The
Christianization of Bulgaria was the process by which 9th-century medieval
Bulgaria converted to
Christianity. It was influenced by the khan's shifting political alliances with the kingdom of the
East Franks and the
Byzantine Empire, as well as his reception by the
Pope of the
Roman Catholic Church. Because of Bulgaria's strategic position, both Roman Catholic European kingdoms and the Byzantine Empire wanted Bulgaria's people to practice their respective religions and be aligned with them politically. Christianization was considered a means of integrating
Slavs into the region. After some overtures to each side, the khan aligned with Eastern Orthodox Christianity. Through them, he achieved his goal of gaining an independent Bulgarian national church and having an archbishop appointed to head it.
Background
When
Khan Boris began his reign in 852, the international situation was very complicated. The conflict with the
Byzantine Empire for domination over the
Slavic tribes in modern-day
Macedonia and
Thrace was still far from being resolved. In the middle
Danube region, Bulgaria's interests crossed with those of the emerging kingdom of the
East Franks and the principality of
Great Moravia. It was about that period when
Croatia emerged on the international scene, carrying its own ambitions and demands for territories in the region.
On a larger scale, the tensions between
Constantinople and
Rome were tightening. Both centres were competing to lead the Christianization...
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