Simeon I

The Tsar, who is both a warrior and an enlightener

Who is he?

Simeon I was a ruler of the First Bulgarian Empire, during whose reign Bulgarian culture entered its Golden Age.

Why is he an overman?

Simeon I is everything a ruler should be. In his foreign policy, he is strong, decisive, and forces his rivals to respect the still young Bulgarian state. Thanks to his qualities as a military leader, he manages to expand Bulgaria to three seas, which is still a source of pride for many contemporaries.

However, Simeon did not sacrifice the spiritual life of his people, but quite the opposite. During his reign, Bulgaria flourished internally and became a center for cultural activists in fields such as literature, theology, architecture, etc. Simeon was a Renaissance man several centuries before that era began.

Short biography:

864 – 927

Simeon was the third son of Tsar Boris, and his father sent him to study at the renowned Magnaura School to become a clergyman. He spent about a decade in Constantinople, where he received a prestigious education and mastered the Greek language to perfection.

After returning to Bulgaria, he lived for a time as a monk in Preslav. When his older brother Vladimir attempted to restore paganism, their father Boris dethroned him and declared Simeon his heir.

During his reign, Simeon fought numerous wars with Byzantium, as well as with other nations neighbouring Bulgaria. As a result of his successful campaigns, he managed to expand the country’s territory to three seas – the largest territory in its entire history.

In addition to military activity, Simeon devoted much of his reign to culture. He attracted scholars to the country and strengthened it as a Slavic literary and spiritual center. The capital, Preslav, became a rich cultural city with remarkable achievements in architecture and painting.