smilets Point ( bg, нос Смилец, ‘Nos Smilets’ \'nos smi-'lets\) is the rocky point on the southwest side of the entrance to Hall Cove, at the northeast end of Lambreva Beach, projecting 500 m north-northwestwards from the northwest coa ...
in
Antarctica is named after Smilets of Bulgaria.
Family
Smilec was married to an unnamed Byzantine princess, daughter of ''sebastokratōr''
Constantine Palaiologos. She was called just ''
Smiltsena'' ( bg, Смилцена; ''the wife of Smilets''). By her he had at least three children:
#
Ivan II, who succeeded as emperor of Bulgaria 1298–1299/1300
#
Teodora of Bulgaria, Queen of Serbia
#
Marina
A marina (from Spanish , Portuguese and Italian : ''marina'', "coast" or "shore") is a dock or basin with moorings and supplies for yachts and small boats.
A marina differs from a port in that a marina does not handle large passenger ships o ...
References
Sources
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External links
Detailed list of Bulgarian rulers
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smilets Of Bulgaria
13th-century births
1298 deaths
13th-century Bulgarian emperors
Eastern Orthodox monarchs
Bulgarian people of the Byzantine–Bulgarian Wars
Smilets dynasty