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Travel Guide 2   >   Europe   >   Bulgaria   >   History

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Bulgarian History


Bulgaria is the site of one of the world's oldest civilizations, and the oldest known writing system (the Gradeshnitsa Tablets which date to at least 4000 BC).

In early classical times the territory of Bulgaria was inhabited by the Thracians. The Thracians were divided into various tribes, but eventually united as the Odrysian kingdom under King Teres in the 5th century BC. The region was invaded by the Romans in 188 BC, and wars continued until 45 AD when Thrace became a Roman province.

Beginning in the 2nd century AD, a semi-nomadic people, the Bulgars, began to migrate towards the West from Central Asia. By the 4th century, the Bulgars had settled in the lands to the North of the Black Sea, around the Sea of Azov, and by the 7th century had established a state known as "Great Bulgaria" or "Onoghuria" in the region. Later in the 7th century, one tribe of Bulgars moved West, defeated the Byzantine empire in a war, and were recognized in the subsequent peace treaty with the Byzantines as an independent state in 681.

The First Bulgarian Empire was established under the warrior Khan Krum (802 to 814) who conquered a number of lands in the Balkans. The empire eventually encompassed all of present day Romania, as well as parts of Serbia, Macedonia, Albania and Greece. It was during this period the Cyrillic alphabet was adopted, and Christianity was introduced to the Bulgarians.

The Byzantine Empire ruled Bulgaria from 1018 to 1185, but after a revolt in 1185, a Second Bulgarian Empire was established. However, this Empire was relatively short lived. In 1354 the Ottoman Turks crossed into Europe, and by 1396 had conquered the whole of Bulgaria.

Veliko Tarnovo - capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire (1185 to 1393)

After hundreds of years of Ottoman rule, Bulgaria began to experience a national revival inspired by western ideas from the enlightment, and the Greek revolt against Ottoman rule. In 1870, a Bulgarian Church ("Exarchate") was established, and in 1876 Bulgarians revolted against Ottoman rule in the April Uprising. Russia declared war on the Ottomans in 1877, and by 1878, most of Bulgaria was liberated from the Ottomans. Additional Ottoman territories in Europe were liberated in the First Balkan War (1912 to 1913), however Bulgaria was then defeated by the combinaton of Serbia, Greece, Romania and the Ottoman Empire in the Second Balkan War (1913) and lost a significant amount of territory as a result.

During World War I, Bulgaria was allied with Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire, and was for a while successful in making territorial gains. However, the war gradually became increasingly unpopular because of economic hardships, and because the population did not wish to fight in alliance with the Muslim Ottoman Empire against the Orthodox Christians of Serbia and Greece. As a result, mutinies broke out in the army, the government resigned, and a republic was proclaimed.

During World War II, Bulgaria attempted to avoid involvement in the war, and even managed to peacefully regain the territory of Southern Dobruja from Romania as a result of the 1940 Treaty of Craiova. Ultimately however, in 1941, Bulgaria had no choice but to join the Axis when German troops passed through the country in order to invade Greece.

After World War II, Bulgaria became officially known was the People's Republic of Bulgaria, and was ruled by the Bulgarian Communist Party. Communist rule ended in 1990, when the Communists voluntarily gave up power and held the first free elections since 1931. The transition from communism to capitalism has not been easy for Bulgaria; living standards fell dramatically and the country even experienced a sharp decline in population. However, since 1997, the economy has been growing steadily, and in 2007, Bulgaria joined the European Union.

Here are some books about the history of Bulgaria:

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A Concise History of Bulgaria (Cambridge Concise Histories)

By R. J. Crampton

Cambridge University Press
Paperback (310 pages)

A Concise History of Bulgaria (Cambridge Concise Histories)
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Product Description:
Richard Crampton presents a general introduction to Bulgaria at the cross-roads of Christendom and Islam. This concise history traces the country's growth from pre-history, through its days as the center of a powerful medieval empire and five centuries of Ottoman rule, to the political upheavals of the twentieth century which led to three wars. It highlights 1995 to 2004, a vital period during which Bulgaria endured financial meltdown, set itself seriously on the road to reform, elected its former King as prime minister, and finally secured membership in NATO and admission to the European Union. First Edition Hb (1997) 0-521-56183-3 First Edition Pb (1997) 0-521-56719-X

