Despite his military and political victories, nothing seems enough to save Alexander Battenberg from his bad relationship with the Tsar of Russia.

Major Characters in this Episode

Prince Alexander

Petko Karavelov

Dragan Tsankov

Stefan Stambolov

Tsar Alexander III of Russia

Metropolitan Kliment

Timeline for this Episode

• 1886, May 11 and 18th - Elections in Southern Bulgaria for the completion of the National Assembly, presented in front of Europe as elections for Eastern Rumelia’s district assembly, which will preside alongside the fourth National Assembly.

• 1886, June 2nd - July 11th - Fourth extraordinary session of the fourth National Assembly, the first joint one for Northern and Southern Bulgaria.

• 1886, June 30th - The Prime Minister Petko Karavelov and the chairman of the National Assembly Stefan Stambolov make official actions before the governing Russian agency in Sofia for the betterment of the Bulgarian-Russian relationship.

• 1886, July 7th - The law for the constitutional amendment from the 5th of December is repealed.

• 1886, July 31st - Exarchate statute, adapted to the kingdom, introduced in Southern Bulgaria.

• 1886, Aug 9th - At 2am, russophilic officers commence a coup with the help of the Russian diplomacy and force knyaz Aleksander I to abdicate.

• 1886. August 10th - Beginning of the counter-coup, headed by Stefan Stambolov and lieutenant colonel Sava Mutkurov.

• 1886, Aug 12th - Forming of a knyazhesko governorship. Stefan Stambolov, Petko R. Slaveikov, and Georgi Stranski. Metropolitan Kliment’s cabinet resigns. The groups behind the coup form a new interim government made up of temperate politicians headed by Petko Karavelov.

• 1886, Aug 16th - Plovdiv troops enter Sofia. Petko Karavelov resigns. The governorship appoints a government made up of nationalist Russophobes, headed by Vasil Radoslavov, which declares martial law, which is canceled on August 30th 1887.

• 1886, Aug 17th - Knyaz Aleksander I returns and approves the actions of the governorship and Radoslavov’s cabinet.

• 1886, Aug 26th - Knyaz Aleksander I abdicates finally under pressure from Russia and appoints and regency: Petko Karavelov, Stefan Stambolov and lieutenant colonel Sava Mutkurov.