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Season 7: Independence
Finally free from the Ottomans, Bulgaria fights to find its way in the world as great power politics, radical ideas, and wars shape and reshape the young country.
168 Muslims in Late 19th Century Bulgaria
In this special episode finishing off season 7, we cover the unique challenges faced by Bulgaria's Muslim population following the 1878-9...
Eric D. Halsey
Sep 6, 20221 min read
209 views
0 comments
167 Looking Back on Independence, Part 2
This episode covers the second half of Season 7, roughly from 1886 until 1895. In that time, Stefan Stambolov ran Bulgaria with near...
Eric D. Halsey
Aug 30, 20221 min read
122 views
0 comments
166 Looking Back on Independence, Part 1
This episode covers the first half of Season 7, roughly 1879 until 1886. In that time, Bulgaria drafted its first constitution, found...
Eric D. Halsey
Aug 23, 20221 min read
199 views
0 comments
165 The End of an Era
Stambolov's long predicted assassination finally occurs. Meanwhile, Ferdinand wonders whether the price asked of him for reconciliation...
Eric D. Halsey
Jul 31, 20221 min read
249 views
0 comments
164 Revolutionary Deja Vu
As the Stoilov government decides to support them, Macedonian revolutionaries attempt to resolve their differences and form a united...
Eric D. Halsey
Jul 31, 20222 min read
176 views
0 comments
163 A Changing of the Guard
As Bulgaria enters a new post-Stambolov age, we examine his legacy and see just what Prince Ferdinand and the new Prime Minister Stoilov...
Eric D. Halsey
Jun 29, 20222 min read
176 views
0 comments
162 An Heir and the Fall of Stambolov
Bulgaria sees fundamental shifts as the long reign of Stefan Stambolov comes to an end, a son and heir to the throne is born, and a new...
Eric D. Halsey
Jun 27, 20222 min read
173 views
0 comments
161 To Chicago and Back
This episode covers the journey of Aleko Konstantinov to the Grand Columbian Exhibition, giving a glimpse into life, travel, and how...
Eric D. Halsey
May 31, 20222 min read
159 views
0 comments
160 Murders and Wedding Bells
As Bulgaria experiences yet more assassinations, and Stambolov's power looks more uncertain despite diplomatic victories, the pressure on...
Eric D. Halsey
Apr 27, 20222 min read
240 views
0 comments
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...
Eric D. Halsey
Apr 26, 20223 min read
131 views
0 comments
158 A Royal Ruckus and the Panitsa Plot
Both Serbia and Austria-Hungary face dramatic changes in their royal families as Russia continues its campaign to overthrow and replace...
Eric D. Halsey
Mar 30, 20221 min read
151 views
0 comments
157 Rebels and Railways
As Ferdinand and Stambolov settle into their roles running the country, their opponents foreign and domestic continue to try and take...
Eric D. Halsey
Mar 27, 20222 min read
143 views
0 comments
156 The Stambolovshtina Begins
As Ferdinand searches for a man to lead his first government, there seems to be only one possible candidate. With his appointment as...
Eric D. Halsey
Feb 28, 20221 min read
195 views
1 comment
155 Coronation
Ferdinand has finally accepted and Bulgaria finally has a monarch once again. But that doesn't mean his becoming Prince of Bulgaria will...
Eric D. Halsey
Feb 27, 20221 min read
137 views
0 comments
154 Ferdinand Saxe-Coburg-Gotha
Bulgaria's newly elected Grand National Assembly scours Europe for a suitable monarch while the great powers find themselves on the brink...
Eric D. Halsey
Jan 30, 20222 min read
210 views
0 comments
153 "Friendly Advice"
In the aftermath of Stambolov's counter-coup, the new regency tries to repair relations with Russia. However, Tsar Alexander III has his...
Eric D. Halsey
Jan 29, 20222 min read
171 views
0 comments
152 The Fall of Alexander Battenberg
Despite his military and political victories, nothing seems enough to save Alexander Battenberg from his bad relationship with the Tsar...
Eric D. Halsey
Dec 28, 20212 min read
211 views
0 comments
151 The Serbo-Bulgarian War, Part 2
After turning back the initial Serbian attack, Bulgarian forces enter Serbia. But while the Bulgarian army is advancing in the field,...
Eric D. Halsey
Dec 27, 20212 min read
357 views
0 comments
150 The Serbo-Bulgarian War, Part 1
The Serbian declaration of war came as a shock to Bulgaria, who now has to rush its soldiers from the Ottoman border to meet the...
Eric D. Halsey
Nov 29, 20211 min read
413 views
0 comments
149 Unification
As Bulgarian unification with Eastern Rumelia rushes ahead, forcing politicians and royals alike to quickly adapt, Bulgaria waits to see...
Eric D. Halsey
Nov 29, 20212 min read
208 views
0 comments
148 Some Kind of Normalcy
After years of chaos, some level of stability finally comes to Bulgarian politics. However, while this allows the government in Sofia to...
Eric D. Halsey
Oct 30, 20213 min read
177 views
0 comments
147 A punch in the nose
Now that every possible faction in Bulgaria's chaotic political system has angered every other faction, it seems only two things can now...
Eric D. Halsey
Oct 26, 20212 min read
221 views
0 comments
146 Burned Bridges Everywhere
Now that Prince Alexander's coup has in theory given him everything he wanted, the question of what he can do with his new power remains....
Eric D. Halsey
Sep 27, 20213 min read
173 views
0 comments
145 The Bomb and the Coup
As a far-off assassination rocks Bulgaria, Prince Alexander finally sees an opening to achieve his aims to govern as he wishes. However,...
Eric D. Halsey
Sep 25, 20214 min read
194 views
0 comments
144 The Liberals Get Their Chance
As the Liberal Party finally get the chance to govern, it quickly makes enemies at home and abroad. Political fights get ugly and...
Eric D. Halsey
Aug 31, 20213 min read
395 views
0 comments
143 Politics at its best and worst
As Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia each face the many problems associated with their new independence, they take very different approaches....
Eric D. Halsey
Aug 30, 20213 min read
227 views
0 comments
142 An Inauspicious Start
In this episode, we dive into the first Bulgarian political factions and the complex political environment into which the young Prince...
Eric D. Halsey
Jul 26, 20212 min read
215 views
0 comments
141 A Constitution and a Prince
In this episode, Bulgaria's Constituent Assembly begins the work of agreeing on a Constitution and finding a foreign prince. As this...
Eric D. Halsey
Jul 23, 20211 min read
308 views
0 comments
140: Hope and Despair
Even as the ink on the Treaty of Berlin is drying, Bulgarians are up in arms about its provisions. Soon, new uprisings are planned,...
Eric D. Halsey
Jun 21, 20213 min read
310 views
0 comments
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