Bulgaria's newly elected Grand National Assembly scours Europe for a suitable monarch while the great powers find themselves on the brink of war over the issue. Amidst this tension, a candidate emerges.

Major Characters in this Episode

Stefan Stambolov

Tsar Alexander III of Russia

Vasil Radoslavov

Ferdinand Saxe-Coburg-Gotha

Princess Clémentine of Orléans

Otto Von Bismarck

Queen Victoria

Atanas Uzonov The Prince of Mingrelia

Alexander Tsankov

Timeline for this Episode

• 1886 Nov - Supporters of the authorities persecute metropolitan Simeon Varnensko-Preslavski from Varna and he hides in Russe until February 1888. Committees of Bulgarian immigrants form in the cities the Russophiles deflected to. The committees start planning an uprising against the regency.

• 1886 Dec 1st - The first Bulgarian exarchate, Antrim I, dies in Vidin at the age of 70.

• 1886 Dec 2nd - The Bulgarian delegates meet with prince Ferdinand for the first time in the opera.

• 1886 Dec 4th - 37 Russophile leaders present a petition to the Grand Vizier to occupy Bulgaria.

• 1886 throughout the year - St Nedelya is finished. Other cathedrals are also finished; A fellowship (St Sava) for the Serbian cause is formed in Macedonia. They attract Bulgarian youths with scholarships to Belgrade high schools and for the Great school, but most of them drop out and continue their education in Sofia; Installation of the first village telephone center in Sofia with 5 outposts - the Palace, the prime minister, the General Directorate of Posts, the fourth police district and the first private phone subscriber - P. Kaufman, a Krup (Круп) representative.

• 1887 February 26th - Petition by Dragan Tsankov to the great vizier with a request for the Gate to occupy the kingdom.

• 1887, March 17-19th - Secret mission of the Ruse regional governor, Dimiter Mantov, to negotiate with the Russian ambassador in Bucharest. On the 19th he’s shot by Russophiles and gravely injured but survives.

• 1887, March - Great Britain, Austria-Hungary and Italy form the Mediterranean agreement, which supports the regents.

• 1887, June 25th - By suggestion of the regents, the 3rd Supreme National Assembly elects prince Ferdinand as knyaz, despite opposition from the government.