Nominalia of the Bulgarian khans

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The Nominalia of the Bulgarian khans (Bulgarian: Именник на българските ханове) is a short manuscript containing the names of some early Bulgarian rulers, their clans, the year of their ascending to the throne and the length of their rule, including the times of joint rule and civil war.

The Nominalia was found by the Russian scholar Alexander Popov, during his research on Russian chronographers. So far, three Russian copies of the document have been found. The earliest of them, the "Uvarov transcript"[1], dates from the 15th century and the other two, the Pogodin and Moscow transcripts, from the 16th century. There are certain differences in the names' spellings in the manuscripts. However, in none of them is the Central Asian title khan mentioned. Only Asparuh (the creator the of Danube Bulgaria) and his five predecessors are assigned a title, and that is the Slavonic title knyaz.

[edit] The "Uvarov transcript" text

Авитохолъ житъ лет. ~т. род ему Дуло. а лет ему диломъ твирем. Ирник. житъ лет. ~(ри). род ему Дуло. а лет ему дилом твeримь. Гостунъ наместникь сьï два лета. род ему. Ерми. а лет ему дохсъ. втиремь. Курт: 60 лет дръжа. род ему Дуло. а лет ему шегоръ вечемь. Безмеръ ~г. лет. а род ему Дуло. а лет ему шегоръ вемь. сii ~е княз. дръжаше княженïе обону страну Дуная. летъ. ~ф. ~(еi). остриженами главами. И потом прiиде на страну Дунаа. Исперих княз тожде и доселе. Есперих княз. 61 лет. род Дуло. а лет ему верени алем. Тервен. -к~а. лето. род ему Дуло. а лет ему текучитем. твирем. ~(ки). лет. род ему Дуло. а род ему дваншехтем. Севаръ. ~(еl). лет. род ему Дуло. а лет ему тохалтом. Кормисошь. ~(зi). лет. род ему Вокиль. а лет ему шегоръ твиремь. Сiи же княз измени род Дулов. рекше Вихтунь. Винех. ~з. лет. а род ему Оукиль. а летъ ему имаше Горалемь. Телець. ~г. лета. род Оугаинь. а лет ему соморъ. алтемь. И сïй иного рад. Оуморъ. ~м. днïи. род ему Оукиль а ему дилом тоутом.

[edit] Translation

Avitohol lived 300 years. His clan was Dulo and his year (of ascending to the throne) Serpent, the 4th (dilom, tvirem).
Irnik lived 150 years. His clan Dulo and his year Serpent, the 4th (dilom, tverim).
Gostun, the regent, 2 years. His clan Ermi and his year, Boar, the 4th (dokhs, tvirem).
Kurt ruled 60 years. His clan Dulo and his year Ox, the 5th (shegor, vechem).
Bezmer 3 years and his clan Dulo and his year Ox, the 5th (shegor, vem (vechem)).

These five princes ruled the kingdom over the other side of the Danube for 515 years with shaven heads and after that came to this side of the Danube Asparuh knyaz and until now (rules).

Asparuh knyaz 61 years (ruled). His clan Dulo and his year Dragon, the 1st (vereni, alem).
Tervel 21 years. His clan Dulo and his year Horse, the 4th (tekuchitem, tvirem).
Sevar 15 years. His clan Dulo and his year Pheasant, the 12th (toh, altom).
Kormisosh 17 years. His clan Vokil and his year Ox, the 4th (shegor, tvirem).
Vinekh 7 years. His clan Ukil. And his year Ox, the 1st ((imen)shegor, alem).
Telets 3 years. His clan Ugain and his year Rodent, the 12th (somor, altem).
Umor (ruled) 40 days. His clan Ukil and his year Serpent, the 2nd (dilom, tutom).

The words in brackets are in Bulgar language as given in the original manuscript and represent the year of ascending to the throne of each ruler according to the Bulgar calendar.^[1] Their translation given in the above text is uncertain.