Bulgarian settlement and the development of Dobrudzha in VII-IX C

Abstract

Bulgaria is a country, which after 681 settled the Dobrudzha region. Before that, there were fragmentary reports that Bulgarians came, but for a short time. The mastering and settlement of Dobrudzha began after the arrival of king Asparukh (681–700). From the very beginning, we have settled and mastered Dobrudzha. We have defended it against attacks from all sides. Until the 9th century, we settled permanently, and even colloquially Dobrudzha and the Northeastern region are called "Old Bulgarian Lands". Our early rulers seemed to have correctly judged where the good fertile land was. Later, from the Pope's letters to king Boris and to king Kaloyan (when considering the dispute with the Magyars about territories) the head of the Christian Church claimed that the lands belonged, by right, historically to the Bulgarians. The name "Bulgarians" was first mentioned by Byzantine historians at the Battle of the Tsurta River in 499, and later, on the occasion of king Zabergan's campaign in 559, by the chronicler Belisarius Flavius.