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Pre-History
 The Bulgarian state was established more than 13 centuries ago thus being one of the oldest European countries. However the lands of the today's state were inhabited by different tribes long before the establishment of the state itself. Irrefutable evidences prove that on these territories there was civilization even older of the Egyptian one. The Varna Chalcolite Necropolis found near Varna Lake in 1972 dates as far back as 4600-4200 B.C. which is around 2000 years earlier than the flourishing of Egyptian Civilization. Varna Gold Treasure is considered the oldest processed gold ever and is evidence for the highly artistic skills of one civilization that has already been called by many scientists “the oldest one in Europe”.
Antiquity
 Today the archeological excavations continue and they bring to light evidence and new data about another developed ancient civilization – the Thracian Civilization, considered to have Indo-European origins. It is presumed that Thracian tribes settled on the Balkan Peninsula about 3500 B.C. The first historical data about them we find in Homer's Iliad, where Thracians are described as allies of the Trojans during the Trojan War. "The Father of History" Herodotus says that “Thracians are the most numerous tribe after the Indians”. Thracians establish rich and highly developed civilization proof for which are the many treasures and burial chambers (like the famous Kazanlak sepulchre) scattered all over our territory. It is also presumed that their civilization had strong influence over the forming of the Hellenic culture and that Ancient Greeks have their worship of Dionysius and myths for Orpheus thanks to Thracians.
In the middle of 4th century B.C. Thracians were forcibly integrated into the Macedonian state at the time under the ruling of Philip II of Macedonia and later on his son Alexander the Great. Anyway at the end of the century they regained their independence again.
In the year 45 A.D. the territory of Thrace (present-day Bulgaria) was overrun by the Roman armies and was declared Roman province, which put an end to the independence of all Thracian tribes. Thrace and Moesia became official Roman provinces with cities of importance like Philippopolis (present day Plovdiv), Serdika (present day Sofia), Augusta Traiana (present day Stara Zagora), Pautalia (present day Kyustendil) and Nicopolis ad Istrum (situated about 20 km off present day Veliko Tarnovo). During Roman times, Thrace provided constant flow of soldiers and gladiators for the great empire. The leader of the biggest slave revolt against Rome, the gladiator Spartacus, was born Thracian from the tribe of Maedi. In one of the biggest cities of Ancient Thrace, Serdica (today's Sofia) the Council of Serdica took place in 343 A.D., 18 years after the first ecumenical Council of Nicaea. 318 bishops from the whole Roman Empire took participation in it. The Council of Serdica is considered predecessor of the great schism of 1054 A.D. which finally split the Roman Catholic and Eastern Orthodox churches. Some of the buildings in which the Council of Serdica took place and which the bishops used as dwellings still exist today. In 395 A.D. Thrace and Moesia join the Eastern Roman Empire to which they give two emperors – Marcian (450 A.D.- 457 A.D.) and Justinian the Great (527 A.D.-565 A.D.)
Today most information we have about Thracians, their culture and traditions comes from the archeological excavations of Thracian tombs, settlements, temples and sanctuaries scattered all over our territory. The Archeological Complex Perperikon, the tombs in Starosel, Kazanlak and Sveshtari, as well as the Rogozen Treasure and the Panagyurishte Gold Treasure are just few good examples.
Early Middle Ages
During the fourth century Thracian lands suffered many invasions from Goths, Huns and Avars.
The first Slav tribes settle in Thracian and Moesian lands toward the end of fifth century.
Sixth century sees the arrival of yet another tribe who settles in the lower basin of Danube river – proto-Bulgarians, who quickly mix-up with local Slavs and Romanized Thracians. For about a century proto-Bulgarians’ chief objective was to conduct quick and bloody pillaging raids on Byzantium.
Establishment of The Bulgarian state
 For the first time the name Great Bulgaria was mentioned in Byzantine texts describing the tribal union that took place in 7th century in the lands between Caucasus, Volga and the Carpathians. Khan Kubrat was supreme ruler at the time and it is assumed that he was a Christian yet then and held the title Patrician. It is presumed also that the world famous treasure from Malaya Pereshchepina (almost 800 gold and silver articles with total weight of 50 kg) is actually the treasure he was buried with as was the custom with such high ranking persons. Today the treasure is kept at the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg and copies of some articles are available at the National Historical Museum in Sofia.
