The long waves of penetration of the Slavs towards the end of the 7th century AD resulted in an entirely different situation - Macedonia acquired new inhabitants and became a Slav territory. The Sclavinia was their first form of social organization and structure. Then they fell under the Byzantine and Bulgarian empires. Following the fall of the Bulgarian Empire and the decline of the Byzantine Empire, Samuil, a skilled military leader and statesman, established the first Macedonian state (976-1018). Samuil's Empire comprised the whole of Macedonia, Thessaly, Epirus, Albania and the former coastal Sclaviniae of Duklja, Travunja, Zahumlje and the Neretva region, and also Serbia (t.e. Rashka) and a considerable part of Bulgaria. In this large empire, the most numerous subjects were the Macedonian Slavs, the Slavs in Greece and Peloponnesus, and only then Bulgarians, followed by Serbs, Croats and finally Romaioi (Byzantines), Albanians and Vlachs.

Heading this conglomeration of people was Tsar Samuil, who was crowned by the Roman Pope, because Samuil was in a constant conflict with the Byzantine Empire, and the crown of the Bulgarian rules was in Constantinople. This crowning gave an international character and recognition to Samuil's Empire. The attribute "Bulgarian" is explained by the practice of the Roman Pope to give a title to the crown which was identified with the territory of an already recognized empire, and Samuil's Empire extended over the territory of the Bulgarian Empire which has collapsed.

Remains of the church on the island St. Achilles in the Lake Mala Prespa (approximately 986) - the first seat of the medieval church in Macedonia, where Samoil was proclaimed an emperor.

The Samoil Fortress in Ohrid today.

Samuil had a crown, secretaries and bureaucracy; there was an emperor's office issuing documents. The official language in Samuil's Empire was Slavonic, although as a diplomatic language of the court Greek was also used. The Archbishopric of Ohrid was established at the time of Samuil, and Ohrid became the religious centre and the capital of the Empire.

The tombstone erected by Czar Samoil in 993 in memory of his parents Nicolas and Ripsimia and his brother David, Cyrillic script, found in the village of  German (Prespa District).

The miniature "After the Siege of Salonica, the army of Czar Samoil assassinated  its mayor Gregorios Taronitos," The Chronicle of Yovan Skilitza - Yovan Kedrin, 12th -13th century (The National Library - Madrid).

"The Death of Czar Samoil" - a miniature of the Chronicle of Manasses, 13th - 14th century. After the battle at Belasitsa in 1014, the army led by the emperor Vasilius defeated Samoil's army and 14.000 Samoil's soldiers were captured, blinded (every hundredth soldier was left with one eye) and sent to Czar Samoil, who had experienced a heart attack after the tragic scenery in Prilep. Soon after that he died in Prespa (October 6, 1014).

A historical map of Samoil's medieval empire during the greatest territorial expansion on the Balkan Peninsula in 996.

Following the final subjugation of Samuil's state in 1018, the Byzantine Empire dealt fiercely with the Macedonian population, particularly those living in the towns: they were banished and aliens were brought in their place. The Byzantine Empire also placed the Archbishopric of Ohrid under the jurisdiction of the Patriarchstate of Constantinople, and the Greek hierarchs started suppressing Slavonic written documents, Slav hagiographies, etc. It was considered thta with the eradication of the Archbishopric of Ohrid the traditions cherished by the Macedonian people would also be eradicated.

Yet Slavonic literacy could not be eradicated. The extraordinary work of the educators Cyril and Methodius had a firm basis. As well as reating the first Slavonic alphabet (Glagolitic), translating the basis religious service books from the Greek into the language spoken by the Macedonian Slavs in the surroundings of Salonika and establishing Old Slavonic literature, Cyril and Methodius also expanded their activity among other Slavs.

The historical chart of the Ohrid autocephalous Patriarchate (Archbishopric) jurisdiction in the reign of Tsar Samoil and after his death (until 1020)

Clement and Naum continued the mission of the Salonika brothers. In Ohrid, during his activity of 20 years, Clement instructed about 3,500 teachers and priests in the Slavonic alphabet and introduced the Slavonic language in religious service. He was the first original Slav and Macedonian writer. The Ohrid Literary School, being the first Slav university, has left deep traces and has been the basis for Macedonian cultural identity.

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