Mihail Apostolov
Encyclopedia
Mihail Raynov Apostolov, known also as Mihal Postolov or Popeto, was an officer in the Bulgaria
n army and a worker of the Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization (IMARO).
region, in 1871. He was raised in a very poor family. After his mother died, his father sent him to Sofia
to study. He served his military service in the cavalry, in the First Cavalry Regiment, and was promoted to the rank of a sergeant. He left the army and became a policeman in the Cavalry police in Sofia. In 1895, when the Macedonian Committee in Sofia organized a revolutionary action in Macedonia, he left his police service and joined the revolutionary band of lieutenant Petar Nachev. After the action, he returned to Sofia. He met Gotse Delchev
, who at that time organized the first revolutionary bands of the IMARO, which had the goal of entering Macedonia
. Gotse Delchev decided to attract Bulgarian army officers to the IMARO in order to raise the authority and prestige of the revolutionary organization before the population and to improve the military skills of the freedom fighters. Mihail Apostolov – Popeto, Marko Lerinski
and Hristo Chernopeev
were among the first Bulgarian army officers in the IMARO.
, Nikola Dechev, Petar Yurukov, Delcho Kotsev, Petar Samardzhiev, Nikola Zhekov
, Atanas Babata, Andon Kyoseto
(who was an assistant-leader of the band), Krastyo Balgariyata, Gone Beginin, Trayko Gyotov, Ivan Varnaliyata, Ivan Alyabaka and others. Mihail Apostolov also had Hristo Chernopeev in his band for 3–4 months, but Chernopeev later headed his own revolutionary band .
He entered Macedonia for the first time as an IMARO voyvoda in 1897. His revolutionary band had 7 freedom fighters. All of them were born in the liberated parts of Bulgaria and had military training: Vasil Ivanov Chochov – senior sergeant from the First Infantry Regiment, Aleksandar Marinov from Plovdiv
– a student from the Unter-Officer School, Filip Grigorov - a student from the same school, Nikolay Petrov
– unter-officer and others. This revolutionary band was mainly active in the region of Maleshevo
, but was also active in the regions of Kochani, Radovish and Strumitsa
.
On July 20, 1897, together with the Gotse Delchev's revolutionary band, he killed four Circassians in the village of Buykovtsi. On September 14, 1897, Mihail Popeto kidnapped the rich Nazam bey from Strumitsa. In 1898, Popeto’s band had 13 freedom fighters and operated in the regions of Serres
and Kukush. In 1899, Mihail Popeto moved to the regions of Voden and Enidzhe-Vardar. Mihail Chakov, a teacher, who was a freedom fighter in Mihail Popeto's band, headed different bands in Macedonia from 1901 to 1908 . In February 1900, Mihail Popeto and his band, then composed of 15-20 freedom fighters, passed through the villages of Orizartsi, Gevgeli
region, and later in the summer the band transferred to the region of Kukush. He had battles against Turkish
military forces near the village of Dambovo, in Kozhuf Mountain
, as well as in other places . The same year, he continued to operate in the region of Tikvesh.
On its way from the region of Kukush to the region of Petrich
, on March 21, 1902, the band of Mihail Apostolov was overtaken by a strong Turkish pursuit band. A battle occurred between the villages of Chuguntsi and Gavalyantsi, Kukush region, in which Mihail Popeto died. He was buried in the garden of the church in Gavalyantsi.
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 army and a worker of the Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization (IMARO).
Early years
Mihail Apostolov was born in the village of Gorna Dikanya, RadomirRadomir
Radomir is a town in the Pernik Province of Bulgaria with a population of about 16,503. It is located at .- History :The town was first mentioned in a 15th-century source as Uradmur. The current form appears for the first time in a source from 1488...
region, in 1871. He was raised in a very poor family. After his mother died, his father sent him to Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
to study. He served his military service in the cavalry, in the First Cavalry Regiment, and was promoted to the rank of a sergeant. He left the army and became a policeman in the Cavalry police in Sofia. In 1895, when the Macedonian Committee in Sofia organized a revolutionary action in Macedonia, he left his police service and joined the revolutionary band of lieutenant Petar Nachev. After the action, he returned to Sofia. He met 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...
, who at that time organized the first revolutionary bands of the IMARO, which had the goal of entering Macedonia
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
. Gotse Delchev decided to attract Bulgarian army officers to the IMARO in order to raise the authority and prestige of the revolutionary organization before the population and to improve the military skills of the freedom fighters. Mihail Apostolov – Popeto, Marko Lerinski
Marko Lerinski
Marko Lerinski was the nickname of Georgi Ivanov Gyurov , also known as Georgi Geroyski or Marko Voyvoda, a Bulgarian military man and revolutionary...
and Hristo Chernopeev
Hristo Chernopeev
Hristo Chernopeev was a Bulgarian revolutionary and member of the revolutionary movement in Macedonia...
were among the first Bulgarian army officers in the IMARO.