After Khan Kubrat's death, his kingdom was divided between his sons who split with the thought of conquering new territories. Two of them established independent Bulgarian states: Volga Bulgaria (between Volga and Kama rivers, on today’s Tatarstan territory, called Bulgaristan until 1922 and whose successors still identify themselves as Bulgarians) and the Danube Bulgaria situated on the territory of modern Bulgaria.
The First Bulgarian Empire
Danube Bulgaria was established in 681 as a union between Bulgars and Slavs who settled here a century earlier. Leadership of the new state was taken by the ruler of the proto-Bulgarians – Khan Asparuh, who made Pliska his capital.
In 704 the second Bulgarian ruler, Khan Tervel, was granted the title “Caesar” for the military support he gave to emperor Justinian, which created precedent in history. He became famous with his brilliant victory over the Arabs at Constantinople in 718 when his army joined forces with the army of Byzantine Emperor Leo III. Constantinople and the whole European continent were thus saved from the invasion. The glory of Khan Tervel reached France, where he becomes character in the lyrical poems called “chansons de geste” which praise his military victories. He was called “The Savior of Europe” from his contemporaries and the name of Bulgaria became symbol of great military power.
The First Bulgarian Empire was at the peak of its powers in the period between 8th - 9th century. Thanks to strong and far-sighted rulers like Khan Krum (803-814), Knyaz Boris I (852-889) and Tsar Simeon I (893-927) the state expanded vastly its territory, covering today’s Serbia, Republic of Macedonia, Greece, Romania and Republic of Moldova and became one of the three greatest powers in Europe, along with the Frankish Empire of Charles the Great and Byzantium.
In 864 under the reign of Knyaz Boris I Bulgaria adopted Christianity as official religion and Bulgarian Church became independent.
Knyaz Boris I had great contribution to the creation and distribution of the Bulgarian alphabet – the Cyrillic alphabet by giving shelter to the disciples of Cyril and Methodius in 886.
The reign of Tsar Simeon I is called the “Golden Age of the Bulgarian culture". He moves the capital to Preslav which quickly became important artistic and intellectual centre. This Bulgarian ruler was extremely well educated man and during his reign, numerous centers of enlightenment all over his kingdom were established. Bulgaria whose territory spreads from Adriatic to Aegean sea, covering present day Greece, Romania, parts from Ukraine and Hungary, Serbia, Albania and Republic of Macedonia is the biggest state in Europe at the time and biggest rival of Byzantium. Byzantine Empire saw serious threat in his expansive foreign policy well aware that after numerous successful military campaigns he will finally set his eyes on Constantinople. Unfortunately however his heirs had neither his shrewdness nor his military skills and thus the state quickly lost some of its territories, as well as its position of Great Power.
Bogomil movement came into being around 950. That dualistic heresy (they believed the world has two opposite principles: Good and Bad), was created by an orthodox priest called Bogomil, proclaiming full repudiation from earthly goods and poverty. They also refuse to acknowledge the holiness of Virgin Mary and all the Saints as well as the Holy Communion, marriage and baptism. They are also against the church as an institution, the clergy and icons, accepting only The New Testament and interpreting it in their own way. As part of their struggle they encourage poor folk into insubordination to masters and laws, criticize social inequality and wars, condemn the dissipation and prodigality of the noblemen and higher clergy. They call for modesty, pure morals and forbearance. Of course all members of the movement are persecuted. However their teachings spread through Byzantium, Russia, Northern Italy and Southern France where their successors become Cathars and Albigenses. Persecuted throughout Europe by Inquisition their cult along with their successors Cathars and Albigenses paved the way for the Reform however.
Endless wars with Byzantine empire exhausted Bulgaria’s strength.
