ɪnðə lˈæst jˈɪɹz ʌvðə twˈɛlfθ sˈɛntʃɚɹi, bˈɪzɐntˌiːn pˈaʊɚ wˈeɪnd, ænd ðɪ ɪmˈɜːdʒəns ʌvðə sˈɛkənd bʌlɡˈɛɹiən ˈɛmpaɪɚ kɹiːˈeɪɾᵻd ɐ nˈuː kəntˈɛndɚ fɚðə ɹˈiːdʒənz kəntɹˈoʊl.
In the last years of the 12th century, Byzantine power waned, and the emergence of the Second Bulgarian Empire created a new contender for the region's control.