Krum (, ), often referred to as Krum the Fearsome () was the Khan of Bulgaria from sometime between 796 and 803 until his death in 814. During his reign the Bulgarian territory doubled in size, spreading from the middle Danube to the Dnieper and from Odrin to the Tatra Mountains. His able and energetic rule brought law and order to Bulgaria and developed the rudiments of state organization.

Biography

Origins
Krum was a Bulgar chieftain from Pannonia. His family background and the surroundings of his accession are unknown. It has been speculated that Krum might have been a descendant of Khan Kubrat through one his son Kuber. The name Krum is of Turkic origin, meaning "governor prince" (from kurum "rule, leadership, administration").

Establishment of new borders

Around 805, Krum defeated the Avar Khaganate to destroy the remainder of the Avars and to restore Bulgar authority in Ongal again, the traditional Bulgar name for the area north of the Danube across the Carpathians covering Transylvania and along the Danube into eastern Pannonia. This resulted in the establishment of a common border between the Frankish Empire and Bulgaria, which would have important repercussions for the policy of Krum's successors.

Conflict with Nikephoros I
 
Krum engaged in a policy of territorial expansion. In 807 Bulgarian forces defeated the Byzantine army in the Struma valley. In 809 Krum besieged and forced the surrender of Serdica, slaughtering the garrison of 6,000 despite a guarantee of safe conduct. This victory provoked Byzantine Emperor Nikephoros I to settle Anatolian populations along the frontier to protect it and to attempt to retake and refortify Serdica, although this enterprise failed.

In early 811, Nikephoros I undertook a massive expedition against Bulgaria, advancing to Marcellae (near Karnobat). Here Krum attempted to negotiate on 11 July 811, but Nikephoros was determined to continue with his plunder. His army somehow avoided Bulgarian ambushes in the Balkan Mountains and made its way into Moesia. They managed to take over Pliska on 20 July, as only a small, hastily assembled army was in their way. Here Nikephoros helped himself to the treasures of the Bulgarians while setting the city afire and turning his army on the population. A new diplomatic initiative from Krum was rebuffed.

The chronicle of the 12th-century patriarch of the Syrian Jacobites, Michael the Syrian, describes the brutalities and atrocities of Nikephoros: "Nikephoros, emperor of the Byzantine empire, walked into the Bulgarians' land: he was victorious and killed great number of them. He reached their capital, seized it and devastated it. His savagery went to the point that he ordered to bring their small children, got them tied down on earth and made thresh grain stones to smash them."
 
While Nikephoros I and his army pillaged and plundered the Bulgarian capital, Krum mobilized as many soldiers as possible, giving weapons even to peasants and women. This army was assembled in the mountain passes to intercept the Byzantines as they returned to Constantinople. At dawn on 26 July, the Bulgarians managed to trap the retreating Nikephoros in the Varbitsa Pass. The Byzantine army was wiped out in the ensuing battle and Nikephoros was killed, while his son Staurakios was carried to safety by the imperial bodyguard after receiving a paralyzing wound to the neck. It is said that Krum had the Emperor's skull lined with silver and used it as a drinking cup.

Conflict with Michael I Rangabe
Staurakios was forced to abdicate after a brief reign (he died from his wound in 812), and he was succeeded by his brother-in-law Michael I Rangabe. In 812 Krum invaded Byzantine Thrace, taking Develt and scaring the population of nearby fortresses to flee towards Constantinople. From this position of strength, Krum offered a return to the peace treaty of 716. Unwilling to compromise from a position of weakness, the new Emperor Michael I refused to accept the proposal, ostensibly opposing the clause for exchange of deserters. To apply more pressure on the Emperor, Krum besieged and captured Mesembria (Nesebar) in the autumn of 812.
 
In February 813 the Bulgarians raided Thrace but were repelled by the Emperor's forces. Encouraged by this success, Michael I summoned troops from the entire Byzantine Empire and headed north, hoping for a decisive victory. Krum led his army south towards Adrianople and pitched camp near Versinikia. Michael I lined up his army against the Bulgarians, but neither side initiated an attack for two weeks. Finally, on 22 June 813, the Byzantines attacked but were immediately turned to flight. With Krum's cavalry in pursuit, the rout of Michael I was complete, and Krum advanced on Constantinople. On the way, most of the fortresses, hearing about the strength of the Bulgarian army, surrendered without a fight. Only Adrianople resisted. The siege of this city was led by Krum's brother, who continued the advance towards the Byzantine capital. In front of the walls of the Byzantine capital, the ruler performed impressive pagan sacrifices of people and animals. This made a great impression on the inhabitants of Constantinople and was even described by Theophanes the Confessor and in the Scriptor incertus (an anonymous Byzantine short chronicle describing the events of the period 811 – 820). In addition, Krum orders a moat with a rampart to be dug from the Blacharnae to the Golden Gate. Thus, the capital is surrounded on the land side. These actions of the Bulgarian ruler are more a demonstration of strength than serious intentions to capture the city. The aim was to force the Byzantine rulers to conclude a peace with which they would recognize the conquests of the Bulgarians.

