Bulgarian Legion
Encyclopedia
The Bulgarian Legion was the name of two military bands formed by Bulgaria
n volunteers and revolutionary workers in the Serbia
n capital of Belgrade
in the second part of the 19th century. Their ultimate goal was the liberation of the Bulgarian people
from Ottoman rule through coordinated actions with the neighbouring Balkan
countries.
in agreement with the Serbian government. At the time Montenegro
was at war with the Ottoman empire and Serbia itself was planning to join the conflict. According to the initial plan, in case of war between Serbia and the Ottoman Empire
, the Legion would cross the border and enter the Bulgarian lands, where it would instigate an uprising among the population.
In order to sustain direct contact with the Serbian government, the so-called Provisional Bulgarian Command was established on the initiative of Rakovski. His Plan for the Liberation of Bulgaria inspired Bulgarians and some six hundred young people responded to his appeal to create the Legion, many of them emigrants and refugees in Romania
. Among them were Vasil Levski
, Stefan Karadzha
, Vasil Drumev, Dimitar Obshti
, Matey Preobrazhenski
and other figures that later came into national prominence.
The support of the Legion was taken care of by the Serbian government. The members had to go through some military training so as to be able to participate in the future uprising and in the expected conflict between Serbia and the Ottoman empire. According to Trotsky, when the Turkish forces entered Belgrade
, the Bulgarian legion distinguished itself in the fighting. However the conflict ended swiftly and the subsequent Constantinople Conference
decided that not all Ottoman troops should withdraw from Serbia. Due to pressure from the Ottoman Empire the Serbian authorities requested the Legion to be disbanded As a result on 21 September 1862 the participants were expelled from Belgrade.
This time the expenditures were paid by Russia
, the volunteers being trained by Serbian officers. The surviving rebels from the bands of Panayot Hitov
and Filip Totyu
joined the Legion, as well as young people from Bulgarian and the Bulgarian diaspora
in Romania.
However, since the expected war between the two countries never broke out due to the Ottoman authorities' engagement with the suppression of the Great Cretan Uprising and reluctance to further complicate its relations with Serbia. Meanwhile the government of Jovan Ristić
, which opted for reconciliation with the Ottomans, came into office in Serbia. The Second Bulgarian Legion became redundant to the Serbians as a result of this. It was disbanded in April 1868 despite the opposition of the Russian diplomats, its members being expelled from Serbia.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n volunteers and revolutionary workers in the Serbia
Serbia
Serbia , officially the Republic of Serbia , is a landlocked country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeast Europe, covering the southern part of the Carpathian basin and the central part of the Balkans...
n capital of Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
in the second part of the 19th century. Their ultimate goal was the liberation of the Bulgarian people
Liberation of Bulgaria
In Bulgarian historiography, the term Liberation of Bulgaria is used to denote the events of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78 that led to the re-establishment of Bulgarian state with the Treaty of San Stefano of March 3, 1878, after the complete conquest of the Second Bulgarian Empire, which...
from Ottoman rule through coordinated actions with the neighbouring Balkan
Balkans
The Balkans is a geopolitical and cultural region of southeastern Europe...
countries.
First Bulgarian Legion
The First Bulgarian Legion (Първа българска легия) was established in 1862 by Georgi Sava RakovskiGeorgi Sava Rakovski
Georgi Stoykov Rakovski , known also Georgi Sava Rakovski , born Sabi Stoykov Popovich , was a 19th-century Bulgarian revolutionary and writer and an important figure of the Bulgarian National Revival and resistance against Ottoman rule.- Early life:Born in Kotel to a wealthy and patriotic...
in agreement with the Serbian government. At the time Montenegro
Montenegro
Montenegro Montenegrin: Crna Gora Црна Гора , meaning "Black Mountain") is a country located in Southeastern Europe. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea to the south-west and is bordered by Croatia to the west, Bosnia and Herzegovina to the northwest, Serbia to the northeast and Albania to the...
was at war with the Ottoman empire and Serbia itself was planning to join the conflict. According to the initial plan, in case of war between Serbia and the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
, the Legion would cross the border and enter the Bulgarian lands, where it would instigate an uprising among the population.
