I’m so glad I found your channel. Your videos are so well Done and unbiased. Far and away the best Byzantine series on TH-cam. Can’t wait to dig into your other videos! ❤
Very good work, from a Bulgarian! The Bulgarian-Byzantine conflicts are a real life GoT story, HBO most certainly should have a look 😅 Would you share the name of the oriental-like song that starts at around 12:00?
I discovered this video on a coffee break while reading John Julius Norwich's 'Byzantium - The Apogee', the second of his three books on the Byzantine Empire. Very good video indeed. Excellent maps and helpful illustrations. Thank you for this. Looking forward to viewing the rest in the series.
Norwich's trilogy about Byzantium is definitely a fun read, although much of the scholarship is outdated and may reflect theories that have fallen out of favour among historians - so beware!
15:10 According to historian Anthony Kaldellis the "Anatolian magnate" class amd their rise is an invention. I highly recommend his book "Streams of Gold, Rivers of Blood"
Been binging this, series lately, Eastern Roman history has always been a passion of mine and I like the presentatipn, can't wait for the upcoming videos on the macedonians.
you could argue that the Bulgarian control over those lands stretched more up north at that time, but overall i'd mostly agree with the Bulgarian part. Great video and I'm hoping to see more in the future!
@@Serapeum Sounds like it'll be fun, just the right flavour of complete and utter chaos that the Byzantines are known for, along with their glorious returns from such disasters too. I'm personally glad you're covering these more underrated rulers in Byzantine history, and even the downright terrible ones from the looks of it as it's also just as big a part of their history as their triumphs are. Must say though, would also be nice to see a video on Bulgaria but I'm also a bit biased here so don't mind that much, but I do love the almost 700 long rivalry between them and Byzantium, one of my favourite historical periods because of just how chaotic it is. But continue bringing the same quality man, it's all good so far and hey I'm sure your next videos will be even better.
Those were the lands we conquered from the Avar Khaganate a century earlier and lost gradually during the end of Emperor Petar. While Bulgarian control wasn't as strong as it was south of Carphatia and especially Danube, it was present.
@@rawka_7929 Nah that’s Wrong, Constantine Purpleborn goes over the borders of Bulgaria and the Magyars in his Book De Administrando Imperio. Bulgaria had no territory north of the Danube by the time he was writing in 948. Modern Historians point to the lost of Carthpathia to the Magyars around 895 after they were force to migrate there after their defeat by Simeon and Pecheneg aggression. While Moldavia/Wallachia were lost in 917 after the Pechenegs invaded the region in alliance with the Byzantines but refused to go south of the Danube as agreed and instead conquered Wallachia while Simeon was busy winning Aheloi and fighting the Byzantines. Bulgarian control north of the Danube was always nominal outside key locations. Hence the Magyars were able to overrun their carpathian garrisons with ease. Glad to see a vid with more realistic and historical borders given all the TH-cam videos with fantastical Bulgarian blob borders.
It's remarkable that he ever managed to reign at all, considering the hostile regents and co-emperors he had to deal with. Probably the most remarkable Byzantine survival story out there, in my eyes.
Didn't Bulgarian territory extend to the borders of "modern" (pre-WW1) Romania as well during this time? They surely did Aside from that, Constantine VII was extremely luckily in the first half of his Reign. To stay Emperor through it all & not get deposed is pretty impressive, though it's only down to the guy who usurped him being the "gentle usurper" after all
Well, for the simple fact that prosperity doesn't necessarily mean military success; even during their resurgence, the Byzantines were no strangers to defeat, but their increased economic resources and efficient internal organisation allowed them to be more resilient and bounce back from these defeats more quickly. Bulgaria was also undergoing quite a good period in its history, especially under brilliant rulers like Tsar Simeon I, so they were able to chip away at imperial holdings in Europe. Really, the fruits of the Byzantine revival were only properly enjoyed during the later tenth century, under soldier-emperors like Nikephoros II and John I. Even then, prosperity could not prevent bad luck, poor planning, or inferior tactics from bringing defeat down upon imperial armies, such as when Basil II was thrashed at the Trajan Gates in 985.
