Editing List of Bulgarian monarchs (section)

=== Successors of the Asenids (1256–1280) ===
The end of the male line of the House of Asen plunged Bulgaria into a chaotic period of fragmentation and civil wars between numerous lines of claimants.<ref name="Curta-2021b" />

{| class="wikitable" style="width:100%; text-align:center;"
|- style="background:#D4F2CE;"
! style="background:#D4F2CE; width:6%;" | Image
! style="background:#D4F2CE; width:18%" | Name
! style="background:#D4F2CE; width:14%;" | Reign
! style="background:#D4F2CE; width:62%;" | Succession and notes
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|[[File:Coin of Mitso Asen.png|80px]]
|'''[[Mitso Asen of Bulgaria|Mitso Asen]]'''<br /><small>Мицо Асен</small>
|1256–1263<br /><small>(7 years)</small>
|Husband of [[Maria Asenina of Bulgaria|Maria Asenina]], a daughter of [[Ivan Asen II]].<ref name="Mladjov-2015" /> Proclaimed emperor in southeastern Bulgaria either in opposition to Kaliman Asen II<ref name="Petkov-2008" /> or after his death. Unclear if he ever gained control of the capital of [[Veliko Tarnovo|Tarnovo]],<ref name="Fine-1994" /> though he may have held it briefly<ref name="Curta-2021b" /> in 1256–1257.<ref name="Mladjov-2015" /> Later established himself in the lands surrounding [[Mesembria]]. Gave Mesembria to the Byzantine Empire in 1263 after attacks by [[Konstantin Tih|Constantine I Tih]], in return being allowed to live out his life in exile in [[Anatolia]].<ref name="Fine-1994" />
|-
| style="background:#E6E6E6;" |[[File:Rostislav Mikhailovich (crop).jpg|80px]]
| style="background:#E6E6E6;" |[[Rostislav Mikhailovich]]<br /><small>Ростислав Михайлович<br />(''Pretender in [[Vidin]]'')</small>
| style="background:#E6E6E6;" |1257–1262<br /><small>(5 years)</small>
| style="background:#E6E6E6;" |Father-in-law of Michael Asen I and Kaliman Asen II.<ref name="Curta-2021b" /> Invaded Bulgaria, though was unable to take the capital of [[Veliko Tarnovo|Tarnovo]]. Occupied [[Vidin]] and governed the surrounding area as self-proclaimed Bulgarian emperor, supported by the [[Kingdom of Hungary]].<ref name="Curta-2021b" /> Left landless after an attack by [[Konstantin Tih|Constantine I Tih]] in 1260, though restored with Hungarian aid in 1261, claiming the same title again until his death in 1262.<ref name="Fine-1994" />
|-
|[[File:KonstantinTih.jpg|80px]]
|[[Konstantin Tih|'''Constantine I''' Tih]]{{efn|The actual regnal name of this monarch was '''Constantine Asen''', as attested in contemporary Bulgarian documents. The conventional designation "Konstantin Tih" (meaning "Constantine, the son of Tih[omir]") was never used in medieval Bulgaria itself and instead derives from Byzantine sources.<ref name="Mladjov-2015" />}}<br /><small>Константин Асен</small>
|1257–1277<br /><small>(20 years)</small>
|Elected emperor in [[Veliko Tarnovo|Tarnovo]] in 1257 by the Bulgarian nobility, in opposition to both Mitso Asen and Rostislav. Married [[Irene Doukaina Laskarina]], a granddaughter of [[Ivan Asen II]], in order to boost his legitimacy.<ref name="Curta-2021b" /> Ultimately victorious in the civil wars of the 1250s and 1260s.<ref name="Curta-2021b" /> Later remarried to [[Maria Palaiologina Kantakouzene]], a niece of the Byzantine emperor [[Michael VIII Palaiologos]].<ref name="Mladjov-2015" /> Defeated and killed in battle by the peasant rebel [[Ivaylo of Bulgaria|Ivaylo]].<ref name="Mladjov-2015" /><ref name="Vasary-2005">{{Cite book |last=Vásáry |first=István |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7DJWyg97IggC |title=Cumans and Tatars: Oriental Military in the Pre-Ottoman Balkans, 1185–1365 |date=2005 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |isbn=978-1-139-44408-8 |pages=36, 80–82, 89, 95–96 |language=en}}</ref>
|-
