Krum

Long ago, a leader named Krum ruled.

His land grew much larger. It became twice as big.

Krum was a very strong leader. He made new laws for his people. These laws helped the poor.

He also fought many wars. He fought against a group called the Byzantines. This was a very hard time.

Krum made his land very organized. He wanted order for everyone. He was a very busy ruler.

He is still remembered today. People tell stories about his life. Do you like stories about kings?

Krum was a leader of the First Bulgarian Empire.

He ruled from around the year 800 until 814. Under his rule, Bulgaria grew very large. His land became twice its original size.

Krum fought many wars with the Byzantine Empire. In 811, he defeated the Byzantine army. This happened at the Varbitsa Pass.

After this, Krum fought Emperor Michael I. In 813, Krum won the Battle of Versinikia.

He marched toward the city of Constantinople. He wanted the Byzantines to sign a peace treaty.

Krum was also a strict leader. He made the first written laws for Bulgaria. These laws helped people who were poor. The laws also punished robbery and slander. He brought different groups of people together. He helped make Bulgaria a strong state. Krum died in 814. He was a very important ruler in history.

Krum was a powerful leader of the First Bulgarian Empire.

He was known as a Khan from around 796 or 803 until 814. His name likely comes from an Old Turkic word meaning "ruler." Under his rule, the Bulgarian lands grew very large. The territory doubled in size during his time. It spread from the middle Danube to the Dniester river. It also reached from Odrin to the Tatra Mountains.

Krum used his military to grow his kingdom. Around 805, he defeated the Avar Khaganate. This helped him move northward into the Tisza region. This growth created a new border with the Frankish Empire. Krum also fought many wars against the Byzantine Empire. In 809, his forces took the city of Serdica. Later, in 811, a large Byzantine army under Nikephoros I attacked Bulgaria. They took the capital city of Pliska and set it on fire.

Krum responded to these attacks with great strength. He gathered many soldiers to stop the Byzantines. He even gave weapons to women and peasants to help. In July 811, his army trapped the retreating Byzantines at the Varbitsa Pass. The Byzantine army was wiped out in this battle. Emperor Nikephoros I was also killed during the fight. Later, Krum fought Emperor Michael I in 813. The Bulgarians won the Battle of Versinikia in June.

After his victory, Krum marched toward the great city of Constantinople. He wanted the Byzantines to recognize his new lands. Many fortresses surrendered to him without a fight. Krum even performed a ceremony outside the city walls. He prepared for a huge attack using special equipment. This included battle towers and even flamethrowers. However, Krum never carried out this massive plan. He died on April 13, 814, likely from a stroke.

Krum left a lasting mark on his people. He created the first known written laws for Bulgaria. These laws were very strict but also helped the people. For example, the laws gave money to beggars. They also provided state protection to poor Bulgarians. These rules helped bring different groups together into one state. He punished things like robbery and slander very harshly. Because of this, many people remember him as a just ruler.

Krum was a powerful leader of the First Bulgarian Empire.

He ruled as Khan from roughly 796 or 803 until his death in 814. His name likely comes from the Old Turkic word *qurum*, which means "ruler." Krum was an energetic leader who brought law and order to his people. He helped develop the early foundations of Bulgarian state organization. His reign was a period of massive change and expansion for the Bulgarian state.

During his rule, the Bulgarian territory doubled in size. The borders spread from the middle Danube to the Dniester river. The kingdom also reached from Odrin to the Tatra Mountains.

Around 805, Krum defeated the Avar Khaganate. This victory destroyed the remaining Avars and allowed Bulgars to move into the Tisza region. This expansion created a common border between the Frankish Empire and Bulgaria. This new border would influence Bulgarian policy for many years to come.

Krum engaged in constant conflict with the Byzantine Empire to expand his lands. In 807, Bulgarian forces defeated the Byzantine army in the Struma valley. By 809, Krum had besieged and captured the city of Serdica. This victory led Byzantine Emperor Nikephoros I to try and retake the city. In 811, Nikephoros led a massive expedition against Bulgaria. The Byzantine army reached the capital city of Pliska. They set the city on fire and took its treasures.

Krum responded to the attack on Pliska by mobilizing all available soldiers. He gave weapons to women and peasants to build a large army. This force waited in the mountain passes to intercept the Byzantines. On July 26, 811, the Bulgarians trapped the retreating army in the Varbitsa Pass. The Byzantine army was destroyed in the battle. Emperor Nikephoros I was killed during the conflict. Legend says Krum fashioned the Emperor's skull into a silver-lined drinking cup.

After Nikephoros died, his son Staurakios became Emperor but died in 812. He was succeeded by his brother-in-law, Michael I Rangabe. Krum invaded Byzantine Thrace in 812 to pressure the new Emperor. He captured the city of Mesembria during the autumn of that year. In 813, the two sides met at the Battle of Versinikia. The Byzantines attacked on June 22, but they were quickly driven away.

Krum's cavalry pursued the retreating forces, completing the rout of Michael I.

Following this victory, Krum marched toward the capital of Constantinople. Many fortresses surrendered to him without a fight as he approached. Krum even performed a pagan ceremony before the walls of the city. He prepared for a massive siege using advanced equipment. This included battle towers, rams, and even flamethrowers. He also ordered a moat and rampart to be dug near the city. These preparations were meant to force the Byzantines to recognize his conquests.

Krum's final conflict was with Leo V the Armenian. Leo V attempted to assassinate Krum during peace negotiations. An ambush occurred, and Krum escaped despite being wounded. In response, Krum ordered the burning of churches in Eastern Thrace. He captured 10,000 soldiers during the fall of Adrianople. However, Krum never launched his grand attack on Constantinople. He died on April 13, 814, likely from a stroke or hemorrhage.

Krum left a significant legacy through his legal reforms. He instituted the first known written Bulgarian law code. These laws were strict and punished robbery, slander, and drinking heavily. However, the code also provided social support. It ensured subsidies for beggars and state protection for poor Bulgarians. These laws helped bring the Slavic and Bulgar people into one centralized state. He is remembered as a ruler who was both strict and just.