Ivan Asen II (Ioan Asen II) (1218–1241), tsar of Bulgaria, was the son of Kaloyan, founder of the Second Bulgarian Empire. Under Ioan Asen's rule, the empire would become the dominant force in the Balkans.
After his father's death in 1207, Ioan's cousin Boril usurped the throne and forced him flee to the Russian principality of Galich-Volinia. With its support Ioan Asen returned to Bulgaria in 1218 to successfully overthrow his cousin and be crowned as tsar. He added Epirus, Macedonia and much of Albania and Serbia to his empire.
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