Despotate of Lovech: Difference between revisions

Despotate of Lovech
Деспотство Ловеч (Bulgarian)
*Despotstvo Lovech* (Bulgarian)
Despotate of Lovech Деспотство Ловеч (Bulgarian); Despotstvo Lovech (Bulgarian)
1330–1446
	Coat of arms (14th century)
Status	Despotate
Capital and largest city	Lovech; 43°08′05″N 24°43′02″E / 43.13472°N 24.71722°E
Common languages	Middle Bulgarian
Religion	Bulgarian Orthodoxy
Government	Monarchy
Despot
• 1330–1371	Ivan Alexander
Historical era	Middle Ages
• Appointment of Ivan Alexander	1330
• Conquest by the Ottomans	1446
Currency	Various coins
Preceded by	Succeeded by
	Second Bulgarian Empire
Ottoman Empire
Today part of	Bulgaria

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The Despotate of Lovech (Bulgarian: Деспотство Ловеч, romanized: Despotstvo Lovech), was a Bulgarian state, covering parts of the territory of what is now Lovech Province, formed in 1330 after Ivan Alexander was appointed to govern Lovech, the capital of the despotate, and the nearby area around the town. It was dissolved after the fall of the Lovech Fortress in 1446 to the Ottomans.

The state was the last independent Bulgarian state after 1396, before its conquest by the Ottoman Empire. It was ruled by the Sratsimir dynasty.

History

Formation

The despotate was formed after Ivan Alexander became the despot, most likely being appointed due to Lovech being a major town that controlled commercial passage through the Stara Planina passes, and the migration of intellectuals to Moldavia and Wallachia, due to Ottoman conquests.^[1]^[2]^[3]

Period of prosperity

The area was the center for many Bulgarian rulers. In the 14th century, the commercial, administrative, and spiritual centers were at their peak. The despot also made a great contribution towards stopping the Serbian advance, although Bulgaria still lost the Battle of Velbazhd. Ivan married Princess Theodora of Wallachia.^[4] He gradually won trust to become the elected Tsar of Bulgaria in 1331, after Ivan Stefan was driven out by a coup d'état, and the conspirators placed him on the throne.^[5]

Dissolution

Ivan Alexander died on 17 February 1371. Despite his early years of success, his later decisions, such as splitting the empire among his sons in 1356, left the Bulgarian states to face outside powers politically divided and weakened, contributing to the fall of the despotate. The Ottoman invasions of Bulgaria in the 14th century did not directly result in the fall of the despotate. The Turkish traveller Kâtip Çelebi testified the late conquest of Lovech. He mentioned that the city was conquered in 1446, This was confirmed by the Armenian travel writer Hugaz Indzedzyan according to whom "Lovech had been conquered in 1446 by Sultan Fatih Mehmed."^[6]

References

^ "Lovech Fortress". History Hit. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
^ "Lovech - historic medieval town - Bulgaria". ermakvagus.com. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
^ Petkov, Kiril (31 August 2008). The Voices of Medieval Bulgaria, Seventh-Fifteenth Century: The Records of a Bygone Culture. BRILL. p. 447. ISBN 978-90-04-16831-2.
^ Mladenov, Momchil. "Before the Throne: Early Years of Ivan Alexander Asen (1331–1371)". Journals.uni-vt.bg.
^ Pavlova, Venteta (9 February 2022) [20 March 2014]. "Bulgaria under Tsar Ivan Alexander: an upsurge before sundown". Bulgarian National Radio. Translated to English by Alexander Markov. Retrieved 1 August 2022.
^ Домът на Шишман (in Bulgarian). Sofia: Петър Николов Зиков. 2021. ISBN 978-619-7496-74-1.

[:0-1] "Lovech Fortress". History Hit. Retrieved 1 August 2022.

[:1-2] "Lovech - historic medieval town - Bulgaria". ermakvagus.com. Retrieved 1 August 2022.

[3] Petkov, Kiril (31 August 2008). The Voices of Medieval Bulgaria, Seventh-Fifteenth Century: The Records of a Bygone Culture. BRILL. p. 447. ISBN 978-90-04-16831-2.

[4] Mladenov, Momchil. "Before the Throne: Early Years of Ivan Alexander Asen (1331–1371)". Journals.uni-vt.bg.

[5] Pavlova, Venteta (9 February 2022) [20 March 2014]. "Bulgaria under Tsar Ivan Alexander: an upsurge before sundown". Bulgarian National Radio. Translated to English by Alexander Markov. Retrieved 1 August 2022.

[6] Домът на Шишман (in Bulgarian). Sofia: Петър Николов Зиков. 2021. ISBN 978-619-7496-74-1.