Toward the end of this millennium Byzantium succeeds to capture Thracian and Moesian lands, including the capital Preslav. Tsar Samuil moves his capital to Ohrid (in today’s Republic of Macedonia). In 1014 Byzantine emperor Basil II wins victory over the Bulgarian army counting fifteen thousand strong men. His troops capture about ten thousand Bulgarian soldiers. Then the byzantine emperor gives order, the remains of Bulgarian army to be divided to groups consisting of one hundred men each, where ninety nine of them should be blinded on the spot and the hundredth person left one eyed so he can lead his fellow soldiers on their way back to Ohrid. When Tsar Samuil meets his soldiers he is so deeply moved by that grim sight that he suffers heart attack and dies on the 6 of October 1014. The Byzantine Emperor Basil II is since then known as “The Bulgar-Slayer”.
In 1018 Bulgaria after losing series of important battles ultimately became a Byzantine province.
The Second Bulgarian Empire
 Byzantine domination continued until 1185 when revolt, organized and led by two brothers of noble birth - Asen and Petar took place. The revolt was successful and cleared the way for the establishment of Second Bulgarian Empire with Tarnovo becoming capital, and enthronement of a new royal dynasty - the Asenovtsi dynasty. But Bulgarian Empire reaches his previous might no sooner than the reign of the youngest brother of them all – Tsar Kaloyan.
On 14 of April 1205 the armies of Tsar Kaloyan won brilliant victory over the crusaders of the Fourth Crusade near Adrianopolis (present day Edirne in Turkey). The count of Blois was killed. Emperor Baldwin, count of Flanders and Hainaut was taken prisoner and died mysteriously in 1206 in one of the guard towers surrounding Tarnovo, and which since then is called “Baldwin Tower”. Today you can visit that legendary tower in the old capital of Bulgaria – Veliko Tarnovo.
In 1211 the Council of Tarnovo condemns Bogomil movement.
Under the reign of Tsar Ivan Asen II (1218-1241) son of Tsar Asen Bulgarian borders are yet again washed by three seas – the Adriatic Sea, the Aegean Sea and the Black Sea, vast territory covering Thrace, Macedonia, Epirus, Wallahia, Moldova and present-day Albania and Central Serbia. At that time the Bulgarian Archbishopric became again Patriarchate (1235).
Following the death of Ivan Asen II, Bulgaria fell into crisis and lost many of its territories. Ivan Alexander is the last Bulgarian Tsar who conducted war with Byzantium. At this time the Ottoman Turks started their expansion in Europe. In 1393 Tarnovo falls into their hands despite desperate resistance from its defenders led by patriarch Evtimiy. The capturing of the Vidin fortress in 1396 finally put an end to the Medieval Bulgarian state.
The Ottoman domination
From the end of 14th century until the end of 19th century Bulgaria disappears from the map of Europe and is included in Ottoman province Rumelia. The social, cultural and economic development of the state was forcibly interrupted. The independent Bulgarian Patriarchate was liquidated and brought under the supervision of Constantinople’s Patriarchate.
During the first couple of centuries under Ottoman rule conquerors attempted to assimilate the Bulgarian population into their empire. Zealous efforts were made to subdue the nation and make it adopt the Islam but of no avail. Crucial help was given by Bulgarian clergy and monasteries, who managed to rescue even though small part of bulgarian literature. Important pieces of bulgarian heritage were saved by many monasteries (Rila, Bachkovo, Troyan, Rozhen, Cherepish, Dragalevtsi, Dryanovo etc.) and the monastic schools of Hilandar and Zograf monasteries in Mount Athos.
Bulgaria’s incessant struggle for independence continued through the entire time of foreign oppression.
Bulgarian Revival
Term that comes to describe the historic period of the time (18th - 19th century) from one side and the cultural and artistic uplift that brought to existence the real Bulgarian art from another, and of course all these events that led to the creation and development of organized resistance movement for national liberation.
Bulgaria’s incessant struggle for independence continued through the entire time of foreign oppression.
In 1762 a monk by the name of Paisiy Hilendarsky wrote and published small booklet called “Istoria Slavyanobolgarskaya” (Slavonic-Bulgarian History), which is evidence for the awakening of national self-awareness in Bulgarian people and which is considered the first work of the National Revival. This is a period marked by radical changes in all spheres of the public, economic, political and cultural life, which lasted more than a century. Changes in the cultural-spiritual sphere took two directions: the new Bulgarian movement for enlightenment and the struggle for independent church. These changes occurred at the same time with the first attempts of Bulgarians to organize national upheavals against the oppressors with their final goal being throwing off the shackles of foreign domination and declaring the independence of the newly formed Bulgarian state.