| style="background:#E6E6E6;" |[[File:Coin of Jacob Svetoslav.png|80px]]
| style="background:#E6E6E6;" |[[Jacob Svetoslav]]<br /><small>Яков Светослав<br />(''Pretender in [[Vidin]]'')</small>
| style="background:#E6E6E6;" |1266–{{Circa}} 1273<br /><small>(c. 7 years)</small>
| style="background:#E6E6E6;" |Noble of princely Russian origin.<ref name="Fine-1994" /> Initially loyal to Constantine I Tih, fighting on his side with the title of ''[[Despot (court title)|despot]]'' in the wars against Hungary (1261) and the Byzantine Empire (1262–1263). Came in possession of [[Vidin]] {{Circa}} 1263 and gradually fell under Hungarian suzerainty. Referred to as "Bulgarian emperor" in Hungarian documents from 1266 onwards. Asserted his independence from Hungary {{Circa}} 1273 and re-aligned himself with Constantine again; adopted as a second son by Constantine's wife (making him second-in-line to the throne) but later poisoned by her {{Circa}} 1275.<ref name="Fine-1994" />
|-
|
|'''[[Michael Tih|Michael Asen II]]'''<br /><small>Михаил Асен</small>
|1277–1279<br /><small>(2 years)</small>
|Son of Constantine I; previously junior co-emperor {{Circa}} 1272–1277.<ref name="Mladjov-2015" /> Underage at the time of his accession, his mother [[Maria Palaiologina Kantakouzene]] ruled as regent.<ref name="Mladjov-2015" /> In 1278 made co-ruler with [[Ivaylo of Bulgaria|Ivaylo]], who married Maria.<ref name="Mladjov-2015" /> Deposed by the Byzantine-supported [[Ivan Asen III of Bulgaria|Ivan Asen III]] and sent as a captive to Constantinople.<ref name="Vasary-2005" />
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|
|"'''[[Ivaylo of Bulgaria|Ivaylo]]'''"{{efn|It is doubtful that Ivaylo was this ruler's real name given that the only medieval source using it (the [[Svrljig gospels]]) might instead be informally referring to his successor Ivan Asen III. The only other names applied to him in medieval sources are the Greek nicknames ''Lakhanas'' and ''Kordokoubas'', attested in Byzantine sources.<ref name="Mladjov-2015" />}}<br /><small>Ивайло</small>
|1278–1279<br /><small>(1 year)</small>
|An illiterate swineherd<ref name="Vasary-2005" /> who became leader of a peasant uprising and seized control of much of Bulgaria. Became a legitimate monarch through marriage with [[Maria Palaiologina Kantakouzene]], Michael Asen II's mother,<ref name="Mladjov-2015" /><ref name="Vasary-2005" /> who married him on the condition that Michael Asen II's rights continued to be respected.<ref name="Vasary-2005" /> Escaped to the [[Golden Horde]] in exile after [[Ivan Asen III of Bulgaria|Ivan Asen III]] took control of Bulgaria. Killed by [[Nogai Khan]] after requests from the Byzantines.<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Maiorov |first1=Alexander V. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pmBCEAAAQBAJ |title=The Routledge Handbook of the Mongols and Central-Eastern Europe |last2=Hautala |first2=Roman |date=2021 |publisher=Routledge |isbn=978-1-000-41745-6 |pages=203 |language=en}}</ref>
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|'''[[Ivan Asen III of Bulgaria|Ivan Asen III]]'''<br /><small>Иван Асен</small>
|1279–1280<br /><small>(1 year)</small>
|Son of [[Mitso Asen of Bulgaria|Mitso Asen]].<ref name="Mladjov-2015" /> Supported as puppet emperor of Bulgaria by the Byzantine emperor [[Michael VIII Palaiologos]], against Ivaylo and Michael Asen II. Took control of Bulgaria with the help of the Byzantine army.<ref name="Vasary-2005" /> Fled to the Byzantine Empire after a brief reign due to fearing the ambitions of the aristocrat [[George I of Bulgaria|George Terter]], whereafter the Bulgarians proclaimed George Terter emperor in his stead.<ref name="Mladjov-2015" />
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