The Kidnapping of Prince Alexander of Battenberg, his return to Bulgaria and subsequent abdication. Translated by Captain F. Beaufort

Preface

. It is less than six months since I published a book under the title of " The Struggle for Bulgarian Independence," which dealt *with the events following ou the Philippopolis revolution, the Servo-Bulgarian war, and the political incidents of that period. I should never have imagined then that I should so soon again be writing a book about Bulgaria. To-day I might well wish that its contents could be of a pleasanter description. Now, as then, have I come to Bulgaria in the service of the " Kolnische Zeitung," and have in the majority of cases been an eye-witness of the events recorded. Where however that has not been the case, my former personal relations have afforded me access at first hand to the most reliable sources, thus enabling me to render a faithful picture of the events which have been condensed into the short space of a few weeks in Bulgaria.

The overthrow of an amiable and highly-gifted Prince ; the struggle for its independence of a young and inexperienced people, but one withal imbued with the feeling of nationality — this forms the contents of this book. The struggle is not yet at an end, and the small Bulgarian nation is still engaged in defending itself with all its might against what a Bulgarian patriot with tears in his eyes once called " l'egorgement d'un peuple." The circumstance that the development of Bulgarian affairs is still far from having reached a decision, compels me to maintain a considerable reserve as regards certain matters — both of fact and more especially of a personal nature — a reserve, the reasons for which are obvious. I have however been unwilling to wait until the events, which to-day agitate Bulgaria and, one might almost say, Europe, have been so far removed by the march of time, as to offer only a "historical interest."

Let others in after years write academical books about Bulgaria ! My desire has been, while the struggle is yet in progress, to shew in what way and with what means, it is waged, and I have done so because I believe that the public has an interest in knowing it. A. VON HUHN. Sofia, 18th October, 1886. I TABLE OF CONTENTS.

Introduction

. PAGE. Difficulty of Prince Alexander's position — Russian animosity dating from the accession of Alexander III. — Various attempts to get rid of the Prince — The East-Rumelian question and the Protocol of Constantinople — The Bulgarian army after the Servian war— The Officers, and the mode adopted by the Prince's enemies with a view to their corruption . . . . . . . . . . . , , . 1 13

Chapter II

TJw Burgas Conspiracy — Tour of the Prince in East-Rumelia — The peasant Michailofi betrays the plan of the Russian Captain Nabokofi to seize the Prince at Burgas, and carry him off — Russian Priests and Montenegrins — Damnatory depositions — Suspicious action of the Russian Consulate . . 14—20

Chapter III

The final preparation for the Treason — Rumours of Servian armaments, spread with a view of ridding Sofia of those troops who were loyal to the Prince — Despatch of Captain Vasoff to Servia — His lying reports — Exchange of notes between Bulgaria, Turkey and Servia The belief in Bulgaria strengthened that Servia was about to renew the war — Discontent in Bulgaria caused by rumours of a fresh war — The Alexander Regiment despatched to Slivnitza to throw up earthworks — The Struma Regiment marches on Sofia — Sofia in possession of the Conspirators . . . . 21 — 28

Chapter IV

The Prince taken prisoner — The palace surrounded — The Struma Regiment and the cadets — The cadets force their way into the palace — The Prince seized — Deplorable bearing of some of the officers — The Prince carried off via Vratsha to Rahova — On board the yacht " Alexander " — To Reni as a Russian prisoner — Free at last | . , , . 29 — VI

Chapter V. Page

The Rebellion Triumphant— Sofia in the hands of the rebels- Bishop Clement celebrates a Tc Deum, and Bogdanoff, the Counsellor to the Embassy, receives the "adoration of the people" in front of the Russian Consulate — The Provisional Government forges the signatures of Karaveloff and others of the Prince's adherents — Thanks to these forgeries, the provinces accept the Provisional Government, and the army takes the oath of allegiance — The Revolution seems to have finally succeeded . . . . . . . . 42 — 51

Chapter VI

The Leaders of the Conspiracy— Grueff — Bendereff — Dimitrieff — Bishop Clement — Dragan Zankoff . . . . . . 52 — 61

Chapter VII

After the Revolution — Unfavourable reception of the Revolution in the Country — Rumours of risings in the Provinces — The Clement-Grueff Government recognises the position as untenable — Popoff marches into Sofia with the Alexander Regiment — The Karaveloff-Stambuloff-Nikiforoff Regency — Political — Negotiations with the rebels — They withdraw -to Bresnik .. .. 62-72

Chapter VIII

The rising in the Provinces — Captain Veltscheff raises the Standard in Philippopolis — Lieutenant-Colonel Mutkuroff assumes the command — The Rhodope and Balkan Regiments join — Telegraphic negotiations — Messages to Tirnova Proclamation by Stambuloff — Stambuloff and Mutkuroff request the Prince to return to Bulgaria— Lieutenant-Colonel Lubomski and Major Usunoff in Widdin declare for the Prince — Other Regiments follow . . 73—86

