As the political fallout from the failed revolutions of 1848 reverberates throughout Europe, its impact finally reached Bulgaria as refugees flood the region around Vidin and help trigger an uprising there. Meanwhile, the cracks in the Concert of Europe are finally beginning to show as France, Britain, and Russia all push hard to see their own interests upheld within the Ottoman Empire. As conflict looms, what will become of the conservative order that's fought to uphold the Ottoman status quo against Bulgarian fights for independence?

Major Characters in this Episode

Sultan Abdulmejid I

Tsar Nicholas I

Emperor Napoleon III

Nikola Srundak

Kosta Chavka

Tsonov Vlasotinitsa

Puyo Voivoda

Stefan Bogoridi

Ali Riza Pasha

Vasil Levski

Petko Slaveikov

Timeline for this Episode

• Spring 1849, Several uprisings break out in north-western Serbia but are put down with Ottoman and Serbian help.

• August 22nd, hundreds of participants of the failed Hungarian, Italian, and Polish revolutions entered the Ottoman Empire looking for asylum.

• 1849, the Ottomans agreed to allow the Bulgarians to build a church in Constantinople.

• End of the year 1849, under the leadership of Nikola Srundak, Kosta Chavka, and Tsonov Vlasotinitsa they began work for a new rebellion in Vidin.

• 1850, British diplomatic pressure got the Porte to recognize a Protestant millet,

• 1850, construction begins on the first Bulgarian high school in Gabrovo, it was inspired by Vasil Aprilov and is called the Aprilovsti high school today.

• 1850, Vidin rebellion

• November 1850, new trade laws based on the Napoleonic code are passed to modernize the trading system in Bulgarian lands

• November 1850, A Russian traveller named Andrey Moravyov gets Ilarion Makiriopolsky out of exile and back in Constantinople

• 1850, my wife’s high school in Dupnitsa was founded along with schools in Plovdiv, Silista, Koprivchitsa, and many other places.

• 1852, more Bulgarian towns like Lovech and Vratsa begin choosing Bulgarians as church leaders

• 1852, Vasil Levski begins training as a monk at the Hilendarski Monastery

• 1852, Petko Slaveikov publishes a literary collection

• Feb 25th 1853, The Pazardhik notables wrote a plea to the Russian consulate in Adianople asking for help against the Greek religious officials.

• 1853-1856 Crimean War