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Writer's pictureEric D. Halsey

172 A Violent Start to a Violent Century

The world's wealthiest Bulgarian dies, triggering a wave of controversy over the fate of his fortune. Meanwhile, violence over the 10% tithe continues to rack the country while the balance of power between the Macedonian organizations is upended once again.


Major Characters in this Episode

Ferdinand Saxe-Coburg-Gotha

Evlogi Georgiev

Ivan Gueshov

Todor Ivanchov

Konstantin Stoilov

Colonel Ivan Tsonchev

Boris Serafov Gotse Delchev

General Racho Petrov


Timeline for this Episode

  • 1900 Jan 15th - Voting on the Law of the natural 10th on grain production, despite mass protests (going on since August) and general negative reception.

  • 1900 Feb 9th - Political amnesty for those crimes during the People’s party’s governing.

  • 1900 March 5th - Agricultural rally in Varna in opposition of the natural 10th grows into an armed rebellion. On the 22nd of March the Central Steering Committee publishes a manifesto for fighting against the 10th.

  • 1900 April 14th - Armed protest against the natural 10th in Тръстеник, Ruse. Quelled by the army on the 19th. Marshal law is instituted in the Ruse, Svishtov, Tarnovo, Gornooryahovo, and Razgrad regions.

  • 1900 May 23rd-June 1st - Rebellion against the natural 10th in Durankulak, Balchik. Marshal law is instituted in the Shumen and Varna regions, as well as some municipalities. On June 9th, the first rule book for conduct during Marshal law is published. Marshal law is lifted on Oct 7th.

  • 1900 July 22nd - Assassination of Stefan Mihaileanu. A huge crisis breaks out, threatening the beginning of war.

  • 1900 July 30th-Aug 5th - Seventh congress of the Macedonian brotherhoods in Sofia (9 delegates). Unification of the Supreme Committee, Macedonian Committee, and the companies Strandzha into a Supreme Macedonian-Odrin committee with Boris Serafov as chairman.

  • 1900 Summer - Russian scientific expedition in Macedonia confirms the Bulgarian character of the Macedonian people.

  • 1900 Oct - Organisational tour of Gotse Delchev in Macedonia after finishing one of Thrace in the Spring.

  • 1900, Fall, A Macedonian play is banned by the government in Sofia

  • 1900 Nov 1st - First hydroelectric power plant in Bulgaria opens. It supplies 600 Sofia street lamps with power.

  • 1900 Nov 27th - The government of the liberal party is reconstructed as non-partisan.

  • 1900 Dec - a second congress of the Agrarian party is held, reiterating that the party was largely designed as a kind of lobbying organization and that it wishes for Ferdinand’s power to be limited and the 10% tax removed.

  • 1900 Throughout the year - First Bulgarian opera is staged in Kazanlak.

  • First 3 agricultural credit unions.

  • Founding of the first units of the Armenian social-democratic party, founded in Geneva in 1887.

  • First Bulgarian banknotes with silver coating are put into circulation.

  • Rulebook for the troops of БМОРК.

  • 1901 Jan 1st - First electric tram in Sofia begins operating.


Members of the Supreme Committee during this time with Serafov centered
Members of the Supreme Committee during this time with Serafov centered

Ivan Garvanov, founder of the Bulgarian Secret Revolutionary Brotherhood
Ivan Garvanov, founder of the Bulgarian Secret Revolutionary Brotherhood


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