Kuber
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Kuber was Bulgar leader who ruled over Srem as a vassal to the Avar Khagan. All of what we know comes from the Miracles of St Demetrius. He ruled a mixed Christian population of Bulgars, ‘Romans’, Slavs and Germanic people [1]that had been transferred to the Srem region in Pannonia by the Avars 60 years earlier[2][3]. He and his people revolted in 670s, and after defeating an Avar punitive attack, the tribe moved to Macedonia. The Byzantines called his people Sermisianoi (after their former settlement- Sirmium), as well as the Keramisians(after their new place: the Keramissian plain in Macedonia).
In Macedonia, they had contacts and possibly mixed with the Dragovites - a Slavic tribe in the region[4][5]. Some of his people wanted to disperse to their respective various homelands. Since they were Christians, they were probably once imperial subjects that were captured by the Avars. Kuber asked the Emperor to not allow the dispersal of his people, fearing that his power will decline. Rebuffed by the emperor, he resolved to attack Thessaloniki, but failed. He probably made a few other sporadic attacks on the Byzantines.
Zlatarksi, a Bulgarian scholar, suggests that Kuber was the ‘unnamed son’ of Great Kubrat. Certainly, being a prominent prince would explain why the Avars gave hime rule, and his appearance in 670 chronologically fits the downfall of Old Bulgaria. He also suggests that Kuber's people represented a second Balkan Bulgar ‘state’ in Macedonia, parallel to that of his nephew's realm in the eastern Balkans (modern Bulgaria).
The prominent archaeologist from Republic of Macedonia Ivan Mikulchik revealed the presence not only of the Kuber group, but an entire Bulgar archaeological culture throughout Macedonia and eastern Albania [6]. He describes the traces of Bulgars in this region, which consist of typical fortresses, burials, various products of metallurgy and pottery (including treasure with supposed Bulgar origin or ownership), lead seals, minted from Kuber, amulets, etc. However, this could actually represent traces of Avar presence. Known to have raided as far south as Macedonia, material culture of the Avars was very similar to the Bulgars.[7]
Whether he had established a state of sorts or not, nothing is mentioned of Kuber after his death in the 680s [8] His people were absorbed into the sea of Slavs living in the area, well before Krum expanded his Bulgarian Empire into Macedonia in the early 800s[9]
[edit] Honour
Kuber Peak in Tangra Mountains on Livingston Island in the South Shetland Islands, Antarctica is named for Kuber.
[edit] References
- ^ Hupchick
- ^ Curta
- ^ Fine
- ^ Curta
- ^ Fine
- ^ Иван Микулчиќ, "Средновековни градови и тврдини во Македониjа", Скопjе, "Македонска цивилизациjа", 1996, стр. 29-33 / "Medieval towns and strongholds in Macedonia", Skopje, Publishing house "Macedonian civilization", 1996, p. 29-33, in Macedonian
- ^ Curta
- ^ Curta
- ^ The early medieval Balkans. Fine
1.Curta, Florin (2006). Southeastern Europe in the Middle Ages, 500-1250.. Cambridge Medieval Textbooks. ISBN 0-521-81539-8.
2.Fine, Jr, John V.A (1991). The early Medieval Balkans; A critical survery from the sixth to the late twelfth century. The University of Michigan Press. ISBN 0-472-08149-7.
3.Hupchik, Dennis P (2002). The Balkans. From Constantinople to Communism.. Palgrave MacMillan. ISBN 1-4039-6417-3.
4. Иван Микулчиќ, "Средновековни градови и тврдини во Македониjа", Скопjе, "Македонска цивилизациjа", 1996 (Macedonian); part of the book here.
