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 wh ...

Constantine Palaiologos Constantine XI Dragases Palaiologos or Dragaš Palaeologus ( el, Κωνσταντῖνος Δραγάσης Παλαιολόγος, ''Kōnstantînos Dragásēs Palaiológos''; 8 February 1405 – 29 May 1453) was the last Roman (Byzantine) e ...

, 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. John V. A. Fine Jr. (born 1939) is an American historian and author. He is professor of Balkan and Byzantine history at the University of Michigan and has written several books on the subject. Early life and education He was born in 1939 and grew ...

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 c ...

in Antarctica is named after Smilets of Bulgaria.

Family

Smilec was married to an unnamed Byzantine princess, daughter of ''sebastokratōr''

. 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 Theodora of Bulgaria (Bulgarian and sr, Теодора) was a Bulgarian princess and Queen consort of Serbia, the first wife of Stefan Dečanski. Teodora was the second daughter of Tsar Smilets of Bulgaria and Smiltsena Palaiologina. Teodora is be ...

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

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