We will speak now about the lands of Yambol during the First Bulgarian Kingdom.
In seven hundred and eight during the reign of Khan Tervel, these lands became Bulgarian possession, but their history in fact had been full of dramatic changes. Because, that was exactly the place where the shortest road from the Bulgarian capitals Pliska and Preslav passed, across the passages of Balkan mountain and along the valley of Tundzha River. That was why Byzantines guarded them very well and did not give them up easily.

Yambol, located at the bend of Tundzha River, in terms of strategy was something as an internal position of the fortresses in the Balkan mountain passages. It had been built by the Byzantines not by accident – it was a strategic stronghold on the way to Adrianople and Constantinople.

Few people know today about the first years from the reign of Juvigi Khan Tervel. His name became famous for the first time in seven hundred and five in connection to the dramatic events in Byzantium. Then Emperor Justinian the Second started fights to re-gain his throne and was trembling with hope to return to Constantinople again.

Khan Tervel then decided to help the Emperor and led his army towards Constantinople. Without getting into any battle, his army stirred commotion among Romans just because they were before the city walls.  That was how Justinian managed to get back his power and to ascend to the throne again.

Out of gratitude the Emperor received the Khan with royal honors and gave to the Bulgarian state the area of Zagore which covered the lands of the present cities of Aytos, Sliven and Yambol. That was in fact the first expansion of the Bulgarian state to the south of Hemus Mountain.

Soon however, Justinian got frightened from the power of the Bulgarians and decided to change his mind. In the year seven hundred and eight he invaded our lands. Near Anchialo however, the Khan defeated the Greek army and did not want to stop after that battle. He continued the war and in seven hundred and sixteen the Bulgarian army was already outside the walls of Constantinople.  The Byzantines got scared and were in a hurry to sign peace treaty with us. That treaty contained several very important clauses. But the most important read that the territorial expansions of Bulgaria attained before, were legitimized. Thus, Zagore region, along with the territories of Diampol were adhered to Bulgaria for ever.

The history of Yambol in those times had been very interesting. Very often it became first - Bulgarian, then Greek, then vice versa. Sometime that happened every few months.
Later on Krum Juvigi Khan started expanding and strengthening the Bulgarian state. He subordinated many peoples and made Romans tremble just when his name was mentioned.

After consolidating his lands to the north and to the west, in eight hundred and nine he set off on a march to southwest and conquered Serdika. In response to that the Emperor launched a large-scale military campaign. He felt like destroying the Bulgarian state with a single blow. In the year eight hundred and eleven the army of Nikiphor crossed the passages of Hemus Mountain and conquered the capital of Pliska. Then Krum proposed him peace, but the overweening Byzantines burned the city. Soon after, they were punished for their arrogance. On their way back to Constantinople the Bulgarians surrounded them in the passage of Varbishki and completely destroyed them. The Emperor was killed as well. That happened on twenty sixth of July, eight hundred and eleven.

Events during that year prompted the Khan to take important decisions and to continue to the south. He conquered Thrace, this way depriving the Byzantines of the chance to organize quick marches towards Pliska. He also succeeded to seize strategic fortresses and the local Byzantine population in Thrace migrated to Bulgaria beyond the Danube. Then the Khan conquered also the fortress of Mesembria. The military actions continued also in eight hundred thirteen near Versinikia where Bulgarians and Romans clashed again. The latter were deeply regretting.

And then they inscribed this stone which was found later in the lands of Yambol.  They discovered it near Hambarlii village, which today we call Malomirovo. The inscription said:
Krum, Archon Juvigi rallied with his army against Adrianople and his brother did not forget him but he also rallied. And Gog gave him to devastate the following places and strongholds: Serdika,, Debelt, Constancia, Versinikia, Adrianople. These mighty fortresses he conquered. And to the other fortresses God gave fear and the Greeks abandoned them and ran to the lower land…
After the victory at Versinikia, the lands of Yambol remained for a long time in Bulgarian possession.