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
-{{Short description|Bulgarian medieval state centered in Lovech (1330-1446)}}
+{{Short description|Bulgarian medieval state centered in Lovech (1330–1446)}}
+{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2022}}
 <!-- Note: The following pages were redirects to [[Despotate_of_Lovech]] before draftification:
@@ Line 14: / Line 15: @@
 | symbol_type            = Coat of arms (14th century)
 | capital                = [[Lovech]]
+| coordinates            = {{coord|43|08|05|N|24|43|02|E|region:BG|display=inline,title}}
+| largest_city           = capital
 | religion               = [[Bulgarian Orthodox Church|Bulgarian Orthodoxy]]
 | government_type        = [[Monarchy]]
+| currency               = [[Medieval Bulgarian coinage|Various coins]]
 | status                 = Despotate
 | era                    = Middle Ages
@@ Line 21: / Line 25: @@
 | empire                 = [[Second Bulgarian Empire]]
 | year_end               = 1446
-| life_span              = 1330-1446
+| life_span              = 1330–1446
 | year_start             = 1330
 | common_languages       = [[Middle Bulgarian]]
-| title_leader           = [[Despot (court title)|Notable despots]]
+| title_leader           = [[Despot (court title)|Despot]]
-| year_leader1           = 1330-1371
+| year_leader1           = 1330–1371
 | leader1                = [[Ivan Alexander of Bulgaria|Ivan Alexander]]
-| event_start            = Appointment of [[Ivan Alexander of Bulgaria|Ivan Alexander]] to govern [[Lovech]] as a [[Despot (court title)|despot]]
+| event_start            = Appointment of [[Ivan Alexander of Bulgaria|Ivan Alexander]]
-| date_start             =
 | event_end              = Conquest by the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottomans]]
 | p1                     = Second Bulgarian Empire
 | s1                     = Ottoman Empire
-| flag_p1                = Flag of the Second Bulgarian Empire (1325).svg
-| border_p1              = no
 | today                  = [[Bulgaria]]
 }}
 {{History of Bulgaria}}
-The '''Despotate of Lovech''' ({{Lang-bg|Деспотство Ловеч|translit=Despotstvo Lovech}}), was a Bulgarian state, covering parts of the territory of what is now [[Lovech Province]], formed in 1330 after [[Ivan Alexander of Bulgaria|Ivan Alexander]] was appointed to govern [[Lovech]], the capital of the despotate, and the nearby area around the town. It was dissolved after the fall of the [[Lovech Fortress]] in 1446 to the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottomans]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Lovech Fortress |url=https://www.historyhit.com/locations/lovech-fortress/ |access-date=2022-08-01 |website=History Hit |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Lovech - historic medieval town - Bulgaria |url=https://ermakvagus.com/Europe/Bulgaria/Lovech/Lovech.htm |access-date=2022-08-01 |website=ermakvagus.com}}</ref>
+The '''Despotate of Lovech''' ({{Langx|bg|Деспотство Ловеч|translit=Despotstvo Lovech}}), was a Bulgarian state, covering parts of the territory of what is now [[Lovech Province]], formed in 1330 after [[Ivan Alexander of Bulgaria|Ivan Alexander]] was appointed to govern [[Lovech]], the capital of the despotate, and the nearby area around the town. It was dissolved after the fall of the [[Lovech Fortress]] in 1446 to the [[Ottoman Empire|Ottomans]].
-The state was the last independent Bulgarian state after 1396, before it's conquest by the Ottoman Empire. It was ruled by the [[Sratsimir dynasty]].
+The state was the last independent Bulgarian state after 1396, before its conquest by the Ottoman Empire. It was ruled by the [[Sratsimir dynasty]].
-== History ==
+==History==
-=== Formation ===
+===Formation===
-The despotate was formed after Ivan Alexander became the despot, most likely being appointed due to Lovech being a major town that controlled commercial passage through the [[Stara Planina]] passes, and the migration of intellectuals to [[Moldavia]] and [[Wallachia]], due to [[Bulgarian–Ottoman wars|Ottoman conquests]].<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite book |last=Petkov |first=Kiril |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tjPEtxSOuYgC&dq=Despotate+of+Lovech&pg=PA447 |title=The Voices of Medieval Bulgaria, Seventh-Fifteenth Century: The Records of a Bygone Culture |date=2008-08-31 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-16831-2 |language=en}}</ref>
+The despotate was formed after Ivan Alexander became the despot, most likely being appointed due to Lovech being a major town that controlled commercial passage through the [[Stara Planina]] passes, and the migration of intellectuals to [[Moldavia]] and [[Wallachia]], due to [[Bulgarian–Ottoman wars|Ottoman conquests]].<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Lovech Fortress |url=https://www.historyhit.com/locations/lovech-fortress/ |access-date=2022-08-01 |website=History Hit |language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=Lovech - historic medieval town - Bulgaria |url=https://ermakvagus.com/Europe/Bulgaria/Lovech/Lovech.htm |access-date=2022-08-01 |website=ermakvagus.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Petkov |first=Kiril |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=tjPEtxSOuYgC&dq=Despotate+of+Lovech&pg=PA447 |title=The Voices of Medieval Bulgaria, Seventh-Fifteenth Century: The Records of a Bygone Culture |date=2008-08-31 |publisher=BRILL |isbn=978-90-04-16831-2 |page=447 |language=en}}</ref>
