Cometopulus Aaron

Aaron was a Bulgarian boyar and one of the Cometopuli, accused of attempting to seize the imperial throne with Byzantine assistance. He was the third son of Komit Nikola and Ripsimia, daughter of the Armenian king Ashot II the Iron. He was the brother of Tsar Samuel, David and Moses. Aaron belonged to Bulgaria's aristocracy, which fought Byzantium. In 970, the Bulgarians and the Rus' defeated the Byzantines near Plovdiv. Afterwards, the four brothers—David, Moses, Aaron and Samuel—assumed power over the free Bulgarian lands.

After the Byzantine emperor Tzimiskes was poisoned by his mistress, the Bulgarians took advantage of the weakness of Byzantine authority. Encouraged by the four brothers, Bulgarians in the territories conquered by Byzantium rose in revolt. Local aristocrats such as Peter and Boyan organised the rebellion, maintaining links with the Cometopuli and the other Bulgarian lands. During the revolt, the local population recognised the brothers' authority. Moses besieged Serres Fortress but died when accidentally struck by a stone thrown from it. David also died in strange circumstances, killed by assassins near Prespa.

After David and Moses died, Aaron became the eldest of the three brothers. He took control of the Bulgarian lands nearest Thrace. Aaron may have wished to end the war with Byzantium and secure independent power by somehow removing his brother Samuel.

Aaron and Emperor Basil II concluded a treaty of alliance. It included a marriage connection, with Aaron choosing the Byzantine emperor's sister as his wife. However, the metropolitan of Sebasteia sent to him brought an unknown woman instead of the emperor's sister, and Aaron quickly exposed the deception. The Byzantine emperor assembled an army and advanced towards the Trajan's Gate Pass. After crossing it, he reached Sredets and besieged the city; the siege ended in a Bulgarian victory.

After the siege ended, Samuel learned of Aaron's secret negotiations with Basil and his plans to murder him, prompting a dispute between the brothers. This confrontation ended with the deaths of Aaron and his entire family. The tragedy occurred in the Razmetanitsa locality, now the Tsarichina locality near Dupnitsa, on 14 June, probably in 987. Of Aaron's entire family, only his son Ivan Vladislav was spared, solely because Samuel's own son Gavril Radomir interceded for him. Despite Gavril Radomir's intervention, Ivan Vladislav repaid him by killing him during a hunt in 1015 and taking power :) .

After Aaron's death, Samuel assumed complete power over Bulgaria.