The discredited Michael was forced to abdicate and become a monk—the third Byzantine Emperor forced to give up the throne by Krum in as many years.

Conflict with Leo V the Armenian 
The new emperor started the peace negotiations, with a secret idea that during the negotiations Krum will be killed. The requirements for a meeting between the two camps is that both sides are small in number and unarmed. For this reason, Kavhan Iratais and Krum's son-in-law Konstantin Pacik (who was most likely used as a translator) were present with Krum. In contrast, Leo V the Armenian did not attend in person. Already at the beginning of the meeting, the Bulgarian ruler noticed the signs that the Romans were making to the soldiers waiting in ambush, and although he was wounded, he managed to escape. Kavkhan was killed, and Konstantin Patsik together with his son (Krum's nephew) were captured. Enraged by the baseness of the Romans, Krum ordered the looting and burning of churches and monasteries in Eastern Thrace. His wrath culminated in the capture of Adrianople and the capture of 10,000 soldiers defending the city (including the parents of the future Emperor Basil I). Although Krum realized the defensive capabilities of the Byzantine capital, he ordered massive preparations for the attack on Constantinople to begin, which included Slavs, Avars and special siege equipment ("turtles", battle towers, "rams", flamethrowers, etc.). Worried by all these preparations, the emperor began to strengthen the city walls and defenses. But this grandiose plan of the Bulgarian ruler was not implemented. On April 13, 814 , Krum died, most likely of a hemorrhage and stroke.

Legacy

Krum was remembered for instituting the first known written Bulgarian law code, which ensured subsidies to beggars and state protection to all poor Bulgarians. Drinking, slander, and robbery were severely punished. Through his laws he became known as a strict but just ruler, bringing Slavs and Bulgars into a centralized state.

Novels have been written on his life, such as by Dmityar Mantov (1973) and Ivan Bogdanov (1990).

See also

History of Bulgaria
Bulgars

Annotations

References

Sources
 
 
  (primary source)

  (primary source)
 Theophanes the Confessor, Chronicle, Ed. Carl de Boor, Leipzig.
 .

External links
 Khan Krum Featured on Bulgarian Commemorative Coin
 Nikolov, A. Khan Krum in the Byzantine tradition: terrible rumours, misinformation and political propaganda. – In: Studies in honour of Professor Vassil Gjuzelev (= Bulgaria Mediaevalis, 2). Sofia, 2011, 39-47

Monarchs of the Bulgars
8th-century births
814 deaths
9th-century Bulgarian monarchs
Year of birth unknown
Bulgarian people of the Byzantine–Bulgarian Wars
크룸(, ? - 814년 4월 13일)은 803년부터 814년까지 불가르족의 칸이었다. 그의 치세 동안 불가리아는 아바르족을 멸망시키고 그 영토를 넓혔고 강력한 세력으로 성장하여 비잔티움 제국과 경쟁하였다.

초기의 생애와 성장 
크룸의 신원에 대하여는 알려진 바가 별로 없다. 일설에 의하면 그의 가계는 판노니아 출신이라고 하며 일설에는 아스파루흐계의 후손이라고도 한다. 크룸의 초기 생애에 대하여 확실한 것은 800년 이후 아바르족을 완전히 말살하였다는 사실이다. 807년 그는 불가르족의 최고권좌에 올라 도나우강 유역의 불가르족과 판노니아의 카르파티아 산맥과 트란실바니아 일대에 사는 불가르족을 통합하여 하나로 만들고 강력한 군대를 편성했다. 그 결과 불가르족은 왼쪽으로는 프랑크 왕국과 국경을 맞대고 오른쪽으로는 비잔티움 제국을 압박하는 강력한 왕국으로 부상했다.

니키포로스 1세와의 전쟁 
크룸은 불가르의 영토확장 정책을 추진했다. 당시 비잔티움 황제 니키포로스 1세는 불가르족을 제압하러 원정을 떠났으나 아드리아노폴리스에서 부하들의 반란으로 포기했다. 그사이 크룸은 808년 늦가을 스트리움 강 주변에서 비잔티움의 대군을 완파하고 809년 봄에는 세르디카까지 진출하여 정복해버렸다. 니키포로스는 반격에 나서 불가르의 수도인 플리스카를 기습하여 크룸이 없는 그 도시를 완전히 파괴했고 세르디카의 요새를 재건했다. 그러나 크룸은 완전히 정복 당한 것이 아니어서 비잔티움과 불가르족은 일전을 피할 수 없었다.