In order to sustain direct contact with the Serbian government, the so-called Provisional Bulgarian Command was established on the initiative of Rakovski. His Plan for the Liberation of Bulgaria inspired Bulgarians and some six hundred young people responded to his appeal to create the Legion, many of them emigrants and refugees in Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
. Among them were Vasil Levski
Vasil Levski
Vasil Levski, born Vasil Ivanov Kunchev, , is a Bulgarian revolutionary and a national hero of Bulgaria. Dubbed the Apostle of Freedom, Levski ideologised and strategised a revolutionary movement to liberate Bulgaria from Ottoman rule...
, Stefan Karadzha
Stefan Karadzha
Stefan Karadzha , was a Bulgarian national hero, a revolutionary from the national liberation movement and a prominent leader of rebellion against the Ottoman Empire....
, Vasil Drumev, Dimitar Obshti
Dimitar Obshti
Dimitar Obshti was a 19th-century Bulgarian revolutionary, who fought for the liberation of Bulgaria, Serbia and Crete from the Ottoman Empire but also for the Risorgimento of Italy.Obshti was born around 1835 in Đakovica, Kosovo, Ottoman Empire...
, Matey Preobrazhenski
Matey Preobrazhenski
Father Matey Preobrazhenski was the clerical name of Mono Petrov Seizmonov , nicknamed Mitkaloto , Ochmatey or Ochkata, a Bulgarian Orthodox priest, revolutionary, enlightener and a close friend of Vasil Levski.Father Matey was born in the village of Novo Selo near Veliko Tarnovo in 1828; his two...
and other figures that later came into national prominence.
The support of the Legion was taken care of by the Serbian government. The members had to go through some military training so as to be able to participate in the future uprising and in the expected conflict between Serbia and the Ottoman empire. According to Trotsky, when the Turkish forces entered Belgrade
Belgrade
Belgrade is the capital and largest city of Serbia. It is located at the confluence of the Sava and Danube rivers, where the Pannonian Plain meets the Balkans. According to official results of Census 2011, the city has a population of 1,639,121. It is one of the 15 largest cities in Europe...
, the Bulgarian legion distinguished itself in the fighting. However the conflict ended swiftly and the subsequent Constantinople Conference
Constantinople Conference
The 1876–1877 Constantinople Conference of the Great Powers was held in Constantinople from 23 December 1876 until 20 January 1877...
decided that not all Ottoman troops should withdraw from Serbia. Due to pressure from the Ottoman Empire the Serbian authorities requested the Legion to be disbanded As a result on 21 September 1862 the participants were expelled from Belgrade.
Second Bulgarian Legion
The Second Bulgarian Legion (Втора българска легия) was founded in 1867, as relations between Serbia and the Ottoman Empire once again worsened and the Serbian authorities began preparing for war. This was used by the Band of Virtues (Добродетелна дружина), who concluded an agreement with Serbia to establish a Bulgarian military school in Belgrade to instruct military leaders for a future uprising in Bulgaria.This time the expenditures were paid by Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
, the volunteers being trained by Serbian officers. The surviving rebels from the bands of Panayot Hitov
Panayot Hitov
Panayot Ivanov Hitov was a Bulgarian hajduk, national revolutionary and band leader .Born in 1830 in Sliven, he became a hajduk in Georgi Trankin's band in 1858. Two years later, after the death of Trankin, Hitov succeeded him as voivode of the band, which became one of the most active in...
and Filip Totyu
Filip Totyu
Todor Todorov Topalov , better known under the pseudonym Filip Totyu , was a Bulgarian revolutionary of the Bulgarian National Revival period and the voivode of an armed band of volunteers....
joined the Legion, as well as young people from Bulgarian and the Bulgarian diaspora
Diaspora
A diaspora is "the movement, migration, or scattering of people away from an established or ancestral homeland" or "people dispersed by whatever cause to more than one location", or "people settled far from their ancestral homelands".The word has come to refer to historical mass-dispersions of...
in Romania.
However, since the expected war between the two countries never broke out due to the Ottoman authorities' engagement with the suppression of the Great Cretan Uprising and reluctance to further complicate its relations with Serbia. Meanwhile the government of Jovan Ristić
Jovan Ristic
Jovan Ristić, or Ristitch was a Serbian statesman and diplomat....
, which opted for reconciliation with the Ottomans, came into office in Serbia. The Second Bulgarian Legion became redundant to the Serbians as a result of this. It was disbanded in April 1868 despite the opposition of the Russian diplomats, its members being expelled from Serbia.