Konstantin I Tih
BulgariaBiograpy of Constantine I Tikh
Constantine I Tikh was the ruler of Bulgaria from 1257 to 1277. Born in 1257, he was the son of Boyar Tikh from Skopje. He was chosen by the boyars as the new king. In the subsequent war, the former king Mizo Asen was defeated and fled to the Nicaean Empire under Michael VIII Palaiologos in 1261. To solidify his position as a legitimate ruler, Constantine decided to marry into the ruling dynasty Asen and married Irene Laskarina, the granddaughter of Tsar Ivan Asen II and the daughter of Emperor Theodore II Laskaris and Elena of Bulgaria. From this moment on, he was known as Constantine I Asen Tikh.
Wars and Alliances
Taking advantage of the turmoil in Bulgaria, King Bela IV of Hungary began a war in 1259. Under the leadership of the future King Stephen V, the Hungarians captured the cities of Vidin and Lom. By 1261, Constantine had regained the lost cities. In the same year, Constantine Tikh launched an attack on Constantinople under the pretext of avenging the blinding of the queen's brother. However, he suffered a defeat, losing almost his entire army. In 1264, he embarked on a second campaign against Byzantium, together with the Mongol forces of Nogai.
In 1268, Queen Irene died, and Emperor Michael VIII Palaiologos offered his niece Maria as a wife to the king, promising to return the captured cities of Mesembria and Anchialos. Constantine agreed, but the emperor did not fulfill his promises and did not return the cities, leading to a new war. In 1274, the Byzantines managed to enlist the support of the Tatars, and regular raids on northern Bulgaria began.
Rebellion and Death
In 1277, the dissatisfaction with the king led to a peasant uprising led by Ivaylo. The troops sent by the king to suppress the rebellion either scattered before meeting the enemy or joined Ivaylo's side. At the end of the same year, Constantine personally led the army into battle, resulting in the defeat of the royal forces and the death of King Constantine.
Marriages and Children
Constantine I was married three times. The names of his first wife and children are unknown. He had no children from his second wife, Irene Laskarina, who died in 1268. From his third marriage to Maria Palaiologos (the niece of Byzantine Emperor Michael VIII), he had a son named Michael II Asen in 1270. Constantine Tikh declared him his co-ruler in 1272, but Michael II Asen never had actual power and is usually not included in the list of Bulgarian rulers.
