{"slug": "sofia", "label": "Sofia", "wikipedia": "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sofia", "wikidata": "https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q472", "qid": "Q472", "description": "capital city of Bulgaria", "entries": 11, "years": 11, "span": [-28, 1990], "span_label": ["29 BCE", "1990 CE"], "topics": [{"title": "Conflict & Security", "count": 10}, {"title": "Culture & Society", "count": 1}], "related": [{"slug": "byzantine-empire", "label": "Byzantine Empire", "shared": 3}, {"slug": "balkans", "label": "Balkans", "shared": 2}, {"slug": "constantinople", "label": "Constantinople", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "plovdiv", "label": "Plovdiv", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "first-bulgarian-empire", "label": "First Bulgarian Empire", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "khan-title", "label": "Khan (title)", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "looting", "label": "Looting", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "defensive-wall", "label": "Defensive wall", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "krum", "label": "Krum", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "pechenegs", "label": "Pechenegs", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "thrace-theme", "label": "Thrace (theme)", "shared": 1}, {"slug": "bosporus", "label": "Bosporus", "shared": 1}], "items": [{"year": -28, "year_label": "29 BCE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Sofia, modern day capital of Bulgaria, is conquered by the Romans and becomes known as Ulpia Serdica.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1349908551#Roman_Republic", "title": "29 BC", "revid": 1349908551, "section": "Events › By place › Roman Republic"}}, {"year": 447, "year_label": "447 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "The Huns, led by Attila, cross the Danube, and invade the Balkans as far as Thermopylae (Greece). During the invasion, Serdica (modern Sofia) is destroyed. For disobeying the terms of the treaty made in 442, Attila triples his demand for tribute to 2,100 pounds (ca. 700 kg) of gold per year; and the ransom for each Roman prisoner to 12 solidi.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1367502819#Byzantium", "title": "447", "revid": 1367502819, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantium"}}, {"year": 809, "year_label": "809 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Spring – Siege of Serdica: Krum, ruler (khan) of the Bulgarian Empire, captures the fortress of Serdica (modern Sofia), after a long siege. According to Byzantine sources, he massacres the garrison (supposedly 6,000 men), sacks the city, and razes the city walls, before returning with much loot to Bulgaria. In the following years (and centuries), Serdica will serve as a base for the expansion of the Bulgars to the south of the Balkans.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1361629793#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "809", "revid": 1361629793, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 811, "year_label": "811 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "July 23", "text": "July 23 – Nikephoros I reaches Pliska, and destroys a Bulgarian army of 12,000 elite soldiers who guard the stronghold. Another hastily assembled relief force of 50,000 soldiers suffers a similar fate. The Byzantines capture the defenseless capital. Nikephoros plunders the city and captures Krum's treasury. He burns the countryside, slaughters sheep and pigs, as he pursues the retreating Bulgars southwest towards Serdica (modern-day Sofia).", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1366655051#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "811", "revid": 1366655051, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 1049, "year_label": "1049 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "Spring – Pecheneg Revolt: Emperor Constantine IX decides to transfer 15,000 Pecheneg warriors from their positions in the Balkans to the eastern front. Upon approaching the Bosporus, the Pechenegs decide to turn back, and march through Bulgaria, until they reach the Byzantine city of Serdia. Later, joined by followers, the Pecheneg tribes raise the banner of revolt in Thrace.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1350129777#Byzantine_Empire", "title": "1049", "revid": 1350129777, "section": "Events › By place › Byzantine Empire"}}, {"year": 1096, "year_label": "1096 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "July 12", "text": "July 12 – The People's Crusade led by Peter the Hermit reaches Sofia, where they meet envoys from Constantinople with orders to keep them supplied along the road. At Philippopolis the Greeks are so deeply moved by the suffering of Peter and his followers that the locals give them money, food and horses.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1365266324#First_Crusade", "title": "1096", "revid": 1365266324, "section": "Events › By place › First Crusade"}}, {"year": 1147, "year_label": "1147 CE", "section": "Culture & Society", "date": "May", "text": "May – July – A German expeditionary force (some 20,000 men) under King Conrad III leaves Regensburg and passes into Hungary. The German nobility is headed by Conrad's nephew and heir, Frederick I, duke of Swabia. On July 20, Conrad crosses into the Byzantine Empire, and reaches Sofia – where Michael Palaiologos (a nephew of Emperor Manuel I) gives Conrad an official welcome and provides the Crusaders with food.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1362163362#Second_Crusade", "title": "1147", "revid": 1362163362, "section": "Events › By place › Second Crusade"}}, {"year": 1382, "year_label": "1382 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": null, "text": "The Ottomans take Sofia from the Bulgarians.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1367364320#Date_unknown", "title": "1382", "revid": 1367364320, "section": "Events › Date unknown"}}, {"year": 1444, "year_label": "1444 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "December 24", "text": "December 24 – Ottoman General Kasım Pasha is defeated in the Battle of Melštica near Sofia by Christian troops who had survived the Battle of Varna.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1359067554#October–December", "title": "1444", "revid": 1359067554, "section": "Events › October–December"}}, {"year": 1907, "year_label": "1907 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "March 11", "text": "March 11 – The Prime Minister of Bulgaria, Dimitar Petkov, is assassinated by an anarchist in Sofia.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1373349351#March", "title": "1907", "revid": 1373349351, "section": "Events › March"}}, {"year": 1990, "year_label": "1990 CE", "section": "Conflict & Security", "date": "August 26", "text": "August 26 – In Sofia, protesters set fire to the headquarters of the governing Bulgarian Socialist Party.", "cite": {"url": "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?oldid=1366571855#August", "title": "1990", "revid": 1366571855, "section": "Events › August"}}]}