Peter Deljan, moving south from Hungarian border, was acclaimed tsar of Bulgaria

Summary:
The resourceful and shifty Peter Deljan (whose name Psellos takes as Dolianos ["treacherous"]) escaped his master in Constantinople and wandered through Bulgaria (or Serbia and Croatia according to Skylitzes Continuatus). Knowing that an illustrious family background was considered a prerequisite to rule, he claimed in Morabos & Belgrade a kinship with the former Bulgarian king Samuel (either as his nephew by Tsar Aaron, according to Zonaras, or as his grandson by Radomir and the daughter of the Hungarian kral, according to Skylitzes). He was successful in this, and the Bulgarians, discontented by the tyrannical taxation of Ioannes the orphanotrophos, hailed him as tsar and sole ruler of their nation, following him in revolt against Byzantium. They marched through Naissus and Skopje, acclaiming him and killing any Roman they happened to meet 
Dates:
1040 
Ioannes the Orphanotrophos, brother of Michael IV (Ioannes 68)
  • His greedines caused the rebellion of the Serbs, also known as Croatians, who rose in rebellion and proclaimed Deljan (Petros 102) their basileus τὴν ἀπληστίαν μὴ φέρον τοῦ ὀρφανοτρόφου Skylitzes Continuatus 162.25-163.1
Petros (Peter) Deljan, Bulgarian rebel (Petros 102)
  • Escaped from his master at Constantinople (Anonymus 171), wandered through Bulgaria, and reached Morabos and Belgrade claiming that he was a son of Romanos (Radomir 101, son of Samuel 103), born to the daughter of the kral of Hungary (Anonyma 115) (:) Skylitzes 409.89-95
  • Stirred up the Bulgarian nation who believed his claims (that he was a grandson of Samuel 103) proclaiming him emperor of Bulgaria, and marching through Naissus and Skopje acclaiming him and killing any Roman they came across (:) Skylitzes 409.2-410.8
  • Was proclaimed basileus in Bulgaria by the Serbs, also known as Croatians, who rose in rebellion because they could no longer bear the greediness of the Orphanotrophos (Ioannes 68) (:) Skylitzes Continuatus 162.24-163.1
  • Called himself son of Tsar Aaron, who was brother of Samuel, who ruled the nation (:) υἱὸν ἑαυτὸν ἐπιφημίσας Zonaras 17.17.3
  • After running away from Byzantium, so it is said, and persuading the (Bulgarian) nation that he was son of Aaron (2 PBE), born to him by a concubine, but not from a legitimate marriage, he was chosen as emperor over the barbarians (:) ἐξ ἡμιγάμου γενόμενος, ἀλλ᾿ οὐκ ἐξ ἐννόμου εὐνῆς, εἰς βασιλέα τοῖς βαρβάροις ᾑρέθη Zonaras 17.17.3
  • Persuaded the (Bulgarian) nation that he was son of Tsar Aaron, born to him by a concubine, but not from a legitimate marraige ἐξ ἡμιγάμου γενόμενος, ἀλλ᾿ οὐκ ἐξ ἐννόμου εὐνῆς Zonaras 17.17.3
  • He stirred the Bulgarians up to the folly of revolt (:) τὸ δὲ κινῆσαν τούτους πρὸς τὴν τοιαύτην ἀπόνοιαν Psellos: Chronographia IV 40.1
  • He seemed to the Bulgarians to be a wonder sprung from their race; his family did not merit so much as a mention, but he was mentally resourceful and most skilled in acting villainously towards his compatriots τέρας τι, ὡς ἐκείνοις ἐδόκει, τοῦ γένους αὐτῶν ἀποφύεται· ἀνὴρ τὸ μὲν γένος οὐδ’ ὅσον ἀξιοῦσθαι μνήμης, ποικίλος δὲ τὴν γνώμην καὶ καταπανουργεύσασθαι τοὺς ὁμοφύλους δεινότατος Psellos: Chronographia IV 40.2-5
  • His name was Dolianos [= treacherous]; Michael 61 does not know whether he inherited this name from his father or bestowed it on himself Δολιάνος τὸ ὄνομα, οὐκ οἶδα εἴτε πατρόθεν τῆς τοιαύτης προσηγορίας κληρονομήσας εἴθ’ ἑαυτῷ τὴν κλῆσιν ἐπιφημίσας Psellos: Chronographia IV 40.5-7
  • The Bulgarians attempted to return to their former arrogance; for a time they showed no open rebellion, but when he appeared they assumed in a body a hostile attitude (:) ἀθρόον εἰς ἀντίπαλον ἑαυτοῖς μοῖραν κατεστήσατο Psellos: Chronographia IV 39.7-11
  • Knowing that the whole (Bulgarian) nation planned to revolt from the Romans but lacking a leader to guide them had got no further than planning, he first of all called himself noteworthy, intelligent in planning and suited for conducting war (:) ἀξιολογώτατον ἑαυτὸν ἀποδείκνυσι καὶ πρὸς μὲν βουλὴν συνετώτατον, πρὸς δὲ πολεμικὴν πρᾶξιν ἐπιτηδειότατον Psellos: Chronographia IV 40.7-12
  • When he had won the Bulgarians over and only lacked an illustrious background to win the leadership, and knowing that they entrust such to those of royal descent, he traced himself back to Samuel and Aaron who had ruled shortly before (:) τὰς ἐκείνων εἰλήφει γνώμας, ... εἰς τὸν Σαμουὴλ ... ἑαυτὸν ἀναφέρει Psellos: Chronographia IV 40.12-19
  • He did not ascribe to himself legitimate descent from the royal line but feigned or demonstrated that he was a collateral from their root, persuading them (the Bulgarians) cleverly; they raised him on a shield and entrusted the realm to him (:) οὐχι γνησίους γονὰς τῆς βασιλείου ὀσφύος προσμαρτυρήσας ἑαυτῷ, ἀλλ’ οἷον παραβλάστημα τῆς ἐκεῖθεν ῥιζης ἢ πλάσας ἢ ἀποδείξας Psellos: Chronographia IV 40.19-22
  • 1043 summary: he raised a revolt in Bulgaria, speaking of freedom and fanning a spark into a blaze, with the whole people on his side, beginning an invasion of Byzantium; he was defeated by superhuman efforts of the dying Michael 4 (:) Psellos Orationes panegyricae II, 340-354