Tsar Peter I

Tsar Peter I ruled Bulgaria from 927 to 969. He was the second son of Tsar Simeon I and was called “the Good” because of his successful reign and the establishment of a lasting peace with Byzantium, known as the “deep peace”. During his reign, the Bulgarian Church became autocephalous, and Byzantium recognised Bulgaria’s imperial title.

Peter married Maria Lekapene, a daughter of the Byzantine emperor Christopher Lekapenos. The marriage formed part of the events known as the “deep peace”, which lasted 43 years. He had two sons, Tsar Boris II and Roman-Simeon.

During his reign, Peter faced internal rebellions and uprisings, including opposition from his younger brothers and Serbian rulers. The Magyars also repeatedly invaded Bulgaria, but Peter was unable to deal with them effectively. In 968 and 969, the Rus’ forces of Prince Sviatoslav I of Kyiv invaded Bulgaria. The resulting tension and stress led Peter to suffer a stroke.

Tsar Peter I died on 30 January 970 and was canonised as Saint Peter of Bulgaria. His reign was marked by the establishment of peace and support for the Bulgarian Church, while he also faced various internal and external challenges.