Stamboliiski learns the unexpected value of curroption, outplays his international rivals, and finally manages to eliminate a direct threat to his regime.
Major Characters in this Episode:
Prime Minister Alexander Stamboliiski
King Alexander of Yugoslavia
Tsar Boris III of Bulgaria
Minister of Defense Alexander Dimitrov
Timeline for this episode:
1921, Aug 10th - The Allied Supreme Council announces neutrality in the Greco-Turkish war, abandoning the Treaty of Sèvres that had guaranteed territory in Anatolia for Greece.
1921, Aug 16th - Prince Alexander becomes King of Yugoslavia after the death of his father.
1921 Sep 8th - Greek forces evacuate Izmir.
1921, Sep 14th - The Entente forces Bulgaria to close its state monopoly on grain exports.
1921 Sep 25th - The first Bulgarian radio station is established.
1921, Oct 14th - A committee called the People’s Agreement is established bringing together all the opposition parties (except the communists), reservists, and non-party intellectuals with the goal of unifying the opposition and overthrowing the Agrarian government.
1921 Oct 22nd - Macedonian activists under voivode Ivan Berlio kill the Minister of Defense Alexander Dimitrov.
1921 Oct 24th - “Enhanced martial law” is declared in the Sofia, Kyustendil, and Petritch districts.
1921 Nov 2rd - The government establishes a committee to handle Russian refugees. It allocates 2 million leva for the rescue of 3,000 Russian children.
1921 Dec 4th - The founding congress of the Macedonian Federalist Emigrant Organization is held. It advocates for an independent Macedonia with a federal structure. It agrees to work with the VMRO and Albanians.
1921, Dec 26th - A congress is held for the People’s Union for the Protection of Land Property in Bulgaria. It aims to fight against the Agrarian party’s land reforms.
1921 Dec - A Committee for Rural Dictatorship is established within the Agrarian party to prepare for a violent confrontation with its enemies.
1922 Jan - Boris’ siblings visit Bulgaria for the first time since their father’s exile.
1922, Feb 1st - The semi-official body of the committee for Rural Dictatorship “Pobeda” begins to operate.
1922, Feb 11th - Town and village council elections are held.
1922, Feb-Aug - The Minister of Education orders the Rector of Sofia University to fire 8 people who are in leadership positions at opposition parties. The University refuses.
1922, Mar 4-17th - Censorship, martial law, and military courts are ended.
1922, Mar 8th - Students support the fired professors with a petition to the National Assembly.
1922, Mar 11th - A student demonstration in support of the fired professors is dispersed by police and classes are canceled. The Ministry of Education suspends the salaries of all striking professors, though the public gathers funds to pay them.
1922 Mar 14th - Martial law is declared for all of Bulgaria.
1922, Mar 30th - Romanian police arrest the leader of the illegal Bulgarian National Liberation Movement in Dobrich. This leads to 400 more arrests. Ultimately 72 Bulgarians will be convicted of conspiracy against the state. The incident is known as the Rashenov Affair.
1922 Mar-Sep - Bulgaria defies the Inter-Allied Control Commission on reparations and receives a three year reprieve.
1922, Apr 10-May 19th - Bulgaria participates in the Genoa Conference but fails to obtain the promised port on the Aegean.
1922, May 1st - Russian intellectuals in Bulgaria are ordered to return to Russia after being granted amnesty by the Soviet Government
1922, Jun - Relations between Bulgaria and Yugoslavia worsen over border violence.
1922, Aug 17th - The deputy Minister of Education finally yields to Sofia University while the Minister is on a mission to Brazil, ending the crisis.
Sources used in this episode:
История на България в Дати by Vasil Katsunov, Plamen Mitev, Valeri Kolev, Evgenia Kalinova, and Iskra Baeva
Crown of Thorns: The Reign of King Boris III of Bulgaria 1918-1943 by Stephane Groueff
Aleksandur Stamboliiski by R.J. Crampton
Peasants in Power by John D. Bell
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