Tsar

Tsar (Bulgarian ???, Russian ????, {{Audio|ru-tsar.ogg|listen}}; often spelled Czar or Tzar and sometimes Csar or Zar in English), was the title used for the autocratic rulers of the First and Second Bulgarian Empires since 913, in Serbia in the middle of the 14th century, and in Russia from 1547 to 1917 (although this usage is only technically correct until 1721).

History of usage

The title tsar was first adopted and used in Bulgaria by Simeon I following a decisive victory over the Byzantine Empire in 913. It was also used by all of Simeon I's successors until the fall of Bulgaria under Ottoman rule in 1396. After Bulgaria's liberation from the Ottomans in 1878, its new monarchs adopted the title tsar again and used it between 1908 and 1946.

Related Topics:
Bulgaria - Simeon I - Byzantine Empire - 913 - Bulgaria - Ottoman - 1396 - 1878 - 1908 - 1946

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In 1547, Ivan IV of Russia changed his title from "Veliki Kniaz (Grand Duke) of the whole Rus" to "tsar of the whole Rus" as a symbol of change in the nature of the Russian state. In 1721 Peter I adopted the title Emperor (????????? ), by which he and his heirs were recognised, and which came to be used interchangeably with Tsar.

Related Topics:
1547 - Ivan IV - Russia - Veliki Kniaz - 1721 - Peter I - Emperor

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The title "Tsar" was also used by Serbian rulers in the middle of the 14th century.

Related Topics:
Serbian - Rulers - 14th century

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Often the word tsar is translated as emperor and vice versa. The Slavic languages often used tsar for other emperors; for example, the title of the Japanese emperor was translated as "tsar of Japan". However, in 1721, Tsar Peter the Great of Russia took the additional title of Imperator (Emperor), which, at least officially, superseded the older title of Tsar, which was henceforth formally used only for peripheral parts of the Empire.

Related Topics:
Slavic languages - Japanese emperor - 1721 - Peter the Great - Imperator

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The word "tsar" is sometimes informally applied to earlier Russian and Bulgarian rulers which were not formally crowned as tsars.

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The domain or rule of a tsar is sometimes referred to as a tsardom.

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Rulers that were called tsars may be found in the following lists.

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• List of Bulgarian monarchs
• List of Serbian monarchs
• List of Russian rulers