History of the village of Khan Krum

Khan Krum is a village in Preslav Municipality, Shumen District, Northeastern Bulgaria. As of 15.09.2022, there are 332 residents.

Until 1878, it was called Chatalar, until 1899 – Chatali. It was renamed to Tsar Krum by decree No. 519 of 30.11.1899 and to Khan Krum by decree No. 1125 of 02.08.1977, in the name of Krum, who ruled Bulgaria between 803 and 814. According to some historians, on the site of the village the Gothic episcopal cathedral of Ulphila was located. There are remains of churches from the 4th and 5th centuries.

The old Bulgarian palace of Omurtag, also known as the Aul of Omurtag, was discovered in the vicinity of the village. The palace is dated to the construction of Khan Omurtag (814-831) based on the Chatalar inscription.

According to some archaeologists, the capital of the Ostrogoths headed by Ulfila, or at least a large center of theirs, was located on the site of the village in the 4th century, as evidenced by the rich Gothic ornaments and other archaeological finds discovered here. Churches from the IV-V centuries have been excavated. It lies at a level along the terraces of the Kamchia (Ticha) and Vrana rivers.

According to some sources, before it was called Chatalar, it was called Chiflik, which is supposed to have originated around the 5000 decares homestead of Hasan Bey of Shumen. At first, three Bulgarian families came here as farm workers, they liked it and settled around the farm, and that's how the village began.

 

After the Liberation of Bulgaria in 1878, the village had 42 houses and was now called Chatalar. It gets its name because of its location on the main road Shumen - Preslav - Shumen - Osmar. It is believed that the Turkish name Çatalar - "forked, forked road" originates from there.

Later, after the discovery of the Omurtag inscription on the marble slab, which is located in the archaeological museum in Sofia with the name Chatalar inscription, in which the power of Khan Krum is glorified. In 1977, the village was renamed Khan Krum village.

L. Miletich found an old, indigenous population here. There has always been a Turkish population, but a small one. There are Bulgarians, immigrants from Osmar, Milanovo and Dragoevo, from Elensko and from Gerlovo, after the construction of the "Ticha" dam.

According to the last census of 2022, the population was 332 people.

Traditional for the village are the "Holy Spirit" holidays - Pentecost and Midsummer day.

Famous people from the village of Khan Krum are the writer Krum Velkov, the artist and sculptor Yordan Stoyanov, the athlete Angel Kanchev.

The Chatalar inscription is a medieval Greek inscribed text on a column in the village of Chatalar (modern Han Krum, North East Bulgaria) by the Bulgarian ruler Omurtag (815-831). It was unearthed in 1899 by the archaeologists Fyodor Uspensky, M. Popruzhenko, Vasil Zlatarski and Karel Škorpil.

Original text

ΚΑΝΑCYΒΙΓΙ ΩΜΟΡΤΑΓ ΙC ΤΙΝ ΓΙΝ ΟΠΟΥ ΕΓΕΝΙΘΙΝ ΕΚ ΘΕΟΥ ΑΡΧΟΝ ΕCΤΙ ΙC ΤΙC ΠΛCΚΣΑC ΤΟΝ ΚΑΝΠΟΝ ΜΕΝΟΝΤΑ ΕΠΥΗCΕ ΑΥΛΙΝ ΙC ΤΙΝ ΤΟΥΝΤΖΑΝ ΚΕ ΜΕΤΙΓΑΓΕΝ ΤΙΝ ΔΥΝΑΜΙΝ ΤΟΥ ΙC ΤΟΥΣ ΓΡΙΚΟΥC ΚΕ CΚΛΑΒΟΥC ΚΕ ΤΕΧΝΕΟC ΕΠΥΗΣΕ ΓΕΦΥΡΑΝ ΙΣ ΤΙΝ ΤΟΥΝΤΖΑΝ ΜΕ ΤΟ ΑΥΛΙΝ ΣΤΥΛΟΥΣ ΤΕΣΣΑΡΙC ΚΕ ΕΠΑΝΟ ΤΟΝ CΤΥΛΟΝ ΕCΤΙCΕ ΛΕΟΝΤΑC ΔΥΟ Ο θΕΟC ΑΞΙΟCΙ ΤΟΝ ΕΚ ΘΕΟΥ ΑΡΧΟΝΤΑ ΜΕ ΤΟΝ ΠΟΔΑ ΑΟΥΤΟΥ ΤΟΝ ΒΑΣΙΛΕΑ ΚΑΛΟΠΑΤΟΥΝΤΑ ΕΟC ΤΡΕΧΙ Η ΤΟΥΝΤΖΑ [–- ΚΕ ΕΟΣ ΤΟΥC ΠΟΛΛΟΥC ΒΟΥΛΓΑΡΙC ΕΠΕΧΟΥΝΤΑ ΤΟΥC ΕΧΘΡΟΥC ΑΥΤΟΥ ΥΠΟΤΑCΟΝΤΑ ΧΕΡΟΝΤΑ ΚΑΙ ΑΓΑΛΙΟΜΕΝΟC ΖΙCΙΝ ΕΤΙ ΕΚΑΤΟΝ ΙΤΟ ΔΕ ΚΕ Ο ΚΕΡΟC ΟΤΑΝ ΕΚΤΙΣΤΑΝ ΒΟΥΛΓΑΡΙCΤΙ CΙΓΟΡ ΕΛΕΜ ΚΕ ΓΡΙΚΙCΤΙ ΙΝΔΙΚΤΙΟΝΟC ΙΕ

Translation

Kanasubigi Omortag, in the land where he was born is lord (archon) by God. In the field of Pliska staying he made an aul(aulis) at [the river] Ticha (Kamchiya) and moved his forces against the Greeks (i.e. Byzantines) and the Slavs and skillfully erected a bridge at Ticha together with the camp [he put] four columns and above the columns he erected two lions. May God grant the Lord by God to trample with his foot the Emperor (Basileus) as long as Ticha flows... and over the many Bulgars to rule, to subjugate his enemies, to live in joy and happiness for a hundred years. The time when this was built was in Bulgar Shigor Elem and in Greek Indiction 15.

Copy of Chatalar Inscription in Pliska Museum

Source: Petko BeGestari