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|The
Gold of Perperikon| Bulgaria
and Byzantium at War for Perperikon|
|Fragments
of the True Cross Found at Perperikon|
Bulgaria and Byzantium at War for Perperikon
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The
Bulgars made their last attempt to conquer the Eastern Rhodope in
1343, taking advantage of the unrest over the succession to the Byzantine
throne. By negotiations alone, Tsar Ivan Alexander acquired the strategically
important region of Plovdiv. As one of the pretenders, who eventually
did become Emperor John VI Cantacuzenus, wrote in his memoirs, Ivan
Alexander then desired to take hold of the Eastern Rhodope, captured
Perperikon and installed his archon there. Some decades ago, a fragment
of a letter was found at Perperikon sealed with Ivan Alexander's only
surviving gold signet. Soon after, however, Byzantium sent a military
expedition to recapture Perperikon. The Bulgarian garrison was outnumbered
and had to surrender the fortress. Just a few years later the Eastern
Rhodope, and the second Bulgarian empire, fell to the Ottoman Turks,
who were overrunning the Balkans from the south. Perperikon and the
other fortresses were raised to the ground and sank into final oblivion.
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