Stelle Rex Bulgarorum, qui praecedente ann...; (Annales Bertiniani (862 - 882), Annales Bertiniani, ed. by Waitz, s.a. 866, p. 85-6, trans. Nelson, p. 136-8) [5747]

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ID 5747
Text Annales Bertiniani (862 - 882) Hincmar of Reims
Quotation Rex Bulgarorum, qui praecedente anno, Deo inspriante et signis atque afflictionibus in populo regni sui monente, christianus fieri meditatus fuerat, sacrum baptisma suscepit. Quod proceres sui moleste ferentes, concitaverunt populum adversus eum, ut illum interficerent. Quotquot igitur fuerunt intra decem comitatus, adunaverunt se circa palatium eius, Ille vero, invocato Christi nomine, cum quadraginta tantum octo hominibus, qui erga christianam devotionem ferventes sibi remanserant, profectus est contra omnem illam multitudinem; et mox ut portas civitatis exiit, apparuerunt ei et his qui cum eo erant septem clerici, et unusquisque eorum tenebat cereum ardentem in manu sua, sicque praecedebant regem et illos qui cum eo erant. Eis vero qui contra eum insurrexerant visum erat, quod magna villa ardens super eos caderet, et equi eorum qui cum rege erant, sicut contrariis videbatur, erecti incedebant et cum anterioribus pedibus eos percutiebant; tantusque timor eos apprehendit, ut nec ad fugiendum nec ad defendendum se praepararent, sed prostrati solo se movere nequibant. Rex autem ex proceribus, qui populum inlaesum abire permisit; et mittens ad Hludowicum regem Germaniae, qui ei foedere pacis coniunctus erat, episcopum et presbiteros postulavit, et ab eo missos cum debita veneratione suscepit. Hludowicus autem ad Karolum, fratrem suum, mittens, in ministerium clericorum apud fratrem suum vasa sacrata sacrasque vestes ac libros petiit. Unde Karolus ab episcopis regnis sui non parvam summam accipiens, ei ad dirigendum regi. Bulgarorum rex filium suum et plures ex proceribus regni sui Romam direxit et arma, quibus indutus fuerat, quando in Christi nomine de suis adversariis triumphavit, cum aliis donis sancto Petro transmisit et plures quaestiones de sacramentis fidei consulendo Nicolao papae direxit et episcopos atque prebiteros mitti ab eo sibi poposcit; quod et obtinuit. Hludowicus vero Italiae imperator hoc audiens, ad Nicolaum papam misit, iubens, ut arma et alia quae rex Bulgarorum sabcto Petro miserat ei dirigeret. De quibus quaedam Nicolaus papa per Arsendium ei consistenti in partibus Beneventanis transmisit et de quibusdam excusationem mandavit.
Translation The previous year, inspired by God and taking as a warning the portents and afflictions that befell the peoples of his realm, the king of the Bulgars had thought carefully about becoming a Christian, and had been baptised. But his leading men were very angry and stirred up his people against him, aiming to kill him. All the warriors there were in all the ten counties of that realm came and surrounded the king's palace. Buit he invoked Christ's name and came forth against that whole multitude with only forty-eight men who, burning with zeal for the Christian faith, stayed loyal to him. As soon as the king came out from the city gates, tehre appeared to him and his companions seven clerics, each holding a burning candle in his hand, who thus advanced ahead of the king and his men. Now to the rebels it seemd that a great flaming mansion was falling on them, and the horses of the king's men, so it seemed to their opponents, advanced walking on their hind legs and truck them down with their front hooves. Such great terror gripped the rebels that they could not get themselves ready either to flee or fight, but flung themselves on the ground unable to move. The king killed fifty-two of the leading men who had been most active in stirring the people up against him, but he let the rest of the people goi away unharmed. Sending messengers to Louis king of Germany who was bound to him by a peace treaty, he requested a bishop and priests, and he received with due reverence those whom Louis dispatched. Louis also sent to ask his brother Charles for sacred vessels, and sacred vestments and books to help those priests in their ministry. On receipt of this request, Charles received from the bishops of his realm a large sum, and dispatched it to Louis to be sent on to the king. The king of the Bulgars dispatched his son and many of the leading men of his realm to Rome, and he sent to St Peter, along with other gifts, the armour he had been wearing when in Christ's name he triumphed over his enemies. He also sent a number of questions concnering the sacraments of the faith to Pope Nicholas to get his ruling on them, and he asked for bishops and priests to be sent him from the pope. All these requests were met. But Louis emperor of Italy, on hearing of all this, sent to Pope Nicholas with orders that the weapons and other things which the king of the Bulgars had sent to St Peter should be redirected to him. Some of these things Pope Nicholas did send to him, using Arsenius as his envoy, while Louis was still in the Benevento area; but the Pope sent excuses about the others.
Quotation source Annales Bertiniani, ed. by Waitz, s.a. 866, p. 85-6, trans. Nelson, p. 136-8
Temporal Coverage 866 - 866
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