Asparus

Asparus (also spelled Asperuch, Asparukh, or Isperikh; Bulgarian: Аспарух) was a ruler of the Bulgars credited with founding the First Bulgarian Empire in 681 CE. He led his Bulgar tribes southwest from the Onoguria region (centered around modern southern Russia and Ukraine) into the Balkan peninsula. After a successful war against the Byzantine Empire, Asparus secured Byzantine recognition of Bulgar sovereignty over territories north of the Balkan Mountains, establishing a new, independent state centered around Pliska. This marked the beginning of the First Bulgarian Empire, a significant power in Southeastern Europe for centuries. Asparus is considered a key figure in Bulgarian history and is revered as the founder of the Bulgarian nation. His reign is primarily known through Byzantine historical sources, supplemented by later Bulgarian chronicles. He likely ruled until his death, generally believed to have been around 700 CE, though the precise circumstances are debated.