Bulgarian_awakening Ottoman_Bulgaria

the millet system set of confessional communities in ottoman empire. referred separate legal courts pertaining personal law under religious communities allowed rule under own system. sultan regarded ecumenical patriarch of constantinople patriarchate leader of orthodox christian peoples of empire. after ottoman tanzimat (1839–76) reforms, nationalism arose in empire , term used legally protected religious minority groups, similar way other countries use word nation. new millets created in 1860 , 1870 uniate , orthodox bulgarian christian communities. in way separate bulgarian diocese established, based on ethnic identity rather principles of orthodoxy , territory.

armed resistance ottoman rule escalated in third quarter of 19th century , reached climax april uprising of 1876 covered part of ethnically bulgarian territories of empire. uprising, along strategic interests of russia on balkans, reason russo-turkish war of 1877-1878 ended establishment of independent bulgarian state in 1878, albeit far smaller bulgarians had hoped , proposed in treaty of san stefano of 1878.