New Books Network Eric Halsey, "State Builders from the Steppe: A History of The First Bulgarian Empire" (This is RETHINK, 2025)
Nov 13, 2025
Eric Halsey, a historian and expert on the First Bulgarian Empire, explores the fascinating origins and achievements of this historical power. He discusses how the Proto-Bulgarians created an identity amid Balkan turmoil, highlighting the birth of the Cyrillic Alphabet and the crowning of the first Tsar. Halsey reveals the empire’s dramatic struggles, including the defeat of the first Arab invasion of Europe. He also delves into the reasons behind the empire’s collapse and its lasting legacy in modern Bulgaria.
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How Interest Began
- Eric Halsey first became interested in Bulgarian history through a college girlfriend whose family had lived in Sofia.
- That curiosity led him to study abroad in Bulgaria in 2009–2010 and eventually stay and write about its history.
Steppe Origins To Medieval State
- The First Bulgarian Empire transformed from a steppe elite ruling Slavic peasants into a settled medieval Christian state over ~350 years.
- This shift produced lasting institutions like Old Church Slavonic and early Cyrillic that shaped Eastern Orthodoxy.
Elite Conflict Shaped State
- Proto-Bulgarian elites (khans and boyars) initially relied on raiding and cavalry while Slavs provided infantry and agriculture.
- Political conflict over integrating Slavs into the elite drove reform, Christianization, and state centralization.
