The early medieval Balkans: a critical survey from the sixth to the late twelfth century /John V.A. Fine, Jr.. --

Most of what has been written on the medieval Balkansthe area that now encompasses Yugoslavia, Greece, Bulgaria, and Albania has been little more than a footnote to Byzantine history or has been limited to narrow national histories. The Early Medieval Balkans is the first comprehensive examination of the events of early medieval Balkan historyevents that were as important as they are fascinating. The period that John Fine examines was an era of significant demographic, political, and religious change in the region. During this time, native populations were supplemented or replaced by the Bulgars and various Slavic tribes, who were to become the Bulgarians, Serbs, and Croatsethnic identities that exist to this day. They formed their first states and fought both militarily and politically, and with varying degrees of success, for protection from the domination of Constantinople and each other. Equally important, most of the people of the Balkans were converted to Christianity during this period and came under the religious jurisdiction of either Rome or Constantinople, thus determined which people would be Roman Catholic and which Eastern Orthodox at the time of the Great Schism. This polarity of religious loyalty has persisted into the twentieth century. This thorough and detailed study cuts through many of the myths and assumptions that have pervaded previous histories of the Balkans. It is an important source for those who wish to expand their knowledge of this turbulent period and who wish to broaden their understanding of the region. Preface ... vii Acknowledgments ... xiii Note on Transliteration and Place Names ... xv Contents ... xvii Maps 1-5 ... xx ◦ INTRODUCTION: BALKAN GEOGRAPHY AND SOCIETY ... 1 ◦ Geography ... 1 Society ... 4 ◦ 1. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND ... 9 ◦ The Indigenous Population ... 9 The Romans Acquire the Balkans ... 12 The Roman Empire and Its Balkan Provinces in the Third and Fourth Centuries ... 13 Creation and Importance of Constantinople ... 14 Division of the Empire, 395 ... 15 Characteristics of the Byzantine Empire ... 16 The Empire Becomes Christian ... 16 Imperial Administration of the Balkans ... 18 Land, Magnates, and Peasants ... 20 Withdrawal of the Goths ... 21 The Effects of Justinian's Wars of Reconquest ... 22 Notes ... 24 ◦ 2. THE SLAVIC INVASIONS ... 25 ◦ The Slavs Settle in the Balkans, ca. 550 – ca. 630 ... 25 The Avars: From Peak Strength to Decline, 614 – ca. 635 ... 41 The Establishment of the Croatians and Serbs ... 49 The Slavs in Greece ... 59 Byzantium and the Balkans in the Seventh Century to 658 ... 64 Migration and Establishment of the Bulgars in Bulgaria, 670s ... 66 The Theme System and the Beginning of Byzantine Recovery in the Balkans ... 69 Notes ... 72 ◦ 3. THE BALKANS IN THE EIGHTH CENTURY ... 74 ◦ Bulgaria and Byzantium in the Eighth Century ... 74 The Byzantine Recovery of Greece ... 79 The Farmer’s Law ... 84 Notes ... 93 ◦ 4. BULGARIA IN THE NINTH CENTURY ... 94 ◦ Krum ... 94 Bulgaria, 814 to 852 ... 106 Christianization of Bulgaria ... 113 Notes ... 131 ◦ 5. BULGARIA UNDER SYMEON, 893-927 ... 132 ◦ Symeon’s Background and Character ... 132 The Slavonic Rite and Hrabr’s Defense of Slavonic ... 134 The 894-97 War with Byzantium ... 137 The 904 Bulgarian-Byzantine Treaty ... 140 Serbia in the Second Half of the Ninth Century ... 141 War Breaks Out between Bulgaria and Byzantium. 913 ... 142 Symeon’s Coronation ... 144 War with Byzantium, 913-27 ... 148 Notes ... 157 ◦ 6. BULGARIA AFTER SYMEON, 927-1018 ... 159 ◦ Bulgaria and the Serb Lands, 927-65 ... 159 Peter of Bulgaria’s Reign to 965 ... 160 Bulgarian Society and Administration ... 164 The Bogomil Heresy ... 171 Nicephorus Phocas, 963-69 ... 179 The Russian and Byzantine War over Bulgaria, 965-71 ... 181 Samuel’s Revived Bulgaria and Its Wars with Byzantium ... 188 Basil II’s Counteroffensive, 1001-18 ... 197 Byzantium’s Position in the Balkans after 1018 ... 200 Notes ... 201 ◦ 7. DUKLJA AND THE CENTRAL AND EASTERN BALKANS FROM THE DEATH OF BASIL II, 1025, TO THE 1180s ... 202 ◦ Duklja after John Vladimir ... 202 Peter Deljan’s Rebellion ... 203 Stefan Vojislav and Duklja in the Early 1040s ... 206 Raiders from the North, 1046 to the 1070s ... 208 The Balkans, 1043-1100 ... 211 Civil War in Duklja ... 228 Hungary, Byzantium, and Serbia (Raška), 1100-1180 ... 234 Stefan Nemanja Establishes a New Dynasty in the Serbian Lands ... 243 Byzantium’s Position in the Balkans in the 1170s ... 244 Postscript to This section ... 245 Notes ... 247 ◦ 8. CROATIA AND DALMATIA ... 248 ◦ Sources on Medieval Croatia ... 248 Croatia from the Seventh Century to 969 ... 251 The Church in Dalmatia in the Tenth Century ... 266 Croatia, 969-1075 ... 274 The Slavonic Liturgy Becomes an Issue in the 1060s ... 280 Norman Balkan Activities in the Late Eleventh Century ... 281 Croatia, 1075-1102 ... 283 The Hungarian Annexation of Croatia, 1102, and Its Aftermath ... 284 Summary ... 290 Notes ... 291 ◦ Appendix: Medieval Rulers ... 293 – Byzantine Emperors to 1204 ... 293 – Bulgarian Rulers ... 295 – Rulers of Croatia ... 296 – Serbian Rulers ... 297 – Hungarian Rulers Discussed in Text ... 298 ◦ Glossaries ... 299 – Terms ... 299 – Peoples ... 304 ◦ Sources and Authors of Sources Referred to in the Text ... 309 Selected Bibliography ... 315 Index ... 319 Map 6 ... 338 Frontmatter Introduction: Balkan Geography and Society (page 1) Chapter 1: Historical Background (page 9) Chapter 2: The Slavic Invasions (page 25) Chapter 3: The Balkans in the Eighth Century (page 74) Chapter 4: Bulgaria in the Ninth Century (page 94) Chapter 5: Bulgaria under Symeon, 893-927 (page 132) Chapter 6: Bulgaria after Symeon, 927-1018 (page 159) Chapter 7: Duklja and the Central and Eastern Balkans from the Death of Basil II, 1025, to the 1180s (page 202) Chapter 8: Croatia and Dalmatia (page 248) Appendix: Medieval Rulers (page 293) Glossaries (page 299) Sources and Authors of Sources Referred to in the Text (page 309) Selected Bibliography (page 315) Index (page 319) Offers a comprehensive examination of the events of early medieval Balkan history - events that were as important as they are fascinating. This is an important source for those who wish to expand their knowledge of this turbulent period and who wish to broaden their understanding of the region. John V.a. Fine, Jr. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 315-318) And Index. John V.a. Fine, Jr. Includes Indexes. Bibliography: P. 315-318.