The Bulgarian political, ecclesiastical and ethnic presence in the lands of today Kosovo during the Middle Ages

THE BULGARIAN POLITICAL, ECCLESIASTICAL AND ETHNIC PRESENCE IN THE LANDS OF TODAY KOSOVO DURING THE MIDDLE AGES 

Tervel Popov 

(Summary) 

During the Early Middle Ages Kosovo was an inseparable part of the Bulgarian political, ecclesiastical and ethnic space. For nearly two centuries (until ad 1018) the area was within the boundaries of the Bulgarian Khanate/Tsardom and after the Byzantine conquest was included in the diocese of the Ohrid Archbishopric. Kosovo was the centre of a rebellion leaded by the Bulgarian boyar Georgi Voyteh in 1072 – 1073. 

After the restoration of the Bulgarian Tsardom in 1185/1186, only part of Kosovo with the town of Prizren was under Bulgarian rule, only for a period of just few years. Slowly and gradually the Serbs conquered the area to finally settle in it in 1208/1211 and to overpower it not only politically, but also ecclesiastically. However, part of Kosovo’s population has preserved their Bulgarian ethnical self-awareness. 

Keywords: Kosovo, Bulgarian Tsardom, Ohrid Archbishopric, Serbia.