The peak of the Bulgarian National Movement of Liberation, organized by the secret Bulgarian Central Revolutionary Committee, is the April Uprising, which broke off on 20 of April 1876. The rebellion was suppressed with extreme cruelty (about 30 000 Bulgarians were butchered) but finally got Europe’s attention on Bulgarian people’s grim fate. In the month of August 1876 Victor Hugo himself gives airs to his grief in an article in “Le Rappel” newspaper:
“A whole nation is massacred. (…) When will the martyrdom of that small but fearless nation come to an end? It is high time for the civilized world to pang on the table and say: Enough!”
The merciless suppression of the rebellion and the response to the brutalities in Europe were the reason for the calling of the Constantinople Conference, where for the first time international recognition was made to the right of Bulgarians to have an independent state within its ethnical boundaries, outlined by the struggle for independent church, sanctioned by all Great Powers. Thus the April Uprising, although being a military failure, led to the biggest yet political success of the Bulgarian nation. The refusal of the Ottoman government to execute the resolutions of the Constantinople Conference led to the declaration of the Russo-Turkish war (1877-1878) where Bulgarian volunteers joined Russian and Romanian forces to expel the aggressor. After series of epical battles Russia won the war which ultimately resulted in the liberation of Bulgaria.
Modern Bulgarian state
The Modern Bulgarian State came into being on 3rd of March 1878, when the Treaty of San Stefano puts an end to the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878. Bulgaria restores its territories from 14th century (including present day Republic of Macedonia). The first Bulgarian Knyaz was Alexander of Battenberg, a German Prince who was a nephew of the Russian Emperor Alexander II. Bulgaria got big territories on the Balkans and that is why the treaty was revised at the Congress in Berlin held in June 1878. The state was divided in two – Principality of Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia, who reunited several years later – on 6th of September 1885. Although being successful union, in 1886 Knyaz Alexander I was forced to resign and the Austrian Prince Ferdinand Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was invited to ascend the throne. He also got the title Knyaz (Prince). On 22nd September 1908 Bulgaria gained its full political independence and from that time on the title of the Bulgarian ruler became a Tsar. Since 1879 the capital of Bulgaria is Sofia.
In 1912-1913 Bulgaria took part in the Balkan Wars, which changed its territory as a result. During the WW I Bulgaria was on the side of the defeated and lost a part of its lands yet again. Tsar Ferdinand abdicated and his son Tsar Boris III succeeded him to the throne.
During the WW II, reluctantly though, Bulgaria again takes the German side. After the mysterious death of Tsar Boris III, his 6-year old son Simeon II succeeded him to the throne.
After WW II the Yalta Conference allocated Bulgaria to the Soviet sphere of influence and in 1946 the lawful heir the throne was expelled from the country which was declared People's Republic. The Bulgarian Communist Party came to power and its one-party government ruled the country until the totalitarian regime of the leader Todor Zhivkov was overthrown on 10th of November 1989.
Thus the Bulgaria’s transition to democracy started. In June 1990 were held the first multiparty free parliamentary elections since 44 years. The new democratic constitution was adopted the next year. In 1992 were held the first democratic presidential elections. In 2004 Bulgaria joined NATO and in 2007 became full member of the European Union.
Politics
According to the Constitution of 1991 Bulgaria is a parliamentary republic. The Bulgarian parliament - the National Assembly - consists of 240 deputies, elected for a term of 4 years. The Parliament has legislative power, passes acts, approves the government budget, fixes dates for presidential elections, elects and recalls of the Prime Minister and the Council of Ministers, decides on declaring wars, deployment of troops outside Bulgaria and the ratification of international treaties and agreements. The President of the Republic, who has representative functions, is elected directly for a term of 5 years with the right of one-time re-election. The president is the head of the state, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Army and the Chairman of the Consulting Council on National Security. The executive power belongs to the Council of Minister, which is led by Prime Minister.
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