It’s been some years since I’ve studied Bulgarian history in school and even there, it was never a particularly favorite subject of mine. But still, there are some stories that one remembers long after the school test has passed. One such story is the one of the Bulgarian king Samuel. He ruled right before the time that shit hit the fan with Byzantium and we disappeared from the map for 300 years. Anyway, he was a mighty king who fought a lot of wars until he sent his army to fight the Byzantines in 1014. They lost and 14 000 soldiers were captured. The Byzantines proceeded to blind all of them (by bringing burning hot swords to their eyes). They left 1 out of a 100 soldiers with 1 eye, so that they could lead the army back to the king. When the blinded army returned to Bulgaria the king saw them and suffered a heart attack. He died shortly after and I have been traumatized ever since I learned about this in school.

There is a statue of king Samuel in the center of Sofia, which is relatively new. A lot of people made fun of it when it was first revealed because its eyes glow in the dark. I haven’t seen it in the dark yet, but his eyes do look very intense during the daylight too.
At least he has eyes… unlike his soldiers. Might as well show them off.
Ha-ha.
Too soon?
Come on, it was literally a thousand years ago.