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Writer's pictureEric D. Halsey

159 The Knife, the Gavel, and the Noose

An assassin comes for Stefan Stambolov, triggering a major political shakeup in Bulgaria as Prince Ferdinand begins the search for a bride in an attempt to begin a dynasty and stabilize the country.




Major Characters in this Episode

Stefan Stambolov

Tsar Alexander III of Russia

Ferdinand Saxe-Coburg-Gotha

Evlogi Georgiev

Otto Von Bismarck

Kaiser Wilhelm II

Hristo Belchev

Dimitur Tiufekchiev

Petko Karavelov

Dimitar Blagoev


Timeline for this Episode

  • 1890 Jan 21st - A plot in the capital garrison is uncovered. Major Kosta Panitsa plotted to kill the knyaz and the prime minister. The major is sentenced (May 17th) and executed (June 16th) with his sentencing approved by Stefan Stambolov.

  • 1890 Jan 24th - Law for the pensions of retired ministers.

  • 1890 Jan 25th - Law of inheritance goes into power.

  • 1890 Feb 27th - Pardon for the crimes of officials in the period of Aug 9th 1886 - Aug 2nd 1887

  • 1890 Mar 20th - Kaiser Wilhelm II dismisses Otto Von Bismarck

  • 1890 May 14th - Railroad line Yambol-Burgas is opened.

  • 1890 May 21st - Hristo Botev monument in Vratsa.

  • 1890 May-June - Russe session of the saint Synod concerning the violence the authorities exhibited towards the bishops.

  • 1890 June 18th - Note to The Gate for the appointing of 3 Bulgarian bishops in Macedonia (Skopje, Veles, Ochrid) and for the recognition of the knyaz, supported by Great Britain, Germany, and Austro-Hungary (Russia, Greece, Serbia and Patriarchy are against). Bulgaria stops paying the Rumelian tax and the loans for the railroad Russe-Varna. The Sultan fulfills the note on July 14th and publishes berats for Bulgarian bishops in Ohrid and Skopje, and allows the Exarchy to publish its own newspaper in Bulgarian in Tsarigrad.

  • 1890 Aug 27th - Elections for the 6th National Assembly, won by the ruling People’s Liberals party.

  • 1890 Oct 1st - The Saint Synod officially settles in Sofia. On Oct 15th the metropolitans are present at the opening of the parliament session and on the 27th are accepted audience with knyaz Ferdinand.

  • 1890 Oct 15th - Start of the 6th National Assembly. Chairman is Panayot Slavkov and Dimitar Petkov - People’s Liberals.

  • 1890 throughout the year -Opening of a national meteorological station. Customs Laws with Austro-Hungary, Germany, France, Switzerland.

  • 1891 March 15th - During an assignation attempt on Stefan Stambolov, the financial minister Hristo Belchev is murdered. After the political sentencing, 4 capital punishments are issued and Petko Karavelov is sentenced as an instigator and shut away in the Black Mosque.

  • 1891 April - Jacobson affair in which the government purchases the archive of the Russian consulate in Ruse.

  • 1891 Middle of the year - Order by the Great vizier Kyamil pasha for the local authorities to not intervene with the Bulgarians in Macedonia and Odrin switching from the Patriarchate to the Exarchate. 150 villages make the transfer by October.

  • 1891 July 20th - The Bulgarian Social Democratic Party is founded on Mount Buzludzha.

  • 1891 July 31st - First audience of Stefan Stambolov with Sultan Abdul Hamid II.

  • 1891 Nov 8th - The French journalist Gaston Chadurn is arrested and expelled in Serbia. In the following political scandal England and The Gate support the Bulgarian government. France breaks diplomatic relations with Bulgaria until 1892, Feb 1st.

  • 1891 Dec - Law for national education modeled after the Swiss system (Jivkov law). Basically, everything concerning education is regulated by the government, they are responsible for teachers’ salaries and so on.

  • 1891 throughout the year - The start of the insurance company Bulgariа. Eagles Bridge is finished. First intercity telephone line between Sofia and Plovdiv. Opening of the Botanical institute and founding of the National Geography institute.


The murdered Minister of Finance Hristo Belchev
The murdered Minister of Finance Hristo Belchev

The German Kaiser who dismissed Bismarck
The German Kaiser who dismissed Bismarck

The newly completed Eagle's Bridge
The newly completed Eagle's Bridge


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