Ivan Asen I

Ivan Asen I, along with his brother Peter IV, led a successful uprising of Bulgarians and Vlachs against Byzantine rule. The rebellion began in Tarnovo and quickly spread, leading to the restoration of the Bulgarian state.

Ivan Asen I and his brother Peter IV established the Second Bulgarian Empire with its capital at Tarnovo. They were crowned co-emperors, marking the restoration of Bulgarian independence after nearly 170 years of Byzantine rule.

Ivan Asen I was assassinated by his cousin Ivanko, a boyar, during a period of internal conflict. His death temporarily destabilized the Second Bulgarian Empire, but his brother Peter IV continued to rule.