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This is a 'list of Bulgarian monarchs' from the earliest historical records to 1946, when the monarchy in the country was abolished. Early Bulgarian rulers are believed to have used the title Khan (see Bulgar society for more details), later possibly kniaz, and still later the title tsar. According to Djagfar tarikhy (a 17th century Volga Bulgar source which is widely suspected to be a hoax and is generally not used in historical research), the earliest Bulgar leaders bore the title of ''baltavar'', i.e. the Turkic "Elteber", a viceroy, known from the Chinese annals by its Chinese equivalent "Sylifa" and documented in the 10-th century by Al-Masoudi as a title used among the Dagestani Bulgars. The title Elteber or its variations like Ilutwer, Ilutver was recorded between the North Caucasian Huns, and Yiltawar or İltäbär (ibn Fadlan) in the Volga Bulgaria.
The title ''tsar'' was first adopted and used in Bulgaria by Simeon I following a decisive victory over the Byzantine Empire in 913. It was also used by all of Simeon I's successors until the fall of Bulgaria under Ottoman rule in 1396 . After Bulgaria's liberation from the Ottomans in 1878, its first monarch Alexander I adopted the title ''kniaz'', but as complete independence was officially proclaimed under his successor Ferdinand in 1908, the title was changed to ''tsar'' again. ''Tsar'' was used by Ferdinand and later by his heir Boris III until the abolition of monarchy in 1946.
Note: before reaching the historical rulers (see below), the Nominalia of the Bulgarian khans mention two legendary or semi-legendary rulers who are described as having lived for centuries: Avitokhol (sometimes identified as Attila the Hun, 300 years) and Irnik (sometimes identified as Attila's son Ernakh, 150 years), as well as a regent, Gostun (2 years).

Contents

List of Bulgarian rulers (632-1946)

House of Terter (first reign, 1280-1292)

House of Smilets (1292-1298)

Mongol monarch in Bulgaria (1298-1300)

See also

List of Bulgarian rulers (632-1946)

===Great Bulgaria (632-681)

The Dulo clan (first reign, 605-753)

At times, the reign in the Bulgar lands was split.

★ Kubrat (605 - 665) over Onogunduri

★ Batbayan (665 - 668) over Onogunduri
===First Bulgarian Empire (681-1018)===

Portrait	Name	Khan From	Khan Until
	Asparukh	681	700
	Tervel	700	721
	Kormesiy	721	728

|-
|align="center"|||align="center"|Sevar||align="center"| 738||align="center"|753
|}

The Ukil clan (753-766)

Portrait	Name	Khan From	Khan Until
	Kormisosh	753	756
	Vinekh	756	762
	Telets	762	765

|-
|align="center"|||align="center"|Sabin||align="center"| 765||align="center"|766
|}

The Ugain clan (766-803)

Portrait	Name	Khan From	Khan Until
	Umor	766	766
	Toktu	766	767
	Pagan	767	768

|-
|align="center"|||align="center"|Telerig||align="center"| 768||align="center"|777
|-
|align="center"|||align="center"|Kardam||align="center"| 777||align="center"|803
|}

Krum's dynasty, or possibly a second reign of the Dulo clan (803-997)

Portrait	Name	Khan/Emperor From	Khan/Emperor Until
	Krum	803	13 April 814
	Omurtag	814	831
	Malamir	831	836

|-
|align="center"|||align="center"|Presian||align="center"| 836||align="center"|852
|-
|align="center"|||align="center"|Boris I||align="center"| 852||align="center"|889 (died on 2 May 907)
|-
|align="center"|||align="center"|Vladimir||align="center"| 889||align="center"|893
|-
|align="center"|||align="center"|Simeon I of Bulgaria (Simeon the Great)||align="center"| 893||align="center"|27 May 927
|-
|align="center"|||align="center"|Peter I||align="center"| 27 May 927||align="center"|969 (died on 30 January 970)
|-
|align="center"|||align="center"|Boris II||align="center"| 969||align="center"|971
|-
|align="center"|||align="center"|Roman I||align="center"| 976||align="center"|997 (simultaneously with Samuil 976 - 997)
|}

House of Comitopuli (976-1018)

Portrait	Name	Emperor From	Emperor Until
	Samuil	997(simultaneously with Roman I 976 - 997)	6 October 1014
	Gavril Radomir	October 1014	August 1015
	Ivan Vladislav	August 1015	February 1018

|-
|align="center"|||align="center"|Peter II Delyan||align="center"| 1040||align="center"|1041
|-
|align="center"|||align="center"|Constantin Bodin (Peter (III))||align="center"| 1072||align="center"|1072
|}
===Byzantine rule (1018-1186)

Second Bulgarian Empire (1186-1395/1422)

House of Asen (1186-1280)

Portrait	Name	Emperor From	Emperor Until
	Peter IV	1185	1190
	Ivan Asen I	1190	1196
	Peter IV	1196	1197

|-
|align="center"|||align="center"|Kaloyan||align="center"| 1197||align="center"|1207
|-
|align="center"|||align="center"|Boril||align="center"| 1207||align="center"|1218
|-
|align="center"|||align="center"|Ivan Asen II||align="center"| 1218||align="center"|1241
|-
|align="center"|||align="center"|Kaliman I Asen||align="center"| 1241||align="center"|1246
|-
|align="center"|||align="center"|Michael I Asen ||align="center"|1246||align="center"|1256
|-
|align="center"|||align="center"|Kaliman II Asen||align="center"| 1256||align="center"|1256
|-
|align="center"|||align="center"|Mitso Asen||align="center"| 1256||align="center"|1257
|-
|align="center"|||align="center"|Constantine Tikh Asen||align="center"| 1257||align="center"|1277
|-
|align="center"|||align="center"|Ivailo||align="center"| 1277||align="center"|1280 (a peasant rebel leader)
|-
|align="center"|||align="center"|Ivan Asen III||align="center"| 1279||align="center"|1280
|}

House of Terter (first reign, 1280-1292)

Portrait	Name	Emperor From	Emperor Until
	George I Terter	1280	1292

House of Smilets (1292-1298)

Portrait	Name	Emperor From	Emperor Until
	Smilets	1292	1298

Mongol monarch in Bulgaria (1298-1300)

Portrait	Name	Emperor From	Emperor Until
	Chaka	1299	1300

House of Terter (second reign, 1300-1323)

Portrait	Name	Emperor From	Emperor Until
	Teodor II Svetoslav	1300	1321
	George II Terter	1321	1322

House of Shishman (1323-1396/1422)

Portrait	Name	Emperor From	Emperor Until
	Michael III Shishman	1323	1330
	Ivan Stephen	1330	1331
	Ivan Alexander	1331	1371
	Ivan Shishman	1371	1395
	Ivan Stratsimir	1356	1396
	Constantine II	1396	1422

===Ottoman rule (1396/1422-1878)

Kingdom of Bulgaria (1878-1946)

House of Battenberg (1879-1886)

Portrait	Name	Knyaz From	Knyaz Until
	Alexander I	29 April 1879	7 September 1886

House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (1887-1946)

Portrait	Name	King From	King Until
	Ferdinand I	7 July 1887	3 October 1918
	Boris III	3 October 1918	28 August 1943
	Simeon II	28 August 1943	15 September 1946 (deposed)

See also

★ History of Bulgaria

★ Asen dynasty

★ List of Prime Ministers of Bulgaria

★ List of Presidents of Bulgaria