Charter of Kaliman Asen

A charter attributed to a child. Kaliman Asen was the son of Ivan Asen II and Anna-Maria of Hungary, born around 1234; he was seven when he inherited the throne in 1241 and twelve when he died in 1246. Power through those five years lay with a regency whose composition is unknown.

That is what makes the document interesting and what makes it doubtful. Whatever was issued in Kaliman's name was not issued by him, and the charter is one of the few traces of a government that governed without a governing ruler.

Akropolites, the only source for his death, first calls it natural and then adds the rumour that he was poisoned. His name appears in the Synodikon of Tsar Boril as Калиманоу благовѣрномоу цароу.