James Baquet Imagine this: You are Nicephorus I, Emperor of what is now the Byzantine Empire, successor to Rome. (Here is an interesting footnote to history: The Byzantine Empire was never called that in its heyday; it was a coinage of later historians. In its time it was called the “Roman Empire” or “Romania,” and the people, “Romans.”) Anyway, as emperor, you usurped the throne and exiled the empress in 802, and you put down a rebellion by your general and some commanders in 803. That same year you made a peace treaty with Charlemagne (at that time considered Emperor of the Romans, the remnants of the western empire), but then violated it, leading to a war over Venice that lasted from 806-810. You battled and were defeated by the Arabs in 805 and began paying them yearly tribute the following year. Once internal problems of the caliphate set you free of that burden, in 809, you turned your sights on Bulgaria. This turned out to be your worst decision of all. But not at first. In 811, you personally led your troops against Pliska, the capital of the Bulgarians. Krum, the Bulgarian Khan, had been harrying your northern borders, and so you defeated him twice, and brutally sacked Pliska, even murdering small children. But while you and your men were looting the city and having your way, Khan Krum had other plans. Instead of staying on to defend a lost city, he led his remaining troops — as well as women and mercenaries — into the mountain passes between Pliska and your home ground. Overconfidently failing to send scouts ahead, you entered the Varbica Pass on the shortest route home. You found the route barred by wooden walls as Krum’s troops watched you from above. You began to feel panic, saying, “Even if we have wings we cannot escape.” Soon, your retreat was also blocked, so you made camp, against the misgivings of your advisors. The Bulgar troops taunted you from above, banging their shields. Three days later, the Bulgars fell on you. Nicephorus was killed and beheaded. Krum had his skull lined with silver and used it as a drinking cup. Vocabulary: Which word above means: 1. looted, plundered 2. period of greatest power 3. bad feelings, worries 4. took power illegally 5. one which comes after 6. Islamic form of government 7. teased, mocked 8. creation of a word 9. minor comment added to a main point 10. blocked | 