As Ferdinand searches for a man to lead his first government, there seems to be only one possible candidate. With his appointment as Prime Minister, Stefan Stambolov begins a new era of Bulgarian history.

Major Characters in this Episode

Stefan Stambolov

Tsar Alexander III of Russia

Ferdinand Saxe-Coburg-Gotha

Princess Clémentine of Orléans

Otto Von Bismarck

Timeline for this Episode

• 1887, Sept 1st - Prince Ferdinand appoints Stefan Stambolov Prime Minister

• 1887, Sept 28th - 5th National Assembly elections won by Stefan Stambolov’s supporters. Voting turnout is 22%.

• 1887, October 15th - Opening of the 5th National Assembly.

• 1887, Nov 9th - Stefan Stambolov’s supporters, headed by Dimiter Petkov, threaten to take matters into their own hands concerning the exarch’s deputy Climent Tarnovski, who is unrecognized by the government, and remove him from Sofia.

• 1888 Feb 26th - A performance in honor of Ferdinand’s birthday scandalizes Bulgaria and Europe.

• 1888 April 2nd - Exarch Joseph I sends a letter to the Porte for the appointment of Bulgarian bishops in Macedonia. The Porte doesn’t respond.