니키포로스는 불가르족을 완전히 섬멸하려는 계획을 가지고 1년 동안 군대를 키우고 대규모 원정을 준비하여 811년 5월 아들 스타우라키오스와 함께 대대적인 원정을 떠났다. 황제는 여자와 아이들까지 학살하는 잔인함을 보이며 불가르족을 침공하여 초기에는 불가르족을 궁지에 몰아넣는 데 성공하였다. 크롬은 몇 번이나 강화를 요청해 왔으나 니키포로스는 거절하였다. 그러나 7월 24일 니키포로스는 불가르족을 쫓아 군대를 이끌고 무리하게 좁은 협곡으로 쳐들어갔다가 크룸이 마련한 함정에 빠지고 말았다. 좁은 협곡에 갇힌 비잔티움군에 대해 크룸은 대규모 공격을 감행하였고 비잔티움 군대는 괴멸했다. 그 전투에서 니키포로스는 목숨을 잃었고 그의 아들 스타우라키오스는 척수가 절단된 상태에서 간신히 도망쳤으나 결국 몇달 후 죽었다. 크룸은 니키포로스의 시신에서 목을 잘라 장대에 꿰어 전시하게 했고 그의 해골은 은으로 도금하여 평생 술잔으로 사용했다.

미하일 1세 랑가베와 전쟁 
812년 크룸은 다시한번 비잔티움 영토를 공략해서 흑해 연안의 비잔티움의 도시 데벨투스를 점령하고 그곳의 주민들을 불가리아로 강제로 이주시켰다. 당시 비잔티움 황제인 미하일 1세 랑가베는 이를 응징하려했으나 부하들의 반란으로 실패하고 그 결과 트라키아, 마케도니다의 주민들은 달아났고 제국 변경의 주요 요새는 버려졌다. 크룸은 비잔티움이 데리고 있는 불가르족 포로와 탈영병을 돌려주는 조건으로 미하일 1세에게 강화를 제안했다. 연이은 패배를 당한 미하일은 그 강화 제의를 받아들였어야 했지만 완고한 스투디움의 테오도루스는 강화를 반대하게 했고 전쟁이 재개되었다. 크룸은 다시 제국의 영토를 쳐들어와 812년 11월 메셈브리아 시를 점령했다. 이듬해 미카엘은 대군을 규합해 불가르족과 전투를 위해 진격했다. 마침내 6월 21일 양측이 대규모로 전투를 벌였는데 갑자기 비잔티움 장군인 아르메니아인 레오의 아나톨리아 군대가 전선을 버리고 도망쳤고 전세는 역전되어 크룸은 파죽지세로 콘스탄티노폴리스까지 진격했다.

레오 5세와의 전쟁과 죽음 
한편, 콘스탄티노폴리스에서는 미카엘 1세가 하야하고 전선을 버리고 도망친 장군 레오가 레오 5세로서 새로운 황제가 되었다. 크룸은 콘스탄티노폴리스를 포위하고 공격했지만 막강한 난공불락의 테오도시우스 성벽을 무너뜨릴 수는 없었다. 레오는 크룸에게 단독 면담을 제의했고 비무장으로 함께 만나기로 했다. 크룸이 회담장소에 도착하자 갑자기 비잔티움 군사가 매복했다가 크룸을 공격했다. 크룸은 화살 한대를 맞고 간신히 달아났지만 비잔티움의 배신행위에 분노하고 퇴각하면서 제국의 전 지역을 초토화 시켰다. 아드리아노폴리스에서는 약 1만명의 주민이 학살 당했다.

814년 봄 크룸은 다시한번 대대적인 콘스탄티노폴리스 공격을 준비하였다. 다급해진 비잔티움 제국에서는 크룸의 공격에 대비하는 한편 서방 황제 샤를마뉴의 아들인 경건왕 루트비히에게 사절을 보내 원조를 요청하기도 했다. 그러나 4월 13일 예수 승천 대축일에 원정을 막 떠나려던 크룸은 갑자기 발작을 일으켜 피를 토하고 죽고 말았다. 그의 뒤를 이어 아들 오모르타그가 불가르족 칸의 지위에 올랐다.

같이 보기 
 불가르족
 불가리아의 역사

외부 링크 

 History, Rulers of Bulgaria — Khan Krum

불가리아 제1제국
불가르인의 군주
동로마 제국
814년 사망