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Journals / Selçuk Üniversitesi Türkiyat Araştırmaları Dergisi / 2026 / Sayı: 67

Assistance of the Danubian Bulgarian State to the Byzantine Empire

Tuna Bulgar Devleti’nin Bizans İmparatorluğu’na Yardımları

Orhun Küskü(KTO KARATAY ÜNİVERSİTESİ)0000-0002-0200-4430
Pages
33–59
Publication Date
2026-04-25
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

The last is the support provided by Khan Omurtag in suppressing the internal rebellion led by Thomas the Slav, which blockaded the capital and lasted from 821 to 823.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Although the Danubian Bulgarian State posed a serious threat to its neighbor, the Byzantine Empire, from the time of its emergence in the Balkans, it provided military and political assistance that benefited the Empire during certain events.
📊
Key Findings & Data:After the Danubian Bulgarian khans succeeded in establishing their political presence against Byzantium during the foundational phase, their primary objective was to protect and increase the state's political and commercial gains.
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Conclusion & Impact:The last is the support provided by Khan Omurtag in suppressing the internal rebellion led by Thomas the Slav, which blockaded the capital and lasted from 821 to 823.
🔬Design:Araştırma Makalesi
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Tuna Bulgar Devleti · Bizans İmparatorluğu · Tervel Han

Abstract

Although the Danubian Bulgarian State posed a serious threat to its neighbor, the Byzantine Empire, from the time of its emergence in the Balkans, it provided military and political assistance that benefited the Empire during certain events. After the Danubian Bulgarian khans succeeded in establishing their political presence against Byzantium during the foundational phase, their primary objective was to protect and increase the state's political and commercial gains. Therefore, they closely monitored internal Byzantine developments, seeking opportunities to intervene once the necessary conditions were met. These interventions were not typical conflicts between two adversarial states but were instead based on a relationship of interest, functioning as either voluntary or forced alliances. This study aims to examine these events in detail in light of primary sources under three separate headings: throne struggles, external enemies, and internal rebellions. The first of these is the restoration of Justinian II to the throne in 705 during the reign of Khan Tervel. The second is the intervention of the Danubian Bulgarians via the Thrace region during the Arab siege of Constantinople in 717–718. The last is the support provided by Khan Omurtag in suppressing the internal rebellion led by Thomas the Slav, which blockaded the capital and lasted from 821 to 823.

Özet

Tuna Bulgar Devleti, Balkan coğrafyasında ortaya çıktığı tarihten itibaren sınır komşusu Bizans İmparatorluğu için ciddi bir tehdit oluşturmasına rağmen bazı olaylarda imparatorluğun faydasına dokunan birtakım yardımlarda bulunmuştur. Tuna Bulgar hanlarının kuruluş aşamasında Bizans’a karşı siyasi mevcudiyetlerini kabul ettirmeyi başarmalarından sonraki yegâne amaçları, devletin siyasi ve ticari kazançlarını korumak ve arttırmaktı. Bundan dolayı Bizans dâhilinde cereyan eden olayları yakından takip ederek fırsat kollamışlar ve gerekli şartlar oluştuktan sonra da müdahale etmişlerdir. Söz konusu yardımlar/müdahaleler iki düşman devlet arasında gerçekleşebilecek çatışmalar gibi olmayıp daha çok gönüllü veya zoraki bir müttefiklik hâlinde, çıkara dayalı bir ilişki üzerine kurulmuştur. Bu çalışmada taht çekişmesi, dış düşman ve iç isyan şeklinde üç ayrı başlık altında ele alınarak ana kaynaklar ışığında detaylıca incelenmesi hedeflenmiştir. Bunlardan ilki, Tervel Han döneminde 705 yılında II. Iustinianos’un ikinci kez tahta çıkışının sağlanmasıdır. İkincisi, Müslüman Arapların 717-718 tarihli Konstantinopolis kuşatmasına Tuna Bulgarların Trakya bölgesi üzerinden müdahalesidir. Sonuncusu ise Omurtag Han’ın imparatorluk içerisinde Slav Thomas’ın liderliğini üstlendiği, başkenti abluka altına almaya kadar giden ve 821-823 yılları arasında süren iç isyanın bastırılmasındaki yardımıdır.

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Cite This Article

Küskü, O. (2026). Assistance of the Danubian Bulgarian State to the Byzantine Empire. Selçuk Üniversitesi Türkiyat Araştırmaları Dergisi, Sayı: 67, 33–59. https://doi.org/10.21563/sutad.1626849

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