Modern Bulgarian State: Liberation, Constitution, Political Parties, and Wars (1878–1944)
Overview
After the Russo-Turkish War, the Treaty of San Stefano (March 1878) created a large Bulgaria, but the Congress of Berlin (June–July 1878) divided the lands into the Principality of Bulgaria, Eastern Rumelia, and Macedonia. This division shapes the entire period.
Key concepts
- Tarnovo Constitution (1879): a liberal constitution with a single-chamber parliament; the prince is the head of state.
- Unification (1885): Eastern Rumelia joins the Principality; the Serbo-Bulgarian War follows.
- Political parties: Conservatives, Liberals (with factions), and later the Agrarian Union and Social Democrats.
- Wars: the Balkan Wars (1912–13) and World War I (Bulgaria joins the Central Powers in 1915; the Treaty of Neuilly, 1919, imposes territorial losses).
- Interwar politics: the 1923 coup, the 1934 coup, and the authoritarian regime of Boris III.
Traps
Students confuse San Stefano with Berlin, or think the Tarnovo Constitution created a republic. Another common error is placing Bulgaria on the Allied side in World War I.
Worked example
If asked why Bulgaria entered World War I, the answer combines the desire to revise the Balkan Wars' losses with the promise of Macedonian territory - not a single cause.