Maslina Grancharova
Encyclopedia
Maslina Ivanova Grancharova (Bulgarian: Маслина Иванова Грънчарова) (1874–1958), sometimes known as Kastoria's Rayna Knyaginya
, was a teacher and revolutionary from the village of Zagorichane, Ottoman Empire
, (today Vasiliada
in the Kastoria region
of Greece
). In 1895, she joined the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO) and participated in the Ilinden Uprising of 1903. She sewed the flag that represented the liberation of Dendrohori
from the Ottomans and was the flag-bearer for her unit in the Ilinden Uprising.
(called Zagorichane in Bulgarian) in Kastoria, when the Ottomans
still controlled the region. Her father's name was Ivan, and she had a brother named Vangel. She graduated from a Bulgarian high school for girls in Thessaloniki
and began teaching in Didymoteicho
. After joining IMRO in 1895, she moved to Amyntaio
and Sklithro and performed courier duties for the organization in addition to teaching. She and a fellow teacher, Elena Minasova, bore the flag of the Dendrohori liberation movement. In 1901, she briefly returned to her hometown of Vassiliada, where she met famous IMRO leader Gotse Delchev
.
Grancharova was arrested by Turkish authorities and imprisoned in Korçë, Albania
along with fellow revolutionaries Manol Rozov, Lazar Poptrajkov
, and Pavel Christov. After her release, she became secretary of the Central Committee and member of the Kastoria Regional Committee of IMRO. In these high-seated positions, she assisted in the planning of the Ilinden Uprising.
On August 2, 1903, at the start of the uprising, Grancharova rode on horseback, carrying the flag while staying next to her leader, Manol Rizov. She was compared to Rayna Knyaginya
carrying the flag alongside Georgi Benkovski, and was thereafter called "Kastoria's Rayna Knyaginya" (Костурската Райна княгиня).
Following the Ilinden Uprising, Grancharova was arrested a second time in Nymfaio
, but was given amnesty and released. She returned to Vassiliada, where she raised her orphaned niece, Kitcha, who had been born to her brother Vangel on October 20, 1903. In 1924, Kitcha emigrated to the United States and married Sotir Tancheff, a Greek World War I
veteran who had immigrated to the U.S. in 1917 by joining the Army
.
After the First Balkan War
, Maslina Grancharova emigrated to Krivodol
, where she found asylum from anti-Bulgarian prejudice. She stayed there until she died in 1958. She was buried as a heroine, with a picture of her in full rebel garb placed on her headstone.
Rayna Knyaginya
Rayna Popgeorgieva Futekova , better known as Rayna Knyaginya was a Bulgarian teacher and revolutionary born in Panagyurishte who is famous for having sewn the flag of the April Uprising of 1876.-The flag and the uprising:...
, was a teacher and revolutionary from the village of Zagorichane, 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...
, (today Vasiliada
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...
in the Kastoria region
Kastoria Prefecture
Kastoria is one of the regional units of Greece. It is part of the region of West Macedonia. Its capital is the town of Kastoria.-Geography:...
of Greece
Greece
Greece , officially the Hellenic Republic , and historically Hellas or the Republic of Greece in English, is a country in southeastern Europe....
). In 1895, she joined the Internal Macedonian Revolutionary Organization (IMRO) and participated in the Ilinden Uprising of 1903. She sewed the flag that represented the liberation of 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...
from the Ottomans and was the flag-bearer for her unit in the Ilinden Uprising.
Biography
Maslina Grancharova was born in 1874 in the small village of VassiliadaKastoria
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...
(called Zagorichane in Bulgarian) in Kastoria, when the Ottomans
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...
still controlled the region. Her father's name was Ivan, and she had a brother named Vangel. She graduated from a Bulgarian high school for girls in 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...
and began teaching in Didymoteicho
Didymoteicho
Didymóteicho is a town located in the eastern part of the Evros peripheral unit of Thrace, Greece. It is the seat of the municipality of the same name. The town sits on a plain and located south east of Svilengrad, south of Edirne, Turkey and Orestiada, west of Uzunköprü, about 20 km north...
. After joining IMRO in 1895, she moved to Amyntaio
Amyntaio
Amyntaio is a town and municipality in the Florina peripheral unit of Macedonia, Greece. The population of Amyntaio proper is 4,407, while that of the entire municipality is 18,975...
and Sklithro and performed courier duties for the organization in addition to teaching. She and a fellow teacher, Elena Minasova, bore the flag of the Dendrohori liberation movement. In 1901, she briefly returned to her hometown of Vassiliada, where she met famous IMRO leader Gotse Delchev
Gotse Delchev
Georgi Nikolov Delchev was an important revolutionary figure in Ottoman-ruled Macedonia and Thrace at the turn of the 20th century...
.
Grancharova was arrested by Turkish authorities and imprisoned in Korçë, Albania
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, Lazar Poptrajkov
Lazar Poptrajkov
Lazar Poptrajkov was a Bulgarian revolutionary and poet. He was one of the leaders of the Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization in the region of Kastoria during the Ilinden Uprising...
, and Pavel Christov. After her release, she became secretary of the Central Committee and member of the Kastoria Regional Committee of IMRO. In these high-seated positions, she assisted in the planning of the Ilinden Uprising.
On August 2, 1903, at the start of the uprising, Grancharova rode on horseback, carrying the flag while staying next to her leader, Manol Rizov. She was compared to Rayna Knyaginya
Rayna Knyaginya
Rayna Popgeorgieva Futekova , better known as Rayna Knyaginya was a Bulgarian teacher and revolutionary born in Panagyurishte who is famous for having sewn the flag of the April Uprising of 1876.-The flag and the uprising:...
carrying the flag alongside Georgi Benkovski, and was thereafter called "Kastoria's Rayna Knyaginya" (Костурската Райна княгиня).
Following the Ilinden Uprising, Grancharova was arrested a second time in Nymfaio
Nymfaio
Nymfaio is a predominantly Aromanian village and a former community in Florina peripheral unit, West Macedonia, Greece. After the 2011 local government reform it became a member of the municipality Amyntaio...
, but was given amnesty and released. She returned to Vassiliada, where she raised her orphaned niece, Kitcha, who had been born to her brother Vangel on October 20, 1903. In 1924, Kitcha emigrated to the United States and married Sotir Tancheff, a Greek World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
veteran who had immigrated to the U.S. in 1917 by joining the Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
.
After the First Balkan War
First Balkan War
The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...
, Maslina Grancharova emigrated to Krivodol
Krivodol
Krivodol is a town in northwestern Bulgaria, part of Vratsa Province. It is the administrative centre of Krivodol municipality, which lies in the western part of Vratsa Province, halfway between Vratsa and Montana and 130 kilometres north of Sofia...
, where she found asylum from anti-Bulgarian prejudice. She stayed there until she died in 1958. She was buried as a heroine, with a picture of her in full rebel garb placed on her headstone.