Belaur

Belaur was a Bulgarian noble and despot of Vidin and brother of the Bulgarian Emperor Michael Shishman (1323–1330). The son of Shishman of Vidin, he was among the most elaborate Balkan diplomats of his time. Plamen Pavlov interprets Belaur's name as stemming from the Hungarian personal name Béla and the title ur ("prince"). It may also come from Balaur, a mythical dragon in Vlach/ Romanian culture, the dragon was supposedly also revered in Cuman culture, cf. Kipchak "uran, ewren". Vlach-Cuman cultural interactions are known through the Cuman origin of the Basarab dynasty and the Vlach identification of the Asenid dynasty, named after the founder of the dynasty, Bilgun Asen, who carries a Cuman name and title.