As the Crimean War draws to a close, nothing much is changing and yet everything is changing. The war has helped bring even more European influence to Bulgaria, manifesting itself in everything from clothes and music to revolutionary ideas. This episode explores the political, legal, and cultural changes which are rapidly remaking Bulgaria as independence draws closer.

Timeline for this Episode

• Jan 30th 1856, the first Bulgarian “cultural center” is opened in Svishtov

• 1856, Ottoman sultans move from the Topkapi palace to the Dolmabahçe Palace

• 6-18 Feb 1856, Reformation Edict, precursor to Ottomanism

• 18-30 March 1856, the Treaty of Paris is signed

• 15th April, England, France, Austria sign a treaty where they guarantee the independence and territorial integrity of the Ottoman Empire