Miroslava of Bulgaria

Who is Miroslava of Bulgaria?

Miroslava was one of the daughters of tsar Samuil of Bulgaria and Kosara of Bulgaria. Princess Miroslava fell in love with the Byzantine noble captive Ashot Taronites, who was of Armenian origin, and threatened to commit suicide if she was not allowed to marry him. Samuel conceded and appointed Ashot governor of Dyrrhachium.

Later Ashot made contact with the local Byzantines and the influential John Chryselios, Samuel's father-in-law. Ashot and Miroslava boarded one of the Byzantine ships that were beleaguering the town and fled to Constantinople, where the Emperor Basil II granted Ashot the title of patrikios and Miroslava, the title of zoste patrikia.