Provisional Russian Rule

The Treaty of Berlin terminated the Provisional Russian Rule and a central state government was established in Sofia which was chosen as a capital city. On 16th April 1879 was adopted the Constitution of Turnovo which enacted: “The Bulgarian Principality shall be a monarchy, hereditary and constitutional, with popular representation”. Following the recommendation of the Russian Emperor the Grand National Assembly elected the German Prince Alexander of Battenberg as the Prince of Bulgaria. On 5th July 1879 Todor Bourmov was named the first Prime Minister of the Third Bulgarian Kingdom by virtue of a decree issued by the Prince Holidays Bulgaria.

In the following years the political life in Bulgaria was dominated by the newly formed two parties: Liberals and Conservatives. The clash between them was added to the diplomatic difficulties that the Prince had with Russia. In the conditions of unceasing internal struggle for power, a coup d’etat, government overthrows and a temporary regime of “emergency powers” went the rule of Alexander of Battenberg until the fall of 1885…

Unification at last

On 6th September 1885, following an intense popular agitation and unrest against the Sultan in many urban and rural areas, Eastern Roumelia proclaimed its union with Bulgaria. The armed Bulgarian detachments entered Plovdiv. Two days later Alexander I approved the Unification by means of a manifesto and became the Prince of the united Bulgarian Kingdom. That was a great historical event which turned Bulgaria into one of the biggest and powerful states on the Balkans. The Sublime Porte, the Russian emperor Alexander III, as well as Berlin, Paris, Rome and Vienna, renounced the Unification as a violation of the Treaty of Berlin. London waited to see which way the cat jumps…

Provisional Russian Rule

The Treaty of Berlin terminated the Provisional Russian Rule and a central state government was established in Sofia which was chosen as a capital city. On 16th April 1879 was adopted the Constitution of Turnovo which enacted: “The Bulgarian Principality shall be a monarchy, hereditary and constitutional, with popular representation”. Following the recommendation of the Russian Emperor the Grand National Assembly elected the German Prince Alexander of Battenberg as the Prince of Bulgaria. On 5th July 1879 Todor Bourmov was named the first Prime Minister of the Third Bulgarian Kingdom by virtue of a decree issued by the Prince Holidays Bulgaria.

In the following years the political life in Bulgaria was dominated by the newly formed two parties: Liberals and Conservatives. The clash between them was added to the diplomatic difficulties that the Prince had with Russia. In the conditions of unceasing internal struggle for power, a coup d’etat, government overthrows and a temporary regime of “emergency powers” went the rule of Alexander of Battenberg until the fall of 1885…

Unification at last

On 6th September 1885, following an intense popular agitation and unrest against the Sultan in many urban and rural areas, Eastern Roumelia proclaimed its union with Bulgaria. The armed Bulgarian detachments entered Plovdiv. Two days later Alexander I approved the Unification by means of a manifesto and became the Prince of the united Bulgarian Kingdom. That was a great historical event which turned Bulgaria into one of the biggest and powerful states on the Balkans. The Sublime Porte, the Russian emperor Alexander III, as well as Berlin, Paris, Rome and Vienna, renounced the Unification as a violation of the Treaty of Berlin. London waited to see which way the cat jumps…

Between Russia and the Ottoman Empire

On 3rd March 1878 a preliminary peace treaty was signed between Russia and the Ottoman Empire in the Constantinople suburb of San Stefano. But the Western Great Powers – and most of all the United Kingdom and Austro-Hungary – were concerned that a big Slav state in the middle of the Balkan Peninsula would become an important fulcrum of the Russian influence. That is why the Congress of Ber-lin held in the summer of 1878 disrupted the territorial integrity of the newly created state to satisfy self-interested political ambitions. So Thrace – which was given the name Eastern Roumelia – was left in subordination to the Sublime Porte. Macedonia remained under Turkish power Holidays Bulgaria. Indigenous Bulgarian lands were included in the boundaries of Serbia and Romania. Thus Bulgaria was ruptured into five pieces. In fact, the Congress of Berlin set the charge of irreconcilable national and territorial contradictions in the relations between the young Balkan states…

The Third Bulgarian Kingdom Between Two Fateful Treaties and Through Two National Catastrophes: 1878-1919

The Liberation

Alarmed by the increasing prestige of Russia – as demonstrated by the eventual establishment of a Greater Bulgaria obedient to the will of the Tsar – the Western Powers convened the Congress of Berlin (July 1878) which revised the treaty of San Stefano. Its chairman, the German Chancellor Otto von Bismark, roared: “Gentlemen, we have gathered here to ensure the European peace and not the happiness of the Bulgarians!” Well, that far with the Bulgarian happiness… Northern Bulgaria, or the Bulgarian Principality, became a vassal state dependent on the Sultan and was to be governed by an elected prince. Macedonia and Lower Thrace were tached from the hew kingdom, thus depriving it

of a valuable outlet to the Aegean, and under the name Eastern Roumelia, with a governor designated by the Sublime Porte, would depend politically and militarily on Turkey.

