Peter Delian Rebellion

a revolt against Byzantine rule that broke out in 1040 and involved Macedonia, parts of what is now Serbia, Albania, and central Greece, and a number of other areas on the Balkan Peninsula. The immediate cause of the revolt was an increase in oppressive taxation resulting from a transition from payments in kind to payments in money. The rebellion was led by Peter Delian, who claimed to be the grandson of Samuel, tsar of the Kingdom of West Bulgaria. Peter was proclaimed tsar by the rebels. He took Belgrade, Niŝ, and Skopje and subjugated detachments of rebels active in the vicinity of Dyrrhachium and led by Tikhomir, who also had been proclaimed tsar. Tikhomir was killed. The rebellion, which began as a national liberation movement against Byzantine rule, also had an antifeudal aspect.

The insurgent forces, defeated at Thessaloniki, were weakened by the power struggle between Peter and Alusian, a son of the Bulgarian tsar Ivan Vladislav. Alusian treacherously blinded Peter and fled to the Byzantine emperor. Dissent among the rebels and the treachery of some nobles who had joined the movement allowed the Byzantine emperor Michael IV to crush the rebellion in 1041.