During the 10th century the Bulgarians established a form of national identity, that despite far from modern nationalism, helped them to survive as a distinct entity through history. The inscription confirms that Tsar Samuel and his successors considered their state Bulgarian. The stone plate reveals, the Cometopuli also had incipient Bulgarian ethnic consciousness. The proclamation announced the first use of the Slavic title "samodŭrzhets", that means "autocrat". The name of the city of Bitola, is mentioned for the first time in the inscription. The Bitola inscription is a constructional one – it announces the reconstruction of a fortress. The text contains valuable information about the genealogy of the ruler Ivan. It becomes clear from it, that this ruler was the grandson of Nicholas and Ripsimia and the son of Aaron, Samuel's brother. The inscription also mentions the victory of the Bulgarians over the Byzantine emperor Basil II at the Trayanovi Vrata pass in 986, and the defeat of Samuel in the battle near the village of Klyuch in 1014.