SOFIA, April 19 (Xinhua) -- The relics of Bulgaria's legendary Tzar Kaloyan were anointed with chrism and wine and given a grand reburial Thursday in the country's ancient capital of Veliko Tarnovo in central Bulgaria.

    The ceremony took place according to the protocol of a state funeral in the crypt of the regional historical museum. Kaloyan's bones were moved into a special coffin, made of rustproof, nickel-plated steel, with the tzar's personal coat of arms, local media reports said.

    Bulgaria's President Georgi Parvanov and Culture Minister Stefan Danailov attended the funeral.

    Tzar Kaloyan, also known as Ioanitsa by some Western historians, was the brother of tzars Assen and Petar, who restored the Bulgarian state. Kaloyan ascended the throne after his brothers died in 1197.

    Kaloyan became head of state and commander-in-chief of Bulgaria. He fought wars against Byzantium, Hungary and Serbia and managed to return the Thracia, Macedonia, Transylvania and Moraviato the state of Bulgaria. He was declared emperor by the Pope's messenger Cardinal Leo in 1204.

    The next year he managed to capture Emperor Baldwin of Flanders and jailed him in the legendary Baldwin Tower in the Tsarevets Fortress.

    Kaloyan was killed by his head commander Manaster in 1207.