-=== Period of prosperity ===
-The area was the center for many Bulgarian rulers. In the 14th century, the commercial, administrative and spiritual centres were at their peak. The despot also made a great contribution towards stopping the [[Kingdom of Serbia (medieval)|Serbian]] advance, although Bulgaria still lost the [[battle of Velbazhd]]. Ivan married [[Theodora of Wallachia|Princess Theodora of Wallachia]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Mladenov |first=Momchil |title=Before the Throne: Early Years of Ivan Alexander Asen (1331-1371) |url=https://journals.uni-vt.bg/bb/eng/vol14/iss1/8 |journal=Journals.uni-vt.bg}}</ref> He gradually won trust to become the elected [[emperor of Bulgaria|Tsar of Bulgaria]] in 1331, after [[Ivan Stefan]] was driven out by a coup d'etat, and the conspirators placed him on the throne.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Bulgaria under Tsar Ivan Alexander: an upsurge before sundown |url=https://bnr.bg/en/post/100357922/bulgaria-under-tsar-ivan-alexander-an-upsurge-before-sundown |access-date=2022-08-01 |website=bnr.bg |language=en}}</ref>
-=== Dissolution ===
+===Period of prosperity===
+The area was the center for many Bulgarian rulers. In the 14th century, the commercial, administrative, and spiritual centers were at their peak. The despot also made a great contribution towards stopping the [[Kingdom of Serbia (medieval)|Serbian]] advance, although Bulgaria still lost the [[Battle of Velbazhd]]. Ivan married [[Theodora of Wallachia|Princess Theodora of Wallachia]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Mladenov |first=Momchil |title=Before the Throne: Early Years of Ivan Alexander Asen (1331–1371) |url=https://journals.uni-vt.bg/bb/eng/vol14/iss1/8 |journal=Journals.uni-vt.bg}}</ref> He gradually won trust to become the elected [[List of Bulgarian monarchs|Tsar of Bulgaria]] in 1331, after [[Ivan Stefan]] was driven out by a [[coup d'état]], and the conspirators placed him on the throne.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Pavlova |first=Venteta |date=9 February 2022 |orig-date=20 March 2014 |others=Translated to English by Alexander Markov |title=Bulgaria under Tsar Ivan Alexander: an upsurge before sundown |url=https://bnr.bg/en/post/100357922/bulgaria-under-tsar-ivan-alexander-an-upsurge-before-sundown |access-date=2022-08-01 |website=[[Bulgarian National Radio]] |language=en}}</ref>
-Ivan Alexander died on 17 February 1371. Despite his early years of success, his later decisions, such as splitting the empire among his sons in 1356, left the Bulgarian states to face outside powers politically divided and weakened, contributing to the fall of the despotate. The [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] invasions of Bulgaria in the 14th century did not directly result in the despotate being conquered. However, it was dissolved after the Lovech Fortress was conquered by the Ottomans in 1446.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
-== See also ==
+===Dissolution===
+Ivan Alexander died on 17 February 1371. Despite his early years of success, his later decisions, such as splitting the empire among his sons in 1356, left the Bulgarian states to face outside powers politically divided and weakened, contributing to the fall of the despotate. The [[Ottoman Empire|Ottoman]] invasions of Bulgaria in the 14th century did not directly result in the fall of the despotate. The Turkish traveller [[Kâtip Çelebi]] testified the late conquest of Lovech. He mentioned that the city was conquered in 1446, This was confirmed by the Armenian travel writer Hugaz Indzedzyan according to whom ''"Lovech had been conquered in 1446 by Sultan [[Mehmed II|Fatih Mehmed]]."''<ref>{{Cite book |title=Домът на Шишман |publisher=Петър Николов Зиков |year=2021 |isbn=978-619-7496-74-1 |location=Sofia |language=Bulgarian}}</ref>
-*[[Lovech]]
-*[[Lovech Fortress]]
-*[[Second Bulgarian Empire]]
-*[[Lovech Municipality]]
-*[[Lovech Province]]
-*[[Sratsimir dynasty]]
-*[[Ivan Alexander of Bulgaria]]
-*[[History of Bulgaria]]
-== References ==
+==See also==
+* [[Lovech]]
-<references />{{Category:Second Bulgarian Empire}}
+* [[Lovech Fortress]]
-{{Category:History of Lovech Province}}{{Category:Despotates}}{{Category:Medieval Bulgaria}}
+* [[Second Bulgarian Empire]]
+* [[Lovech Municipality]]
+* [[Lovech Province]]
+* [[Sratsimir dynasty]]
+* [[Ivan Alexander of Bulgaria]]
+* [[History of Bulgaria]]
+==References==
+{{Reflist}}
+{{Authority control}}
+{{DEFAULTSORT:Lovech, Despotate of}}
+[[Category:Second Bulgarian Empire]]
+[[Category:History of Lovech Province|Despotate of Lovech]]
+[[Category:History of Bulgaria by province]]
+[[Category:Lovech Province]]
+[[Category:Despots (court title)]]
+[[Category:Despotates]]
+[[Category:Medieval history of Bulgaria]]
+[[Category:History of Bulgaria by period]]
+[[Category:Middle Ages by country]]
+[[Category:Medieval history of the Balkans]]

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