April 24, 1877: The Tsar Declares War on the Ottoman Empire
On April 24, 1877, Tsar Alexander II declared war on the Ottoman Empire, launching a ten-month conflict that restored Bulgaria and won independence for Romania, Serbia, and Montenegro.
Tagged: balkans
The Day Bulgaria Declared Itself Free
On October 5, 1908, Prince Ferdinand proclaimed Bulgaria's full independence from the Ottoman Empire in the old capital of Tarnovo — and crowned himself Tsar on the spot.