In the article, we will talk about Boris Tsar of Bulgaria, who is also called Boris III. This is a very interesting historical figure who took an active part during the Second World War and its background. We will get acquainted with this famous king from the earliest years of his life.
Birth
Boris (king of Bulgaria) was born in 1894, January 30. The boy was born under gunshots. Thus, the imperial family announced that they had their first son - the son of Tsar Ferdinand and his wife Maria Bourbon-Parma.
The political situation in the country at that time was rather tense. The Grand Duchy was created only in 1878, it was still too young. A small Orthodox state, a vassal of the Ottoman Empire and ruled by two Catholics. Relations with Russia were strained at that time, since the Russian nobility did not like the fact that the Catholic and the native of Austria-Hungary chose to rule Bulgaria. It should be borne in mind that Ferdinand chose the anti-Russian campaign. Despite the fact that Russia was also Orthodox, it did not want to recognize the power of the new ruler.
Tarnovsky Prince Boris was originally baptized as a Catholic, but his father thought about how to convert the boy to the Orthodox faith. This would help improve relations with their people and establish more friendly relations with Russia. However, this state of affairs could significantly worsen relations with Europe, where some rulers in the event of such an outcome threatened with war or excommunication. However, political motives eventually prevailed and the little Boris Tsar of Bulgaria was transferred to the Orthodox faith. The godfather of the future ruler was Nicholas II. Ferdinand was excommunicated for this from the Catholic Church, and his wife and his second son Cyril had to temporarily disappear from the yard.
Parenting
Grandmother from the side of Clementine Orleans' father dealt with Bulgarian king Boris. The fact is that the boy’s mother died in January 1899, that is, almost immediately after the second daughter Nadia was born. The daughter of the king of France, Louis Philippe Clementine of Orleans, also died, but much later. She left this world in 1907. Further, the education of the young ruler fell on the shoulders of his father. Ferdinand personally engaged in the selection of teachers for the king of Bulgaria Boris 3. It was he who gave them instructions to be as strict as possible with the boy.
His son studied exactly the same subjects as all the children in Bulgarian schools. In addition, he still studied French and German. I must say that Boris possessed them perfectly. After that, he also learned English, Albanian and Italian. Talented officers arrived at the palace in order to engage in military education of the guy.
Ferdinand paid special attention to the science of natural sciences, and believed that they should be studied with great care. I must say that his son Boris carried the love of such sciences through his life. The son and father were very interested in technology and especially locomotives. In the fall of 1910, the guy successfully passed the exam for a railway mechanic. Despite all this, Boris quite endured life in the palace, with all the many rituals, rituals and conventions, calling it a "prison". It was not so easy to get along with his father, a rather authoritarian person.
In the winter of 1906, a young man, having the rank of lieutenant, entered the Military School. After 6 years, the guy graduated from college and received the rank of captain.
Politics around
In September 1908, Ferdinand ascended the throne. Then he publicly declared that the country is completely independent. Since 1911, the future prince of Bulgaria Boris began to travel abroad and gradually get out from under the full care of his father. At the same time, the boy became more and more popular and famous on the world stage. In 1911, the young man visited two important events. He witnessed the coronation of George V, which took place in London, and attended the funeral of Queen Mary Pius, which took place in Turin. Moreover, the young guy was not just an observer, he joined the circle of members of the royal families, noble families and heads of state.
Balkan Wars
September 1, the guy went to visit his godfather. At this time, the young man witnessed the death of Prime Minister Peter Stolypin in the Kiev opera. Finally, in the winter of 1912, the guy became an adult. Until that moment, the future tsar associated himself with both Catholics and Orthodox, but after adulthood, he recognized that he was faithful only to Orthodoxy. As we already know, in the same year he received the official rank of captain. And just 9 months later, the First Balkan War was launched, in which the unification of the Serbs, Montenegrins, Greeks and Bulgarians opposed the ruler of the Ottoman Empire in order to conquer Macedonia. Boris took a direct part in the war as a liaison officer, and was repeatedly at the forefront.
Despite the fact that it was still possible to win, the association of winners simply could not share the fruits of their work. Then Bulgaria decided to take vigorous action and launch an attack on its former allies in order to divide Macedonia. That was the beginning of the Second Balkan War. In this case, the king of Bulgaria Boris again took part in the course of the war. The war ended in defeat, as a large number of soldiers suffered from cholera. Young Boris, who was observing the situation, after this incident became a pacifist.
