Great Bulgaria

Great Bulgaria was a historical polity established by the Bulgars, a people who significantly influenced the formation of modern Bulgaria. The Bulgars, whose origins are debated but likely had Turkic and possibly Iranian elements, inhabited the European steppe. Under Khan Kurt (Kubrat), they formed Great Bulgaria with the Kuban River as its southern border. After Kurt's death, his sons dispersed the people. One group, led by Asparukh, moved across the Danube River, conquering the region between the Danube and the Balkan Mountains. In 681 CE, the Byzantine Empire officially recognized this territory as the First Bulgarian Empire, marking the beginning of the Bulgarian state. The Bulgars eventually merged with the local Slavic populations, adopting Christianity and the Slavic language, which laid the foundation for the modern Bulgarian nation.12