Bulgaria

Abstract

Bulgaria in the fourteenth century came under the domination of the Ottoman Empire. During the nineteenth century nationalist movements began in Bulgaria as in neighbouring Balkan countries, Greece and Serbia. Finally, in 1878 an uprising of Bulgarians against Ottoman rule was started; this campaign was supported by Russia, and Russian troops invaded the country. The Ottoman forces were driven back to the walls of Istanbul (Constantinople). A preliminary peace treaty was set up, the Treaty of San Stefano in March 1878, creating a large Bulgarian state. Great Britain intervened, and finally the Congress of Berlin of 13 July 1878 created the much smaller principality of Bulgaria under the formal sovereignty of the sultan.