Failure of April Uprising

There were different reasons for the failure of the April Uprising. Some historians emphasize the weakness of the Bulgarian national bourgeoisie which was not capable of leading the national liberation movement. Others stress on the numerical and military superiority of the Turkish troops. But in a broad historical perspective the April Uprising should not be regarded as a failure. The “Bulgarian Question” was becoming a tough international problem. At that point of time the long-lasting endeavor of official Russia to do away with the Turkish presence in Europe, to expand the Russian influence in the Balkans and to lay its hands on the Straits objectively coincided with the liberation struggle of the Bulgarians.

The West European diplomacy also sprang to action. At the turn of 1876 the Constantinople diplomatic conference was held. It was attended by representatives of Russia, Great Britain, Austria-Hungary Holidays Bulgaria, Germany, France, Italy and Turkey. Now the last attempt at a peaceful settlement of the “Bulgarian Question” was the London Protocol – signed at the end of March 1877 by the diplomatic representatives of the six Great Powers in the English capital. But even then the Sublime Porte repudiated the demands for reform actions in the European area of the Empire. There was no more room or time for hesitation on the part of the Russian emperor Alexander II. On 22nd April 1877 he issued an imperial manifesto declaring the beginning of the War of Liberation…

A costly freedom

From June to the fall of1877 the Russian troops gradually unfolded their successful military operations divided into three columns. Along with the Russians fought thousands of Bulgarian volunteers. In the war against Turkey participated also other countries like Romania and Finland. After a series

of sieges the talented Russian General Totleben crushed the resistance of the surrounded Turkish garrison at Pleven and at the end of November 1877 it surrendered. General Gourko defeated the strong army of Suleiman Pasha positioned in South Bulgaria. Soon Sofia also fell. In a few months the

Turks were driven out if Plovdiv and the Rhodopes. As the road to Constantinople was already open the Sublime Porte pleaded for peace…

Freedom or death

“Freedom or death!”

In 1869 Levski founded the first revolutionary committees and thereby laid the foundations of the Internal Revolutionary Organization. In three years he built the organizational structure of the resistance creating hundreds of committees more in urban and rural areas. By 1872 the Bulgarians already lived with the thought of the forthcoming insurrection. Levski had established himself as a veritable leader for which was rightfully called the Apostle of Freedom. Then the conspiracy was betrayed, many people were put under arrest. In December 1872 the Apostle himself was detained and brought before the Turkish court where he behaved with dignity. Levski was hung on 19th February 1873 in the outskirts of Sofia.

A time of profound crisis followed in the entire revolutionary organization. In order to escape from the Turks most revolutionaries had to flee to Wallachia. But then in August 1875 a Grand Meeting was held in Bucharest which decided that an immediate uprising should be declared. This time Botev – with the extraordinary power of an ideologist and a revolutionary leader – articulated his views of a fraternal union of the Balkan nations. One of the most energetic leaders in the Committee was Stefan Stambolov (1854-1895). Under the chairmanship of Stambolov the participants decided that a general uprising was to be prepared by the spring of 1876 Holidays Bulgaria. The Bulgarians would fight until the uprising developed into an All-European matter and the Great Powers intervened…

General meeting of committee

And so, between 14th and 16lh of April 1876, a general meeting of committee representatives was held in the forest of Oborishte, an area not far from the town of Panagyurishte. However, due to betrayal, the uprising commenced prematurely: on 20th of April instead of 1st of May. The rebels from the villages between the Rhodopes and the Balkan Range were ready to accomplish the holiest sacrifice… But the Turkish garrisons were already roused. The insurgent settlements were targeted by columns of regular army soldiers and hordes of bashibazouks. A British military instructor participated in the crushing of the uprising. What followed during the next days was a bloody massacre. The Turks initiated inhuman atrocities. Two weeks later Botev and his 200 adherents crossed the Danube on

board the Austrian ship Radetzki, headed south to create another centre of the struggle, but after unequal battle his men were dispersed and he was shot to death in the head…

The struggle which turned into a National Revolution

The end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th century were marked by a decline in the political and economical life in the Ottoman Empire. The successive wars with Russia from 1786 to 1829 led to providing the Tsar’s right of patronizing the Balkan Christians. Despite the aggressive intentions of Russia to lay its hands on the Straits – the Bosporus and the Dardanelles – and gain access to the Aegean Sea, the wars played a positive role for the development of the Bulgarian and the other Balkan national liberation movements. Now the Eastern Question was already regarded in two aspects: the struggle of the peoples enslaved by Turkey for political emancipation and the rivalry among the Great powers for partition of the territorial inheritance coming from the declining Ottoman Empire.