Chapter IX

The Prince's Return — Prince Alexander hears in Lemberg that the Bulgarian Army has risen in his favour — Decides to return to Bulgaria — The return journey through Austria and Rumania becomes a triumphal progress — Enthusiastic reception in Bulgaria — Via Rustchuk, Sistova, Tirnova to Philippopolis — Outrage on the railway at Tirnova-Semenli — State entry into Sofia 87—102

Chapter X

The Foreign Verdict — Prince Alexander and his-" influence on the press" — Judgment passed on the action of Russia — The Bulgarians cruelly misunderstood — German public opinion, and the German Government — Close connection between Bulgarian affairs and the interior politics of Germany — Austria-Hungary — Part played by the Tzechs — Tardy recognition of the necessity for preserving the union of the small Danube States — England's weak policy — The Panslavists. 103—115

CHAPTER XL

PAGe. The, Two Cousins— Two important telegrams— The relations of the Prince with the Emperor of Russia— The Prince's "ingratitude" and his "English policy"— Who is to blame for the estrangement ? — Vain efforts of the Prince to effect a reconciliation — The telegram of submission, a political error .. .. .. ., .. ,, __ 116—126

Chapter XII

Sofia before the arrival of the Prince — Proclamation by the Prince — Resignation of Karaveloff's Government — Mutkuroff enters Sofia with the Rumelian Regiments — Actual military dictatorship — Karaveloff, Tsanoff, Zankoff, Clement, Nikiforoff, and Panoff arrested — Consternation in Sofia — Zeal of the Rumelians abates — No executions — The rebels at Bresnik . . . . . . . . . . . . 127 — 134

Chapter XIII

Abdication of tlie Prince — The Prince informs the officers that he is going to resign — Negotiations for the formation of a Regency — The Powers veto the only method by which permanent tranquillity is possible, viz., the execution of the conspirators — Bogdanoff again — Fides Punica— The Stambuloff-Karaveloff-Mutkuroff Regency — Plan of the officers for the retention of the Prince . . . . . . 135 — 143

Chapter XIV

The leave-taking of a deposed Prince — Departure from Sofia — From Sofia to Lompalanka — On board the ' ' Alexander ' ' - Magnificent reception at Widdin — Demonstrations by the Rumanians and Servians — At Turn-Severin — " Aus Wiedersehen ! " 144—156

Chapter XV

Bulgaria witltout the Prince— A "Prince's Party" — The Opportunists — Russian diplomacy — The question of the military conspirators and Germany — Russification ; the army will have none of it . . . . . . . . . . 157—167

Chapter XVI

The Sobranye — A congratulatory address from 200 Deputies to Prince Alexander — Removal of the Tzar's portrait from the Sobranye — Gadban Effendi takes the Tzar under his high protection — The proceedings open with cheers for Prince Alexander — A telegram to the Emperor of Russia, and the reply of the Chamber to the Regents' message — Noisy opposition — The State purchases the Prince's private possessions— Aspect of the Sobranye — Constitutional question . . . . . . . . . . . . , . 168 —

Chapter XVII

page. The investigation — Statements of Bendereff and Grueff — Nikiforoff, Tzanoff and Karaveloff accused — Bendereff and Grueff declare that they had feared a war with Servia — Negotiations through Tzanoff with the Russian Consul 179 — 192

Chapter XVIII

Kaulbars at Sofia — The former exploits of Kaulbars in Bulgaria — His welcome by a Tzech and a Finnish woman — " The Regents and Ministers are vagabonds and rascals " — The "three points" and the "twelve points " - The question of the officers and its possible breadth of application — Rebels and Nihilists — " His Majesty, the Emperor, knows the Bulgarian law better than the Bulgarians " — The Bulgarians refuse obedience, and Kaulbars tries to excite revolts — The Macedonians and Babadjhan — Kaulbars as a demagogue — Kaulbars meets with a fearful reverse, but is quite content — Journey abroad to discover the " true people " 193—219

Chapter XIX

Kaulbars on his travels — To Orkhanie, Vratsha, and Plevna — Points and Counterpoints — The Officers at Sistova misconstrue the good intentions of M. Kaulbars in a lamentable manner — The good peasants of Knasha. — M. Kaulbars becomes incautious — Rustchuk and Shumla— Disillusions — The Regiments do not march on Tirnova — Major Petroff causes M. Kaulbars grief — The wicked people of Varna 220 — 231

Chapter XX

The Elections —The security of Sofia — Major Popoff — Arrival of the peasants — Speech by Neklyudoff — " The elections are null and void " — The assault of the Sheepskins on the polling booths is repulsed — " To the Russian Consulate " — M. Neklyudoff's menagerie — Neklyudoff finds himself at variance with his colleagues regarding his humanitarian task — Sofia s' amuse — A first collision — The windows of the English Consulate are broken — A second collision — Russian kavasses open fire on the crowd - The German and English Consulates are at the same time bombarded M. Neklyudoff becomes alarmed at the state of affairs and dismisses the peasants — The latter are arrested — Neklyudoff's diplomatic campaign— The result of the elections in Sofia and the provinces — The Dubnitza murders . . . . 232 249