Konstantin Tih is the ruler represented at Boyana Church. He and Irina have a different role from Kaloyan and Desislava: one pair rules, the other supports the church. Scholars interpret the crowns and robes through Byzantine court expressions of authority. That reading does not reveal the sitters’ private relationships. Ruled Bulgaria in the thirteenth century. Is portrayed beside Tsaritsa Irina. The portrait displays royal insignia and ceremonial clothing. Distinguishing ruler from donor helps read the mural without confusing its figures.
Where you meet Konstantin Tih
Aleksander Dragnes · CC BY 2.0 · Wikimedia Commons
History of Bulgaria