During the first half of the 19th century some Bulgarian refugees left their homeland to form communities in Wallachia, Bessarabia and Southern Russia, and took part in the Russian-Turkish wars. Bulgarian volunteers fought actively in the two successive Serbian uprisings initiated in 1804. Bulgar-ians participated also in the Greek national revolution of 1821-1829. In the 50’s, during the Crimean war, the young Bulgarian revolutionary George Rakovski (1821-1867) – considered as the founder of the organized national liberation movement Holidays Bulgaria – set up a Secret Society in Constantinople whose task was to urge the Bulgarian people to rise in an armed struggle in the course of the military action.

Serbian government

With permission from the Serbian government and with the help of Italian secret societies Rakovski organized the training of a regiment in Belgrade known as the First Bulgarian Legion. Among its soldiers was Vasil Levski (1837-1873) – the future great revolutionary. In 1862 this Legion took part in a clash with the Turks but after a turn in the political relations between Serbia and the Supreme Porte was disbanded. Bitterly disappointed. Rakovski came to believe that liberation should be gained by employing Bulgaria’s own national forces. Later, after the utter defeat of the biggest detachment led by Hadji Dimitar and Stefan Karadja which crossed the Danube to fight the Turks in the summer of 1868, was closed the last page of the detachment tactics’ period of the national liberation movement. The unsuccessful Second Bulgarian Legion formed in the same year proved that too. A new stage in the struggle commenced: an Internal Revolutionary Organization was set up in 1869 under the leadership of the newly established Bulgarian Revolutionary Central Committee. Ahead of this committee stood Liuben Karavelov (1837— 1879), Levski and Hristo Botev (1848-1876).

Many young Bulgarians continued

Many young Bulgarians continued their education in renowned European universities or in the capital cities of neighboring Balkan states. In 1869 a Bulgarian Literary society was set up in Braila, Romania, and later it developed into the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. The educational processes in Bulgaria went on and the Bulgarian intellectuals helped the people share the cultural achievements of Europe but in the conditions of keen rivalry among the Great powers within the framework of what came

to be known as the Eastern Question. France had its Catholic missions in European Turkey which exerted the most powerful impact in this respect. The Bulgarian educational cause was also promoted and supported by the British and American Protestant missions in the Bulgarian lands. But the struggle for national liberation was impeded from developing by yet another obstacle: the Bulgarian Church actually did not exist as an independent institution and Greek clergy occupied almost all high positions in the ecclesiastic hierarchy Tours Bulgaria.

Bulgarian Church

When an independent Greek state was established in 1830 the assimilating efforts of the Greek bishops became visible quite clearly. This led to the well-known Easter action of the Bulgarian parish in Constantinople of 3rJ April 1860. On that day Ilarion Makariopolski declared solemnly, in the Bulgarian Church, the separation of the Bulgarian Christians from the Constantinople Patriarchate. Some time later, on 28lh February 1870 was established a Bulgarian Church, independent of the Greek Patriarchate at Constantinople and, according to the decree of the Sultan, was recognized the separateness of the Bulgarian nation. A year later the Exarchate Charter of the Bulgarian Church was adopted, and in February 1872 the eminent metropolitan of Vidin Antim I was elected as the first Bulgarian Exarch. Finally, the Bulgarian nation was recognized by the Turkish Government as an independent ethnic community within the limits of the Ottoman Empire.

Many young Bulgarians continued

Many young Bulgarians continued their education in renowned European universities or in the capital cities of neighboring Balkan states. In 1869 a Bulgarian Literary society was set up in Braila, Romania, and later it developed into the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. The educational processes in Bulgaria went on and the Bulgarian intellectuals helped the people share the cultural achievements of Europe but in the conditions of keen rivalry among the Great powers within the framework of what came

to be known as the Eastern Question. France had its Catholic missions in European Turkey which exerted the most powerful impact in this respect. The Bulgarian educational cause was also promoted and supported by the British and American Protestant missions in the Bulgarian lands. But the struggle for national liberation was impeded from developing by yet another obstacle: the Bulgarian Church actually did not exist as an independent institution and Greek clergy occupied almost all high positions in the ecclesiastic hierarchy Tours Bulgaria.

Bulgarian Church

When an independent Greek state was established in 1830 the assimilating efforts of the Greek bishops became visible quite clearly. This led to the well-known Easter action of the Bulgarian parish in Constantinople of 3rJ April 1860. On that day Ilarion Makariopolski declared solemnly, in the Bulgarian Church, the separation of the Bulgarian Christians from the Constantinople Patriarchate. Some time later, on 28lh February 1870 was established a Bulgarian Church, independent of the Greek Patriarchate at Constantinople and, according to the decree of the Sultan, was recognized the separateness of the Bulgarian nation. A year later the Exarchate Charter of the Bulgarian Church was adopted, and in February 1872 the eminent metropolitan of Vidin Antim I was elected as the first Bulgarian Exarch. Finally, the Bulgarian nation was recognized by the Turkish Government as an independent ethnic community within the limits of the Ottoman Empire.

