Bulgaria experiences its most free election in decades, the Agrarians finally get what they've been demanding, and the Macedonian organizations are engulfed in chaos, resulting in one of the most infamous kidnappings of the early 20th century.

Major Characters in this Episode

Ferdinand Saxe-Coburg-Gotha

General Racho Petrov

Petko Karavelov

Ivan Garvanov

Colonel Ivan Tsonchev

Boris Serafov Gotse Delchev

Yane Sandanski

Ellen Stone

Timeline for this Episode

• 1901 Jan 9th - Non-partisan interim cabinet headed by general Racho Petrov.

• 1901 Jan - Ferdinand refuses to attend the funeral of Queen Victoria over London’s refusal to allow him to attend as Prince of Bulgaria instead of merely as a member of the Coburg family. (Constant 203-5)

• 1901 Jan 24th - With information from Milan Mihailov, the Turkish authorities arrest the Central Committee of the MRO in Salonica (Salonica affair) and uncover the secret network in several districts. Ivan Garvanov steps in as the new leader oft the MRO.

• 1901 Jan 28th - Elections for the 11th General Assembly without a clear winner. So-called colourful cabinet. Voters activity is 43,5%.

• 1901 Feb 19th - First Bulgarian coalition government of the minority from the Democratic and Progressive Liberal party, headed by Petko Karavelov. Governs with parliament support from the People’s party and БЗНС.

• 1901 Feb 22nd - The 11th General Assembly convenes.

• 1901 March 24th - By government order, arrests of the members of the Supreme Macedonian-Odrin committee start.

• 1901 Apr 4-7th - 8th extraordinary congress of the Macedonian emigrant society - 123 delegates.

• 1901 Apr 28th - Amnesty for crimes against the natural 10th law and the law on print.

• 1901 Apr - The first ever for the country antisemitic pogrom happens in Kyustendil.

• 1901 May 12th - By suggestion of Naycho Tsanov, a parliament survey on the Liberals’ (1899-1900) rule is held. ends with the first state court.

• 1901 May 17th - New law on administrative partition, the number of states goes down to 12, districts - to 71.

• 1901 June 2nd - The natural 10th is officially cancelled.

• 1901 June 3rd - Members of Yane Sandanski and Hristo Chernopeev’s detachments kidnap the Protestant missionary Ellen Stone and the pregnant Katerina Tsilka and hold them for a ransom of $100 000. On the 1st of February the ransom of 104kg of gold is paid to Yane Sandanski and on the 23rd the captives are released near Strumitsa.