"The Romans and the Bulgarians viewed each other as distinct people, and many among the latter, especially the former ruling class, desired freedom from “GREEK oppression".” "Later medieval Bulgarians called the Byzantine period “the GREEK slavery.” Anthony Kaldellis, "Streams of Gold, Rivers of Blood: The Rise and Fall of Byzantium, 955 A.D. to the First Crusade", pp. 174
"In this respect, it is noteworthy that early-medieval written evidence from the Bulgar realm testifies to a Bulgar preference to the ethnonym Graikos (Greek), instead of Rhomaios (Roman), by the designation of the Eastern Romans." Yannis Stouraitis, pp 130, "Byzantine Romanness: From geopolitical to ethnic conceptions: Early Medieval Regions and Identities"
Emperor Justinian was an lllyrian/ Dardan/ Albanian, and the Byzantium was an Illyrian Empire! Emperor Constantin was an lllyrian/ Albanian, and the Byzantium was an Illyrian Empire! Komnenians Dinasty was Illyrian/ Albanian! Alexander the Great was Illyrian/Albanian! The history must be rewritten!
crime that this guy doesn’t have millions of subs
I’m so glad I found your channel. Your videos are so well
Done and unbiased. Far and away the best Byzantine series on TH-cam. Can’t wait to dig into your other videos! ❤
Constantine's drip in the thumbnail goes so hard
Very good work, from a Bulgarian! The Bulgarian-Byzantine conflicts are a real life GoT story, HBO most certainly should have a look 😅
Would you share the name of the oriental-like song that starts at around 12:00?
It's called "Tabuk"; it's one of the many copyright-free songs written by this channel's musical saviour, Kevin MacLeod
Just found this channel. Am so glad I have. Can't wait for it to blow up. Excellent content.
I discovered this video on a coffee break while reading John Julius Norwich's 'Byzantium - The Apogee', the second of his three books on the Byzantine Empire. Very good video indeed. Excellent maps and helpful illustrations. Thank you for this. Looking forward to viewing the rest in the series.
Norwich's trilogy about Byzantium is definitely a fun read, although much of the scholarship is outdated and may reflect theories that have fallen out of favour among historians - so beware!
Bulgarian here, amazing video
15:10 According to historian Anthony Kaldellis the "Anatolian magnate" class amd their rise is an invention. I highly recommend his book "Streams of Gold, Rivers of Blood"
Love hearing his interviews on the Robin Pierson’s Byzantine History podcast
Been binging this, series lately, Eastern Roman history has always been a passion of mine and I like the presentatipn, can't wait for the upcoming videos on the macedonians.
The next video in this series will be out today, so stay tuned!
Byzantine content 😍😍!
you could argue that the Bulgarian control over those lands stretched more up north at that time, but overall i'd mostly agree with the Bulgarian part. Great video and I'm hoping to see more in the future!
Will be properly covering Romanos Lekapenos soon, so stay tuned for that! :)
@@Serapeum Sounds like it'll be fun, just the right flavour of complete and utter chaos that the Byzantines are known for, along with their glorious returns from such disasters too.
I'm personally glad you're covering these more underrated rulers in Byzantine history, and even the downright terrible ones from the looks of it as it's also just as big a part of their history as their triumphs are.
Must say though, would also be nice to see a video on Bulgaria but I'm also a bit biased here so don't mind that much, but I do love the almost 700 long rivalry between them and Byzantium, one of my favourite historical periods because of just how chaotic it is. But continue bringing the same quality man, it's all good so far and hey I'm sure your next videos will be even better.
Those were the lands we conquered from the Avar Khaganate a century earlier and lost gradually during the end of Emperor Petar. While Bulgarian control wasn't as strong as it was south of Carphatia and especially Danube, it was present.
