Asparukh

Asparukh

 

(also Isperikh, Ispor). Died circa 701. Proto-Bulgarian khan (circa 643-circa 701) and first khan of the Slavic-Bulgarian realm (680-circa 701).

In the middle of the seventh century Asparukh led some of the Proto-Bulgarian tribes from the Azov region first to southern Bessarabia and then to the Byzantine-controlled lands along the right bank of the Danube. After spreading through Dobruja and the adjacent regions, Asparukh’s Proto-Bulgarians subjugated an alliance of seven Slavic tribes as well as certain other tribes and created a united kingdom which was recognized by Byzantium in 681.

REFERENCES

Zlatarski, V. N. Istoriia na Bulgarskata d’rzhava prez srednite vekove, vol. 1. Sofia, 1918.
Nikitin, S. A. “Obrazovanie bolgarskogo naroda i vozniknovenie bolgarskogo gosudarstva.” Vestnik MGU, 1952, no. 1.