Tsar Constantine Tikh Asen

Constantine Tikh Asen was a Bulgarian tsar who ruled the Second Bulgarian state from 1257 to 1277. After ascending the throne in Tarnovgrad, he married Irene, a daughter of the Nicaean emperor Theodore II Laskaris and a granddaughter of Ivan Asen II, establishing close dynastic ties with the Asen family.

Constantine Tikh Asen’s origins are associated with a nobleman and boyar from Skopje named Tihomir. He was a son of a daughter of Serbia’s Grand Župan Stefan Nemanja and Ana Nemanjić of the Nemanjić dynasty.

In 1257, Constantine was raised to the throne after a civil war in which he prevailed over Mitso Asen. Mitso shut himself inside Mesembria and, the following year, reached an agreement with Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos, surrendering Mesembria in exchange for lands in Asia Minor.

To establish his legitimacy, Constantine adopted the family name Asen and married Irene Laskarina Asenina, a granddaughter of Ivan Asen II. In this way, he formed a dynastic connection with the Asen family.

During his reign, Constantine Tikh Asen confronted the Hungarian king Béla IV in a war over the region of Severin. Despite partial success, the Hungarians recaptured these lands, but the Rus’ prince Jacob Svetoslav helped Constantine recover them.

Bulgaria went to war with Byzantium after the blinding of the Nicaean emperor John IV Doukas Laskaris in 1261. This conflict led to the formation of a “strange coalition” between Bulgaria and the Golden Horde against Byzantium. Despite initial success, the Byzantines captured several towns, including Mesembria and Anchialus.

In the later years of his reign, Constantine Tikh Asen became partially immobile after falling from his horse. Power effectively passed to Tsaritsa Maria Kantakouzene, who governed through her son Michael III Asen.

In 1277, amid civil war, Ivaylo led an uprising of discontented and immobilised masses against Constantine Tikh Asen. Constantine marched out with an army but died in the battle, being cut down in his own chariot.