The awakening

In the 18th century the rest of Europe was already on the threshold of the modern world. Bulgaria, unfortunately, did not have the opportunity to develop those first intimations of the Renaissance that can be seen in certain art or literary works of the 14lh century. Political enslavement was aggravated by religious oppression: the Bulgarian Patriarchate was abolished and the Bulgarian Church brought under authority of the Greek Patriarchate.

Moreover, the national consolidation had to take place in the absence of a Bulgarian State — which could have facilitated the process with its organizations.

That is why the Bulgarians and the other Balkan Christians under Turkish domination sought to overthrow the Ottoman bondage and establish their own national states.

Mount Athos

In 1762 the monk Paisiy of the monastery on Mount Athos wrote his Slav-Bulgarian History and in the following decades many copies of the manuscript started circulating to achieve wide distribution of the patriotic and anti-Greek ideas of its author. The work was first printed in 1844. From 1835 onwards began to be established outside the monasteries schools teaching in the Bulgarian language. In all larger towns sprang up “reading rooms” which made a powerful contribution to the development of national consciousness and to the diffusion of the national culture. Meanwhile, the 18th century was marked by a decay of the Turkish military and feudal system. Gradually, the Bulgarian lands became a Field for the economic activities of many foreigners and this implied even closer economic links with the Western states Tours Bulgaria. The rapid economic development created the material prerequisites for the rise of the Bulgarian national liberation movement.

So the remarkable work of the monk of Mount Athos served its historical purpose: to become the first national program for political and spiritual emancipation of the Bulgarians. In 1806 he created a collection of festive precepts called A Sabbath Book and this was the first Bulgarian printed book. The idea that a modern Bulgarian school should be set up was first conceived by Petar Beron who acquired his thorough college education in Heidelberg and Munich. In 1824 was published his famous Fish Primer regarded by historians as the actual beginning of the new Bulgarian education. The struggle for the establishment of the popular Bulgarian idiom as the language of education, divine service and literature continued. In 1844 the first Bulgarian magazine Lyuboslovie w’as published by Konstantin Fotinov in Smyrna (present-day Izmir in Asia Minor) and two years later, in Leipzig, Ivan Bogorov leafed through the pages of the first Bulgarian newspaper Bulgarski orel (Bulgarian Eagle).

The awakening

In the 18th century the rest of Europe was already on the threshold of the modern world. Bulgaria, unfortunately, did not have the opportunity to develop those first intimations of the Renaissance that can be seen in certain art or literary works of the 14lh century. Political enslavement was aggravated by religious oppression: the Bulgarian Patriarchate was abolished and the Bulgarian Church brought under authority of the Greek Patriarchate.

Moreover, the national consolidation had to take place in the absence of a Bulgarian State — which could have facilitated the process with its organizations.

That is why the Bulgarians and the other Balkan Christians under Turkish domination sought to overthrow the Ottoman bondage and establish their own national states.

Mount Athos

In 1762 the monk Paisiy of the monastery on Mount Athos wrote his Slav-Bulgarian History and in the following decades many copies of the manuscript started circulating to achieve wide distribution of the patriotic and anti-Greek ideas of its author. The work was first printed in 1844. From 1835 onwards began to be established outside the monasteries schools teaching in the Bulgarian language. In all larger towns sprang up “reading rooms” which made a powerful contribution to the development of national consciousness and to the diffusion of the national culture. Meanwhile, the 18th century was marked by a decay of the Turkish military and feudal system. Gradually, the Bulgarian lands became a Field for the economic activities of many foreigners and this implied even closer economic links with the Western states Tours Bulgaria. The rapid economic development created the material prerequisites for the rise of the Bulgarian national liberation movement.

So the remarkable work of the monk of Mount Athos served its historical purpose: to become the first national program for political and spiritual emancipation of the Bulgarians. In 1806 he created a collection of festive precepts called A Sabbath Book and this was the first Bulgarian printed book. The idea that a modern Bulgarian school should be set up was first conceived by Petar Beron who acquired his thorough college education in Heidelberg and Munich. In 1824 was published his famous Fish Primer regarded by historians as the actual beginning of the new Bulgarian education. The struggle for the establishment of the popular Bulgarian idiom as the language of education, divine service and literature continued. In 1844 the first Bulgarian magazine Lyuboslovie w’as published by Konstantin Fotinov in Smyrna (present-day Izmir in Asia Minor) and two years later, in Leipzig, Ivan Bogorov leafed through the pages of the first Bulgarian newspaper Bulgarski orel (Bulgarian Eagle).