Renunciation
After such an outcome of events, it seemed that there was no other way out than Ferdinand's abdication of the throne. Advisers believed that Boris should immediately leave the palace and go into the ranks of the regular army. For a while he had to separate from his father, so as not to be associated with his rule. However, the guy himself spoke out that he would not hold on to power, and if the monarch left, his son would leave the palace. However, everything did not happen at all as it was expected around. Ferdinand did not abdicate, and Boris was sent to the Military Academy.
In 1915, Ferdinand decided to enter the First World War, but Boris did not support the decision. Great Britain and France learned about this and recognized him king in 1918.
Throne
First of all, it should be noted that under the former king, the country suffered several defeats. At first it was the Second Balkan War, because of which Bulgaria lost territories and even paid reparations. The second defeat was World War I, as a result of which the country again lost its territory and access to the Aegean Sea, paid reparations. The population was unhappy, other rulers did not want to recognize the king. He abdicated in favor of his son and in the fall of 1918, Boris ascended the throne.
His reign did not start very well, as he lacked experience, he could not communicate with his family. In addition, crop failure, foreign occupation and the card system affected. All this led to increased activity of ultra-left parties. It should be added that from all the countries participating in the First World War, only Bulgaria retained monarchical rule.
First time
In 1919, according to the election results, the Bulgarian Agricultural People's Union won. The king had to appoint Alexander of Istanbul as Prime Minister. Since Bulgaria remained an agrarian country, Alexander was loved by the people. The man showed a negative attitude towards the army and the middle class, towards the monarchist system and tried to build authoritarian rule. Boris the king of Bulgaria has repeatedly expressed his displeasure to him, but nothing has changed.
In the summer of 1923, a military coup took place, as a result of which the Istanbul was shot, and the leader of the movement, Alexander Tsankov, was appointed prime minister of the new government. This event marked the beginning of a long period of instability. In the fall, the Communists revolted, and after that the White Terror began. As a result of the actions of terrorist and anti-terrorist forces, more than 20 thousand people died. In 1925, Greece declared war on Bulgaria. Despite the fact that the League of Nations was trying to improve the situation inside the country, the situation remained extremely precarious.
Assassination attempts
In 1925, during a hunt near the town of Orhaniye, Boris was assassinated, but he managed to escape by a passing car. Three days after this, the Holy Week Cathedral was the funeral of the general who was killed during the assassination attempt on the king, which was attended by many representatives of the authorities. Communists and anarchists seized the opportunity to plant a bomb. The explosion occurred during the ceremony itself, killing more than a hundred people. Boris was late for the funeral service of the general, since he was at the funeral of his friend. After this, a wave of repression by the government took place, many people were arrested on suspicion of rebellion and sentenced to death.
Last years
Only in 1934 did a man get married. His chosen one was Giovanni - the daughter of Victor Emanuel III.
In the same year, a military coup occurred, which led to the complete dictatorship of Boris. Some ministers of the king expressed a desire to draw closer to Hitler, and the king did not put up any special obstacles to this. In 1938, he participated in world politics to "appease" Hitler. As a result of the division of land, Bulgaria received Southern Dobrudja, some areas of Macedonia, access to the sea. Realizing that most of his people had pro-Russian sentiments, the tsar did not declare war on the USSR and decided not to send his soldiers to the Eastern Front. Who would have thought that on August 28, 1941, Tsar of Bulgaria Boris had only a year to live.
At the same time, the ruler managed to save about 50 thousand Jews. German troops in Bulgaria were only along the railway that led to Greece. On August 28, 1942, Tsar Boris died in Bulgaria, presumably from a heart attack. This happened a few days after meeting Hitler. The successor was his son Simeon, who at that time was 6 years old.
On August 28, Tsar Boris was gone in Bulgaria under rather vague circumstances, which will be investigated more than once.
In art
On the screen of the great king was portrayed by actor Naum Shopov. In 1965, the film “The Tsar and the General” was released, and in 1976 the film “Soldiers of Freedom” was released. In the famous television series "Vangelia" the king was played by D. Dimov. The cause of death of the king of Bulgaria Boris in each tape is explained in its own way. Moreover, no one believes in the natural outcome of events.