Nicolas, count in Bulgaria

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comitopuli

Cometopuli dynasty

The Cometopuli dynasty (Bulgarian: Династия на комитопулите; Byzantine Greek: Κομητόπουλοι) was the last royal dynasty in the First Bulgarian Empire, ruling from ca. 976 until the fall of Bulgaria under Byzantine rule in 1018. The actual name of the dynasty is not known, “Cometopuli” is merely the nickname which is used by Byzantine historians to address rulers from the dynasty as its founder, boyar Nikola, was a comes (governor, cognate to "count"; Byzantine Greek Κóμης, from the Latin; Bulgarian Комита Komita) probably of the region of Sredetz (the present-day capital of Bulgaria, Sofia).

In view of his position and status, count Nikola is most likely to have been a member of the Slavonized Bulgar aristocracy and at least distantly related to the royal family of Tsar Peter I. According to other theories, the dynasty was of Slavic, or even Armenian[1][2] or Vlach origin. In 969 AD and following the Russian conquest of northwestern Bulgaria, count Nikola assumed control of the Bulgarian lands west of the Iskar. By the time of the Byzantine conquest of Preslav and the dethronement of Tsar Boris II in 972, Nikola had been killed and the rule assumed by his four sons, David, Aaron, Moses, and Samuil. David led the defence of southwestern Bulgaria and resided in Prespa, Moses of southeastern Bulgaria residing in Strumica, Aaron ruled over the region of Sredetz, whereas Samuel was in charge of northern Bulgaria with the town of Bdin (Vidin).

Both David and Moses lost their lives early – David was murdered by wandering Vlachs, whereas Moses died during the siege of Serres. A conflict broke out between Samuil and Aaron as the latter grew more and more pro-Byzantine and on June 14, 976 Aaron was executed near Dupnitza. Later the same year, the dethroned Boris II and his brother, Romanus, managed to escape from captivity in Constantinople and reached the borders of Bulgaria. Boris II was, however, killed by mistake by the border guards. As a result, it was Romanus who was crowned as Bulgarian Tsar although real power and the control of the army lay in the hands of Samuel. It was not until the death of Roman in 997 that Samuel officially was crowned as Tsar in the absence of any other direct heirs to the throne.

After the death of Samuel in 1014, the crown passed on to his son, Gavril Radomir (1014 – 1015). In 1015, he was murdered by his first cousin and son of Aaron, Ivan Vladislav. With his own death in 1018 the First Bulgarian Empire came to an end. An attempt at restoration of Bulgarian independence was made some 20 years later by Peter (II) Delyan (1040-1041), son of Gavril Radomir. He, aided by his cousin Alusian of Bulgaria organised an uprising and managed to push away the Byzantines from Ochrid for a short period, but was eventually betrayed by Alusian. Alusian's heirs were given noble titles and land in the Byzantine Empire.

Nikola the Comes was a father of counts David and Samuel. His son Samuel ruled as emperor of the First Bulgarian Empire from 997 to 1014.

I have searched and been unable to find ANYTHING documenting ANYONE in this line from here back. There are no profile notes, no references, sources or anything to indicate real people or accurate connections.

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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cometopuli_dynasty

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Bulgarian boyar from the time of Tsar Peter I (927-969), commune governing the province in the southwestern part of the Bulgarian tsarism

https://pl.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Komitopuli

Political history of the dynasty

The first known representative of the family was Nikola, the administrator (Bulgarian Kommit , hence committeopuli - "sons of the comit") of Macedonia on behalf of the Bulgarian tsar. His four sons (Dawid, Mojżesz, Aron and Samuel in the face of the collapse of the Bulgarian state in the clash with Byzantium in 971 formed a new Bulgarian power center in the western part of the state (in today's Northern Macedonia ), resisting Byzantium's efforts to include these territories. Initially Roman , the last of the representatives of the Krum dynasty , became the tsar of the state created in this way, but the actual power was exercised from the very beginning by one of the brothers, Samuel Radzieopul (of the others, two died in fighting, the last, Aron, posing a threat to Samuel's position, was ordered) the latter murdered with his family.) When Roman in 991 got into Byzantine captivity, and then died in it in 997 Samuel crowned himself Tsar of Bulgaria.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nicholas_(komes)_

According to the Armenian chronicler Stephen of Taron, the family originated in the Armenian region of Derdjan.[1][2] He was married to Ripsime or Hripsime, possibly (NOT) a daughter of King Ashot II of Armenia .[3][4][5] The couple had four sons, David, Moses, Aron, and Samuel, who are collectively known as the Cometopuli (from Greek Kometopouloi, "sons of the komes"; Armenian կոմսաձագ Komsajagk)

Никола Мокри (цар Шишман I, ок.895-968), военачалник (бърсяшки комит) по времето на цар Петър I, обявен за цар на Западното Българско царство (963-968).

Никола Мокри е влиятелен български болярин от времето на цар Петър I (927-969), комит (управител) на област в югозападната част на българското царство и баща на цар Самуил. Известие за него дава византийският хронист Йоан Скилица, който представя Самуил и братята му Давид, Мойсей и Арон като синове на “един от велемощните комити” (комитопули). Оскъдността на сведенията от историческите извори не дава възможност да се твърди дали Никола взима пряко участие в събитията от 969-971 г., когато източната част на българската държава е завладяна първо от русите на княз Светослав, а после от византийците начело с Йоан Цимисхий. През следващите няколко години синовете на Никола се издигат начело на свободните югозападни предели и през 976 г. повеждат мащабна война срещу Византия (вж. Въстание на комитопулите).

В историческите изследвания за този период от историята на България се поставят няколко въпроса относно бащата на Самуил. Един от тях е коя област е управлявал Никола. Част от учените предполагат, че това е областта около Средец, а други сочат района около Охридското и Преспанските езера. Оспорван е и произходът на Никола и синовете му. Едно от твърденията е, че те произлизат от славянското племе берзити (бърсяци), населявало днешна Македония. Други хипотези сочат арменски или прабългарски корени на комитопулите. Пряко свидетелство за българското самосъзнание, което имат потомците на Никола, е Битолският надпис, в който неговият внук, цар Иван Владислав, се определя сам като "българин по род". Някои историци допускат родствена връзка между комита и владетелите от Преслав.