By the 18th century, the Ottomans had fallen well behind the rest

of Europe in science, technology, and industry. However, the Bulgarian population was also suppressed socially and politically under Ottoman rule. In 1875, taxes levied on non-Muslims were

raised for fear of a state bankruptcy, which, in turn, caused additional tension between Muslims and Christians and

facilitated the breakout of the Herzegovinian rebellion and the Stara Zagora revolt in Bulgaria. The failure of the Ottomans to handle the Herzegovinian uprising successfully showed the

weakness of the Ottoman state while the brutalities which ensued, discredited additionally the empire to the outside world.

Reasons

In November 1875, activists of the Bulgarian Revolutionary Central Committee met in the

Romanian town of Giurgiu and decided that the political situation was suitable for a general

uprising. The uprising was scheduled for May 1876. The territory of the country was divided into five revolutionary districts with centers in Vratsa,

Veliko Tarnovo, Sliven, Plovdiv and Sofia. The rebels had been hoarding arms and ammunition for some time and even constructed makeshift

cannon out of cherry-wood.

Preparation

On 14th April 1876, a general meeting of the committees from the fourth revolutionary district was

held in the Oborishte locality near Panagyurishte to discuss the proclamation of the insurrection. One of the delegates, however, disclosed the plot to the Ottoman authorities. On 20th April 1876, Ottoman police made

an attempt to arrest the leader of the local revolutionary committee in Koprivshtitsa, Todor Kableshkov.

He kills the ottomans who wants to arrest him.Then he writes a letter to the leaders of the April

uprising in which he says ”Let`s upraise and take back our country”. In the end he puts bloody cross as signature.

With his shot, the first one, the uprising begins.

In conformity with the decisions taken at Oborishte, on the 20 April 1876 the local rebel committee attacked and surrounded the headquarters of the Ottoman police in Koprivshtitsa commanded by Nedzhip Aga. At least two Ottoman police officials were killed Aga was forced to release arrested Bulgarian rebel suspects. Nedzhip Aga and his close officials managed to escape the siege. Within several days, the rebellion spread to the whole Sredna Gora and to a number of towns and villages in the northwestern Rhodopes. The insurrection broke out in the other revolutionary districts, as well, though on a much smaller scale.

Outbreak

The uprising is crushed with inhumanly cruelty.

30 000 people are killed, most of whom are peaceful women and children.

80 villages are burnt to the ground.

Suppression

Other 200 are partly destroyed.

This barbarian cruelty becomes famous to the democratic society in Europa. The leader of the Bulgarian church exarch Anthem I gives information about the committed murders to ambassadors of the European countries in the Ottoman capital Istanbul. In July 1876 the areas of the revolt are visited by special diplomatic commission. In it takes part Mackgahan the correspondent of the British newspaper “Daily News” who sends horrible descriptions of what he has seen to his newspaper. After him other European journalists write in support of the Bulgarians. In 200 European newspapers are published over 3000 articles. The most respectable deputies of the Europeanproperty, politicians, writers, scientists proclaim their support to the Bulgarians.

European reaction

The governments of Great Britain, France, Germany, Austro-Hungary, Italy and Russia, pressed by public movements, organize diplomatic conference, which suggests to the Ottoman empire a project for autonomy of the Bulgarians. But the project is rejected. Then the European countries give permission to Russia to start a war, which ends with conquering Bulgaria. That is how the sacrifice of the participants in the April uprising becomes reason for the rise of the Bulgarian country. After the April uprising deciding the Bulgarian question becomes center of the European policy in 1876, 1877 and 1878. The European political map is changed. The Berlin treaty in 1878 is signed by Great Britain, Germany, Austro-Hungary, Italy, Russia and the Ottoman empire. He edits on the European map Bulgaria, but also contains a lot of changes in the borders of other countries in the southeast of Europe. The determined balance of the other countries` interests with this treaty keeps the peace between them until 1914.

The Russian-Turkish War is a conflict between the Ottoman Empire and the Russian Empire and composed of several Balkan countries. Fought in the Balkans and in the Caucasus, it originated in emerging 19th-century Balkan nationalism.

Russian-Turkish War