Years in the IMARO
Mihail Apostolov became the first leader of a revolutionary band for agitation and organization. During his 7 years of activities, a number of IMARO freedom fighters joined his revolutionary band as his trainees, such as: Mihail GerdzhikovMihail Gerdzhikov
Mihail Gerdzhikov was born in Plovdiv, then in the Ottoman Empire, in 1877. He studied at the French College, where he received the nickname Michelle. As a student in 1893 he started his revolutionary activities as the leader of a Macedonian Secret Revolutionary Committee...
, Nikola Dechev, Petar Yurukov, Delcho Kotsev, Petar Samardzhiev, Nikola Zhekov
Nikola Zhekov
Nikola Todorov Zhekov was the Minister of War of Bulgaria in 1915 and served as Commander-in-Chief from 1915 to 1918 during World War I.-Biography:...
, Atanas Babata, Andon Kyoseto
Andon Kyoseto
Andon Lazov Yanev, nicknamed Kyoseto, was a Bulgarian revolutionary and a freedom fighter of the Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization .-Early years:...
(who was an assistant-leader of the band), Krastyo Balgariyata, Gone Beginin, Trayko Gyotov, Ivan Varnaliyata, Ivan Alyabaka and others. Mihail Apostolov also had Hristo Chernopeev in his band for 3–4 months, but Chernopeev later headed his own revolutionary band .
He entered Macedonia for the first time as an IMARO voyvoda in 1897. His revolutionary band had 7 freedom fighters. All of them were born in the liberated parts of Bulgaria and had military training: Vasil Ivanov Chochov – senior sergeant from the First Infantry Regiment, Aleksandar Marinov from Plovdiv
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...
– a student from the Unter-Officer School, Filip Grigorov - a student from the same school, Nikolay Petrov
Nikolay Petrov
Nikolay Petrov is a Bulgarian football midfielder who plays for Svetkavitsa.-External links:* * at PFL.bg...
– unter-officer and others. This revolutionary band was mainly active in the region of Maleshevo
Maleshevo
The Maleshevo Mountain or Maleševo Mountain is situated in southwestern Bulgaria and eastern Republic of Macedonia. It is the third of the five mountains of the Osogovo-Belasitsa mountain group, known also as the Western Border Mountains...
, but was also active in the regions of Kochani, Radovish and Strumitsa
Strumica
Strumica is the largest city in eastern Macedonia, near the Novo Selo-Petrich border crossing with Bulgaria. About 100,000 people live in the region surrounding the city. The city is named after the Strumica River which runs through it...
.
On July 20, 1897, together with the Gotse Delchev's revolutionary band, he killed four Circassians in the village of Buykovtsi. On September 14, 1897, Mihail Popeto kidnapped the rich Nazam bey from Strumitsa. In 1898, Popeto’s band had 13 freedom fighters and operated in the regions of Serres
Serres
Serres is a city in Greece, seat of the Serres prefecture.Serres may also refer to:Places:* Serres, Germany, a part of Wiernsheim in Baden-WürttembergIn France:* Serres, Aude in the Aude département...
and Kukush. In 1899, Mihail Popeto moved to the regions of Voden and Enidzhe-Vardar. Mihail Chakov, a teacher, who was a freedom fighter in Mihail Popeto's band, headed different bands in Macedonia from 1901 to 1908 . In February 1900, Mihail Popeto and his band, then composed of 15-20 freedom fighters, passed through the villages of Orizartsi, Gevgeli
Gevgelija
Gevgelija is a town with a population of 15,685 located in the very southeast of the Republic of Macedonia along the banks of the Vardar River, situated at the country's main border with Greece , the point which links the motorway from Skopje and three other former Yugoslav capitals with...
region, and later in the summer the band transferred to the region of Kukush. He had battles against Turkish
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
military forces near the village of Dambovo, in Kozhuf Mountain
Kožuf
Kožuf mountain is a mountain situated in the southern part of the Republic of Macedonia and partly in Greece. Its most western parts reach the river Blashnica, and the north-western side stretches in a line, from the Mrzhechko village via the village Konopishte, through the course of Boshava to...
, as well as in other places . The same year, he continued to operate in the region of Tikvesh.
On its way from the region of Kukush to the region of Petrich
Petrich
Petrich is a town in Blagoevgrad Province in southwestern Bulgaria, located at the foot of the Belasica Mountains in the Strumeshnitsa Valley. , the town has 29920 inhabitants.Petrich is located close to the borders with Greece and the Republic of Macedonia...
, on March 21, 1902, the band of Mihail Apostolov was overtaken by a strong Turkish pursuit band. A battle occurred between the villages of Chuguntsi and Gavalyantsi, Kukush region, in which Mihail Popeto died. He was buried in the garden of the church in Gavalyantsi.
About him
Additional references
- Енциклопедия България, том 1, Издателство на БАН, София, 1978.
- Спомени на Христо Чернопеев, Движението отсамъ Вардара и борбата съ върховиститѣ, Л. Милетичъ
- За Михаил Апостолов - Попето
- "Илюстрация Илинден", година VII, брой 6
- "Македония в пламъци", ИК Синева София, 2003 г.