1878.E2.80.931912 History_of_Bulgaria_(1878–1946)

1 1878–1912

1.1 personal union eastern rumelia
1.2 ferdinand
1.3 ilinden-preobrazhenie uprising

1878–1912

borders of bulgaria according treaty of san stefano of 3 march 1878 , subsequent treaty of berlin

the proposed treaty of san stefano of march 3, 1878 provided self-governing bulgarian state, comprised geographical regions of moesia, thrace , macedonia. fearing establishment of large russian client state on balkans, other great powers, britain , austro-hungary, not willing agree treaty. british concerned on safety of routes suez canal , india. dual monarchy austria-hungarian empire afraid establishment of large independent slavic state in balkans encourage other slavs living in austro-hungarian empire seek independent break away state. accordingly, both britain , austria-hungary sought treaty revised.

as result, treaty of berlin (1878), under supervision of otto von bismarck of germany , benjamin disraeli of britain, revised earlier treaty, , scaled proposed bulgarian state. autonomous principality of bulgaria created, between danube , stara planina range, seat @ old bulgarian capital of veliko turnovo, , including sofia. state under nominal ottoman sovereignty ruled prince elected congress of bulgarian notables meeting in turnovo bulgarian principality s constituent assembly on february 10, 1879 , approved powers. insisted prince not russian, in compromise prince alexander of battenberg, nephew of tsar alexander ii, chosen. autonomous ottoman province under name of eastern rumelia created south of stara planina range, whereas macedonia returned under sovereignty of sultan.

personal union eastern rumelia

balkan states around 1900.

the bulgarians adopted advanced democratic constitution, , power passed liberal party led stefan stambolov. prince alexander had conservative leanings, , @ first opposed stambolov s policies, 1885 had become sufficiently sympathetic new country change mind, , supported liberals. supported unification of bulgaria , eastern rumelia, brought coup in plovdiv in september 1885. powers did not intervene because of power struggles between them. shortly after, serbia declared war on bulgaria in hope of grabbing territory while bulgarians distracted. bulgarians defeated them @ slivnitsa , used momentum launch counterattack. serbian army pushed serbian territory, bulgaria forced halt advance after austro-hungarian empire threatened intervene on serbian side. unification accepted powers in form of personal union.

ferdinand

tsar ferdinand of bulgaria

these events made alexander popular in bulgaria, russia increasingly dissatisfied liberal tendencies. in august 1886 fomented coup, in course of alexander forced abdicate , exiled russia. stambolov, however, acted , participants in coup forced flee country. stambolov tried reinstate alexander, strong russian opposition forced prince abdicate again. in july 1887 bulgarians elected ferdinand of saxe-coburg-gotha new prince. ferdinand austrian candidate , russians refused recognize him despite friendship tsar alexander iii. ferdinand worked stambolov, 1894 relationship worsened. stambolov resigned , assassinated in july 1895. ferdinand decided restore relations russia, meant returning conservative policy.

there substantial bulgarian population still living under ottoman rule, particularly in macedonia. complicate matters, serbia , greece made claims on parts of macedonia. began balkan wars, five-sided struggle control of these areas lasted through world war (bulgaria during world war i). in 1903 there bulgarian insurrection in ottoman macedonia , war seemed likely. in 1908 ferdinand used struggles between great powers declare bulgaria independent kingdom, himself tsar, did on 5 october (though celebrated on 22 september, bulgaria remained officially on julian calendar until 1916) in st forty martyrs church in veliko tarnovo.

ilinden-preobrazhenie uprising

the main external political problem confronting bulgaria throughout period world war fate of macedonia , eastern thrace. @ end of 19th century internal macedonian-adrianople revolutionary organization founded , began preparation of armed uprising in regions still occupied ottoman turks. relying in part on nationwide support on part of principality of bulgaria, imaro got down organizing network of committees in macedonia , thrace. in august 1903 mass armed uprising, known in history ilinden-preobrajenie, broke out in macedonia , thrace. aim liberate regions, or @ least draw attention of great powers , make them advocate improvement of living conditions population through legal , economic reforms. after 3 months of fierce battles ottoman army crushed uprising using cruelty against civilian population.