'' During the rule of
Boris I (r. 852–889), Bulgaria underwent major changes – the
Christianization of the country and the admission of the disciples of
Saints Cyril and Methodius, which marked the beginning of the creation and consolidation of the medieval Bulgarian literature and alphabet. Despite a number of military setbacks against most neighbouring countries, Boris I managed to preserve Bulgarian territorial integrity. During the
Council of Preslav in 893, assembled after the unsuccessful attempt of Boris I's eldest son
Vladimir-Rasate to restore Paganism, it was decided that
Old Bulgarian was to replace Greek as a language of the church and the Byzantine clergy was to be banished and replaced with Bulgarians. The Council sealed Boris I's ambitions for cultural and religious independence and calmed down the concerns among the nobility, who feared any strong Byzantine influence in the internal affairs of Bulgaria. It was also decided that his third son Simeon, born after the Christianization and called
child of peace, was to become the next Prince of Bulgaria. These events ruined the Byzantine hopes to exert influence over the newly Christianized country, and Emperor
Leo VI (r. 886–912) soon had a chance to retaliate. The ousting of the merchants from Constantinople, which was a major destination of trade routes from all over Europe and Asia, was a heavy blow for Bulgarian economic interests. The merchants complained to Simeon I, who in turn raised the issue with Leo VI, but the appeal was left unanswered. resulting in what has sometimes been called the first commercial war in Europe.
Magyar intervention The Byzantines hastily assembled a large army under the generals Prokopios Krenites and Kourtikios, which included the Imperial Guard that consisted of
Khazar mercenaries. the Byzantines were defeated and their commanders perished. Most of the Khazars were captured and Simeon had their noses cut and "sent them in the capital for shame of the Romans [i.e the Byzantines]". , miniature from the
Madrid Skylitzes note that the Magyars are named above the army Tourkoi (Turks) Since the main Byzantine forces were engaged in the east against the
Arabs, Leo VI turned to the well-tried methods of
Byzantine diplomacy and sent envoys with rich gifts to the
Magyars, who in that time inhabited the steppes to the north-east of Bulgaria. When Simeon I refused to conclude peace and imprisoned the Byzantine envoy Konstantinakios, at the end of 894 the
Byzantine navy was used to ferry the Magyars across the
Danube, despite the fact that the Bulgarians had barred the river with chains and ropes. The Magyars looted and pillaged unopposed, reaching the outskirts of the capital
Preslav, and after they sold the captives to the Byzantines they retreated to the north of the Danube. Then Simeon pretended that he wanted to negotiate and put forward the issue of prisoner exchange. The Byzantines sent
Leo Choirosphaktes in Preslav to negotiate the terms. As Simeon needed time to address the Magyar threat, he deliberately prolonged the negotiations and Choirosphaktes was repeatedly refused an audience. That was the only victory on the battlefield Boris I ever achieved. As a result of this defeat, the Magyars had to move westwards and settle in
Pannonia, where they later established the
Kingdom of Hungary. ==Battle==