Polityka cara Kałojana wobec Konstantynopola

Abstract

The short reign of Bulgarian tsar Ivan III Kaloyan was determined mostly by his policies towards different rulers of Constantinople – firstly, the Byzantine Angelos dynasty, then the crusaderbased Latin Empire. However, during the first years (1197–1204), his main aim was reunification of the newly liberated state and consolidation of power. Kaloyan achieved this goal by his skillful selection of allies and proper approach to the Papacy as the by-time European superpower. Only having his basic interests secured, Kaloyan launched a campaign to conquer Constantinople and replace Byzantium with a new Greco-Slavonic state – firstly in co-operation with the Latin knights of the Fourth Crusade, then acting against them as a self-proclaimed protector of the Byzantine heritage. Unfortunately, in this period (1204–1207) Bulgarian ruler’s political calculations proved to be often wrong, which – in combination with his distrust towards the Greek population – resulted in his eventual failure and assasination.