Lazar Poptrajkov
Encyclopedia
Lazar Poptrajkov (10 April 1878–October 1903) was a Bulgarian
revolutionary (komitadji
) and poet. He was one of the leaders of the Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization (IMARO) in the region of Kastoria
(Kostur) during the Ilinden Uprising. He is considered a Macedonian in the Republic of Macedonia
.
(now Dendrohori
, Greece
) on 10 April 1878. He studied at the local village school before moving to the junior high school in Kostur and subsequently to the Bulgarian Exarchate's high schools in Bitola
and Thessaloniki
(Solun), the Bulgarian Men's High School of Thessaloniki
. In Thessaloniki, one of his teachers was Pere Toshev. Poptrajkov joined IMARO as early as 1895, inspired by Dame Gruev
. He finished high school in 1898, though he had started touring the Kastoria region to promote the work of IMARO two years earlier, in 1896.
Poptrajkov was one of the founders of the Kastoria branch of IMARO. On 21 June 1903 he wrote a poem titled Lokvata and Vinyari to commemorate the battle of Lokvata between Bulgarians and Ottoman
troops in Dendrohori during the Ilinden Uprising. His poem had large impact on the national identification of the villagers of Dendrohori whose allegiance to the Bulgarian Exarchate
increased during the following years. Poptrajkov was arrested by Turkish authorities and imprisoned in Korçë
along with fellow revolutionaries Manol Rozov, Maslina Grancharova
, and Pavel Christov. Poptrajkov died at the start of the Macedonian Struggle
when he was assassinated by Konstantinos Christou
who was acting under orders by Germanos Karavangelis
, bishop of Kastoria. Later Poptrajkov's head was delivered to Kravangelis who took a picture of the head on his desk.
Bulgarians
The Bulgarians are a South Slavic nation and ethnic group native to Bulgaria and neighbouring regions. Emigration has resulted in immigrant communities in a number of other countries.-History and ethnogenesis:...
revolutionary (komitadji
Komitadji
The term Komiti meaning "a rebel, member of a secret revolutionary society", refers to members of rebel bands operating in the Balkans during the final period of the Ottoman Empire, fighting against Turkish authorities in Macedonia...
) and poet. He was one of the leaders of the Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization (IMARO) in the region of Kastoria
Kastoria
Kastoria is a city in northern Greece in the periphery of West Macedonia. It is the capital of Kastoria peripheral unit. It is situated on a promontory on the western shore of Lake Orestiada, in a valley surrounded by limestone mountains...
(Kostur) during the Ilinden Uprising. He is considered a Macedonian in the Republic of Macedonia
Republic of Macedonia
Macedonia , officially the Republic of Macedonia , is a country located in the central Balkan peninsula in Southeast Europe. It is one of the successor states of the former Yugoslavia, from which it declared independence in 1991...
.
Life
Lazar Poptrajkov was born in Dambeni, Ottoman EmpireOttoman 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...
(now Dendrohori
Dendrohori
Dendrochori is a village in the community Kastraki in the Kastoria regional unit, the region West Macedonia, Greece. Dendrochori is located approximately 10 km northwest of Kastoria and 6 km east of the center of the community Kastraki — the village Ieropigi...
, Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
) on 10 April 1878. He studied at the local village school before moving to the junior high school in Kostur and subsequently to the Bulgarian Exarchate's high schools in Bitola
Bitola
Bitola is a city in the southwestern part of the Republic of Macedonia. The city is an administrative, cultural, industrial, commercial, and educational centre. It is located in the southern part of the Pelagonia valley, surrounded by the Baba and Nidže mountains, 14 km north of the...
and Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki
Thessaloniki , historically also known as Thessalonica, Salonika or Salonica, is the second-largest city in Greece and the capital of the region of Central Macedonia as well as the capital of the Decentralized Administration of Macedonia and Thrace...
(Solun), the Bulgarian Men's High School of Thessaloniki
Bulgarian Men's High School of Thessaloniki
The Sts. Cyril and Methodius Bulgarian Men's High School of Thessaloniki was the first Bulgarian high school in Macedonia. One of the most influential Bulgarian educational centres in Macedonia and Southern Thrace, it was founded in autumn 1880 in Ottoman Thessaloniki and existed until...
. In Thessaloniki, one of his teachers was Pere Toshev. Poptrajkov joined IMARO as early as 1895, inspired by Dame Gruev
Dame Gruev
Damyan Yovanov Gruev or Damjan Jovanov Gruev, often known by his short name Dame Gruev, was an insurgent leader in Ottoman Macedonia and Thrace...
. He finished high school in 1898, though he had started touring the Kastoria region to promote the work of IMARO two years earlier, in 1896.
Poptrajkov was one of the founders of the Kastoria branch of IMARO. On 21 June 1903 he wrote a poem titled Lokvata and Vinyari to commemorate the battle of Lokvata between Bulgarians and Ottoman
Ottoman Turks
The Ottoman Turks were the Turkish-speaking population of the Ottoman Empire who formed the base of the state's military and ruling classes. Reliable information about the early history of Ottoman Turks is scarce, but they take their Turkish name, Osmanlı , from the house of Osman I The Ottoman...
troops in Dendrohori during the Ilinden Uprising. His poem had large impact on the national identification of the villagers of Dendrohori whose allegiance to the Bulgarian Exarchate
Bulgarian Exarchate
The Bulgarian Exarchate was the official name of the Bulgarian Orthodox Church before its autocephaly was recognized by the Ecumenical See in 1945 and the Bulgarian Patriarchate was restored in 1953....
increased during the following years. Poptrajkov was arrested by Turkish authorities and imprisoned in Korçë
Korçë
Korçë is a city in southeastern Albania and the capital of the Korçë District. It has a population of around 105,000 people , making it the sixth largest city in Albania...
along with fellow revolutionaries Manol Rozov, Maslina Grancharova
Maslina Grancharova
Maslina Ivanova Grancharova , sometimes known as Kastoria's Rayna Knyaginya, was a teacher and revolutionary from the village of Zagorichane, Ottoman Empire,...
, and Pavel Christov. Poptrajkov died at the start of the Macedonian Struggle
Macedonian Struggle
The Macedonian Struggle was a series of social, political, cultural and military conflicts between Greeks and Bulgarians in the region of Ottoman Macedonia between 1904 and 1908...
when he was assassinated by Konstantinos Christou
Konstantinos Christou
Konstantinos or "Kottas" Christou was an insurgent leader associated first with the pro-Bulgarian Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization and later with pro-Greek irregular fighters during the Greek struggle for Macedonia. He was born in the village of Rulja in Florina Prefecture in 1863...
who was acting under orders by Germanos Karavangelis
Germanos Karavangelis
Germanos Karavangelis was born in Stipsi, Lesbos.He was a metropolitan bishop of Kastoria, in communion with the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople, from 1900 until 1907, appointed in the name of the Greek state by the ambassador of Greece Nikolaos Mavrokordatos and was one of the main...
, bishop of Kastoria. Later Poptrajkov's head was delivered to Kravangelis who took a picture of the head on his desk.