A series of bad decisions forces the Conservative government of Stoilov to implement harsh new taxes, triggering substantial backlash. Meanwhile, Prince Ferdinand experiences a personal tragedy while the Macedonian movement finally finds some unity.

Major Characters in this Episode

Ferdinand Saxe-Coburg-Gotha

Princess Marie-Louise

Princess Eudoxia

Princess Nadezhda

Prince Boris

Konstantin Stoilov

Lieutenant Boris Serafov

Gotse Delchev Dimitar Grekov

Tsanko Tserkovski

Todor Ivanchov

Yanko Sakozov

Timeline for this Episode

• 1898 Jan 1st - First issue of the newspaper Bulgaria by the Dragan Tsankov’s liberals.

• 1898 Jan 1st - Promulgation of the trade law that replaces the ottoman trade law from 1850 and the processional trade law from 1862.

• 1898 Jan 5th- Birth of Knyaginya Evdokia Bulgarska

• 1898 Jan 16th - Law for lotteries.

• 1898 July 26-29th - 5th congress of the Macedonian emigration - 21 associations participate.

• 1898 July - Ferdinand and Marie-Louise travel to St. Petersburg with Boris to visit the Russian Tsar

• 1898 Oct 28th - Founding of the Sofia-Hungarian association.

• 1898 throughout the year - First congress of the Bulgarian Jewish zionists in Sofia.

• 1899 Jan 9th -First issue of the newspaper “Реформи” of the Great Macedonian Committee.

• 1899 Jan 18th - Birth of Knyaginya Nadezhda Bulgarska. Her mother dies the next day.

• 1899 Jan 18th - Stoilov forced to resign and a coalition cabinet of People’s Liberals and liberals, headed by Dimitar Grekov, is formed. Stoilov’s resignation is forced over the high price paid for the purchase of the Oriental Railway Company in Rumelia from Duetsche Bank.

• 1899 Feb 22nd - The Serbian king independently equalizes the statute of the Bulgarian diplomatic representatives with that of the independent countries.

• 1899 Mar 21st - founding of the agrarian party in the village of Baladzha, Varna.

• 1899 Spring - Plea for the creation of an Agricultural union and the calling of a congress by Tsanko Bakalov.

• 1899 April 25th and May 2nd - Elections for the 10th General Assembly, won by the ruling Liberal party.

• 1899 May 1-5th - Sixth congress of the Macedonian emigration.

• 1899 May 16th - The 10th General Assembly convenes.

• 1899 June 3rd - 66 opposition MPs publish a Manifest addressing the Bulgarian people and urging them to fight Dimitar Grekov’s government.

• 1899 July 6-17th - International peace conference in The Hague. It’s the first time Bulgarian delegates participate.

• 1899 Summer - An academic expedition (Alexander Bashmakov) in Macedonia determines the Bulgarian character of the population there.

• 1899 Sept 16th - The Secret Bulgarian Revolutionary Society signs a protocol with БМОРК, merging with them under pressure from the Exarchate, the Bulgarian government, and the Supreme Committee.

• 1899 Sept 19th and 26th - additional elections for parliament, won by the Liberal party. Beginning of conflicts between Liberals and People’s Liberals that lead to the cabinet falling.

• 1899 Nov - Government introduces the new 10% tax in kind.

• 1899 Nov 16-18th - First congress of the People’s Liberals in Sofia.

• 1899 Dec 11-13th - Dragan Tsankov’s Liberals hold their own congress in Sofia and change their name to Progressive Liberal Party, headed by dr. Stoyan Danev.

• 1899 Dec 28-30th - Agricultural congress in Pleven. The Bulgarian Agricultural Union is founded.

• 1899 throughout the year - First official spelling of Bulgarian is accepted.