Ivailo was a Bulgarian tsar from 1278 to 1279. The Byzantines gave him a nickname, which meant cabbage and the Greeks called him lettuce. In the spring of 1277 Ivailo began a peasant uprising against Bulgarian nobility, which was unfit to defend the country from outside forces. In the summer of the same year Ivailo scored several victories against Mongol and Tatar forces, attacking Bulgaria. Later that year he completely annihilated the current tsar's army and slayed the tsar. He became tsar for a short time, but after a battle was presumed dead. Byzantine forces took advantage and entered the capital, but to the surprise of everyone Ivailo returned and defeated them. The wars, however, went on for too long and he lost support among the peasants. He went to seek help from Nogai Khan, where he was supposedly slain.