Образът на цар Самуил в чуждите извори и в чуждата художествена литература
The image of Tsar Samuel in foreign Medieval historiography and literature

Summary/Abstract: This article is a peculiar attempt to resurrect the spiritual image of tsar Samuel on the basis of foreign Medieval sources and literature from different periods. Of great interest are the interpretations of the titanic clash between the Byzantine Empire and the Bulgarian State from the second half of X-XI cen- tury, reflected in Byzantine, Latin and Arabic chronicles. Here comes to life the character of tsar Samuel – warrior and commander – fearless and brave, respected even by his enemies. Preserved in those chronicles and thus surviving to our time, the story of the transportation of St. Achilius’s relics and laying them in the city of Pre- spa, depicts tsar Samuel the statesman whose decision was caused not only by Christian faith but also by the awareness of the power of Christian relics as a political instrument.The tragic outcome of the Bulgarian-Byzantine rivalry and the doom of Samuel’s warriors, interpreted in the works by Byzantine chroniclers and po- ets, recreate the character of Samuel, not the tsar, but the man whose heart cannot bear the grief and suffering.The story of the invincible in his power and unrivaled in his bravery tsar Samuel will be told by annalists and will turn into a myth. That myth will be preserved and will survive for centuries, and will be reproduces in literature by West European and Slavic poets. Each of those authors according to their own artistic interpretation of the historic tale will inspire the tragedy and greatness of tsar Samuel and his time.

• Details
• Contents