Bulgaria (Oxford History of Modern Europe)

By R.J. Crampton

Oxford University Press, USA
Paperback (536 pages)

Bulgaria (Oxford History of Modern Europe)
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Tracing the evolution of the Bulgarian state and its people, from the beginning of the Bulgarian national revival in the middle of the nineteenth century to the entry of the country into the European Union, Richard Crampton examines key political, social, and economic developments, revealing the history of a country which evolved from a backward and troublesome Balkan state to become a modern European nation.
Seeing the collapse as well as the establishment and evolution of communist rule, Bulgaria survived an often painful journey from monolithic authoritarianism to representative democracy and the market system. Crampton follows this journey, and analyses the development of Bulgaria's political culture, examining the emergence of radical movements, both agrarian and socialist, as well as looking at the role of religion and the position of minorities. Crampton highlights the problems and dilemmas created by the country's position situated between East and West, problems which might not be entirely solved by the country's admission to the EU.

The Balkans - A History Of Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece, Rumania, Turkey

By David Mitrany

Aristophanes Press
Paperback (408 pages)

The Balkans - A History Of Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece, Rumania, Turkey
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Product Description:
Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

Bulgaria (Nations in Transition)

By Steven Otfinoski

Facts on File
Hardcover (126 pages; 1)

Bulgaria (Nations in Transition)
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  • ISBN13: 9780816051168
  • Notes: BUY WITH CONFIDENCE, Over one million books sold! 98% Positive feedback. Compare our books, prices and service to the competition. 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed
Product Description:
Bulgaria, Second Edition portrays the rich, historic past of Bulgaria. From the country's beautiful architecture to its distinct national character, this updated edition details important political and social leaders, relationships with diverse minority groups, and the country's history as well as its present concerns. Bringing readers up to date on new developments in the country and highlighting currents in politics and culture, this reference remains a solid addition to public and personal collections.

Bulgaria: History Retold in Brief

By Valeria Fol & Raina Gavrilova

Riva Pub House
Hardcover (159 pages)

Bulgaria: History Retold in Brief
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Bulgaria: Webster's Timeline History, 2004 - 2007

By Icon Group International

ICON Group International, Inc.
Paperback (94 pages)

Bulgaria: Webster s Timeline History, 2004 - 2007
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Product Description:
Webster's bibliographic and event-based timelines are comprehensive in scope, covering virtually all topics, geographic locations and people. They do so from a linguistic point of view, and in the case of this book, the focus is on "Bulgaria," including when used in literature (e.g. all authors that might have Bulgaria in their name). As such, this book represents the largest compilation of timeline events associated with Bulgaria when it is used in proper noun form. Webster's timelines cover bibliographic citations, patented inventions, as well as non-conventional and alternative meanings which capture ambiguities in usage. These furthermore cover all parts of speech (possessive, institutional usage, geographic usage) and contexts, including pop culture, the arts, social sciences (linguistics, history, geography, economics, sociology, political science), business, computer science, literature, law, medicine, psychology, mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology and other physical sciences. This "data dump" results in a comprehensive set of entries for a bibliographic and/or event-based timeline on the proper name Bulgaria, since editorial decisions to include or exclude events is purely a linguistic process. The resulting entries are used under license or with permission, used under "fair use" conditions, used in agreement with the original authors, or are in the public domain.

A short history of Bulgaria

By Stanley G Evans

Lawrence & Wishart
Hardcover (254 pages)

A short history of Bulgaria
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The Balkans; A History of Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece, Rumania, Turkey,

By Nevill Forbes

Ams Pr Inc
Hardcover (409 pages)
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Product Description:
Published by the Allies' most respected historians on the eve of World War I, this book served as a backgrounder on one of Europe's key trouble spots. Still a superb overview of a region which remains unsettled to this day.

This masterfully crafted eBook faithfully preserves the 1916 revised second edition. It is fully-searchable and fully-printable. (254pp, 1.87 Mb)

A short history of Bulgaria [by] D. Kossev, H. Hristov [and] D. Angelov. [Translated by Marguerite Alexieval and Nicolai Koledarov. Illustrated by Ivan Bogdanov and Vladislav Paskalev]

By D. H. Hristov. D. Angelov. Ivan Bogdanov (ill.). Vladislav Paskalev (ill Kossev

Sofia, Foreign Languages Press
Hardcover
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