In this edition, we present an essay on the history of the First Bulgarian Kingdom, a state" that existed on the Balkan Peninsula from the end of the 7th to the beginning of the 11th centuries, owned by the famous scientist Stephen Runciman. One of the first Slavic states owes its origin to the Turkic-speaking proto-Bulgarian tribes" who moved to the Balkans under the pressure of the Khazar Kaganate. Their mixing with the indigenous Slavic population led to the emergence of an ethnic group" for which the name "Bulgarians" was assigned. Throughout its history, the Bulgarians fought continuous wars with Byzantium, the Avar Khaganate and various Slavic tribes with varying success. The period of the highest prosperity of the First Bulgarian Kingdom is marked not only by territorial expansion and state power, but also by a high level of cultural achievements. It was here that Slavic writing was created and the foundations of Slavic literature were laid. A bright figurative language and a fascinating manner of narration allows us to recommend the book not only to historians, but also to a wide range of domestic readers.