@@DimitarFCBM exactly, the most arguably lost part was the Pannonian steppe but Transylvania could be argued to have been kept until 960 if anything.
@@rawka_7929 Nah that’s Wrong, Constantine Purpleborn goes over the borders of Bulgaria and the Magyars in his Book De Administrando Imperio. Bulgaria had no territory north of the Danube by the time he was writing in 948.
Modern Historians point to the lost of Carthpathia to the Magyars around 895 after they were force to migrate there after their defeat by Simeon and Pecheneg aggression.
While Moldavia/Wallachia were lost in 917 after the Pechenegs invaded the region in alliance with the Byzantines but refused to go south of the Danube as agreed and instead conquered Wallachia while Simeon was busy winning Aheloi and fighting the Byzantines.
Bulgarian control north of the Danube was always nominal outside key locations. Hence the Magyars were able to overrun their carpathian garrisons with ease.
Glad to see a vid with more realistic and historical borders given all the TH-cam videos with fantastical Bulgarian blob borders.
Nice video
The best videos man
Great stuff
Constantine VII .... if he had a full rule during his reign, who knows how it would have turned out.
It's remarkable that he ever managed to reign at all, considering the hostile regents and co-emperors he had to deal with. Probably the most remarkable Byzantine survival story out there, in my eyes.
Didn't Bulgarian territory extend to the borders of "modern" (pre-WW1) Romania as well during this time? They surely did
Aside from that, Constantine VII was extremely luckily in the first half of his Reign. To stay Emperor through it all & not get deposed is pretty impressive, though it's only down to the guy who usurped him being the "gentle usurper" after all
They surely did not if you ask any modern historian or primary source and not TH-cam videos in collaboration with Bulgarian Empire mapping lol.
Question: how is it the empire would still lose territory in prosperous times?
Well, for the simple fact that prosperity doesn't necessarily mean military success; even during their resurgence, the Byzantines were no strangers to defeat, but their increased economic resources and efficient internal organisation allowed them to be more resilient and bounce back from these defeats more quickly.
Bulgaria was also undergoing quite a good period in its history, especially under brilliant rulers like Tsar Simeon I, so they were able to chip away at imperial holdings in Europe. Really, the fruits of the Byzantine revival were only properly enjoyed during the later tenth century, under soldier-emperors like Nikephoros II and John I. Even then, prosperity could not prevent bad luck, poor planning, or inferior tactics from bringing defeat down upon imperial armies, such as when Basil II was thrashed at the Trajan Gates in 985.
@@Serapeum makes sense, thank you
Im already hyped😅
"The Romans and the Bulgarians viewed each other as distinct people, and many among the latter, especially the former ruling class, desired freedom from “GREEK oppression".”
"Later medieval Bulgarians called the Byzantine period “the GREEK slavery.”
Anthony Kaldellis, "Streams of Gold, Rivers of Blood: The Rise and Fall of Byzantium, 955 A.D. to the First Crusade", pp. 174
"In this respect, it is noteworthy that early-medieval written evidence from the Bulgar realm testifies to a Bulgar preference to the ethnonym Graikos (Greek), instead of Rhomaios (Roman), by the designation of the Eastern Romans."
Yannis Stouraitis, pp 130, "Byzantine Romanness: From geopolitical to ethnic conceptions: Early Medieval Regions and Identities"
Why didn't he just adopt a worthy heir like previous emperors of the past would do? Isn't this borderline Germanic/Western Monarchy style succession?
Crazy, muslims in Capua but not in Anatolia?
Emperor Justinian was an lllyrian/ Dardan/ Albanian, and the Byzantium was an Illyrian Empire!
Emperor Constantin was an lllyrian/ Albanian, and the Byzantium was an Illyrian Empire!
Komnenians Dinasty was Illyrian/ Albanian!
Alexander the Great was Illyrian/Albanian!
The history must be rewritten!