Boris I of Bulgaria

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Boris I Michail or Boris I Michael (Bulgarian: Борис I Михаил, known also as Bogoris; died May 2, 907) was the khan from 852 to 889 and first Christian ruler of Bulgaria. Michael became part of his name after his baptism in 864. He was son of Khan Presijan of Bulgaria.

Boris kept the borders of his country essentially unchanged with diplomacy and alliances with the Frankish king Charles the Bald, Prince Rastislav of Great Moravia, the Byzantine Emperor Michael III, and eventually King Louis the German even though suffering defeats. His armies often confronted Croatia and Serbia and the German monarchy as well. In 863 a peace treaty with the Byzantine Empire regained parts of Zagora for Bulgaria; in return, Boris I was obliged to terminate his alliance with the German kingdom and to adopt Christianity.

In 864 Boris was baptized in the palace in Pliska. Proselytism of his nobility was, however, carried out forcefully — Boris ordered the execution of over fifty nobles who kept their pagan belief. Yet other nobles came under the protection of Vladimir, the elder son of Boris and a pagan believer. Vladimir was mentioned in accompanying his father fighting against the Serbs before his father's baptism.

Boris sought the independence of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church, keeping the middle ground between Pope Nicholas I and the Patriarch of Constantinople. His special delegation to the Pope carried a list of 115 questions and returned with the famous 106 answers concerning the essence of religion, law, politics, customs and personal faith. Catholic bishops and Byzantine priests were allowed to baptize and bless the people. In 870 the Bulgarian Orthodox Church was given autonomy from the Patriarchate of Constantinople.

In 893 Boris retired to a monastic life and was succeeded by his son Vladimir. Supported by pagan nobles, Vladimir reestablished paganism but was dethroned by Boris, who came out of retirement and, according to some traditions, blinded Vladimir; telling him that he did not deserve to see at all if he could not see the light of Christianity. Simeon, his other son, then assumed the throne and continued his father's work, becoming one of Bulgaria's greatest rulers.

Boris was familiar with the work of Cyril, Methodius, and their 5 disciples, who collectively created the Slavic alphabet, as early as 881-882. Two of their disciples, Clement of Ohrid and Naum of Preslav, set up educational centers in Pliska and in Ohrid to further the development of Slavonic letters and liturgy. The alphabet developed by Cyril and Methodius came to be known as the Glagolitic alphabet and was adopted by other Slavic peoples.

He passed away as a monk.

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