Georgi Voiteh

Georgi Voiteh ( _bg. Георги Войтех) was a 11th century Bulgarian aristocrat from Skopje and the organizer of a major uprising against the Byzantine rule. He was from a Kavkhan family.

In 1071 Georgi Voiteh led the Bulgarian people discontent with the Byzantine rule who decided to rebel against the Byzantines. According to the Bulgarian tradition, only a descendant of the royal family could be crowned for Tsar. As Voiteh was not from the royal family, the conspirators turned to the Prince of Zeta Michael to send his son Constantine Bodin to become Tsar. Bodin originated from the Cometopuli dynasty on his mother's side.

In 1072 in Prizren Bodin was crowned as Tsar of Bulgaria under the name Peter III. The rebels took Skopje, the capital of the Thema of Bulgaria. Georgi Voiteh remained there as a commander and Bodin marched to Nis. The Emperor managed to seize the town but in the meantime Skopje was besieged by a large Byzantine army. Voiteh, who considered that he was unprepared to face a long siege or to receive help from Bodin started negotiations with the Byzantine general Michael Saronites and finally surrendered. After that, he repented for his cowardice and sent a secret message to Constantine Bodin in which he suggested that Bodin should strike at Skopje while the Byzantines were unprepared for such move. The Bulgarian Emperor headed to Skopje but was ambushed and defeated marking the end of the uprising.

Georgi Voiteh died during his transportation to Constantinople in the same year.

Sources

*„История на българската държава през средните векове. Том II. България под византийско владичество (1018—1187)“ - Vasil Zlatarski (I изд. София 1934; II фототипно изд., Наука и изкуство, София 1972, под ред. на Димитър Ангелов)