bulgarian originally spelled pronounced born july february bulgarian revolutionary national hero bulgaria dubbed freedom revolutionary movement liberate bulgaria ottoman rule founding sought nationwide uprising network secret regional committees born sub balkan town middle class parents orthodox monk join bulgarian serbia bulgarian revolutionary groups abroad acquired nickname working teacher bulgarian lands propagated views developed concept bulgaria based revolutionary organisation innovative idea superseded foreign based detachment strategy past romania helped institute composed bulgarian tours bulgaria established wide network committees ottoman authorities captured inn near executed hanging looked act liberation envisioned pure sacred bulgarian republic ethnic religious equality concepts described struggle human rights inspired progressive french revolution 19th century western european society commemorated monuments bulgaria serbia numerous national institutions bear topped nationwide television poll time greatest bulgarian historical background medieval ceased exist falling ottoman domination ottoman system laws turned subjects second class citizens religious differences created cultural empire 19th century economic hardships prompted sick man europe meant ottoman state residents suffered muslim subjects reforms planned faced difficulties bulgarian nationalism gradually emerged mid-19th century economic bulgarian merchants development bulgarian funded popular education struggle autonomous political actions formation separate bulgarian state laid foundation autonomous serbia late greece established independent state wake greek war independence support gaining independence armed struggle ottomans universal revolutionary sentiment concentrated largely educated urban sectors populace support organized revolt merchants traders feared ottoman economic stability widespread rural land ownership biography early life education born july july town ottoman_empire european province namesake maternal uncle superior abbot parents née came family clergy members emerging bulgarian middle class eminent struggling local died younger brothers older sister sister maria died childhood fellow revolutionary later described adult medium height having appearance light blue eyes blond hair small added smoking drinking memories appearance supported contemporaries revolutionary writer teacher differences claimed tall medium height noted light brown eyes appeared began education school studying local apprentice uncle envoy monastery took attended school worked servant afterward joined clerical training course december orthodox monk monastery religious promoted later inspired informal nicknames bulgarian legion educational work inspired revolutionary ideas left serbian capital belgrade spring belgrade assembling bulgarian legion military detachment formed bulgarian volunteers revolutionary workers seeking overthrow ottoman rule abandoning service monk enlisted volunteer time relations serbs ottoman tense turkish forces entered city legion distinguished militant conflicts belgrade eventually resolved disbanded ottoman pressure september courage training fighting earned nickname legion disbandment joined detachment returned belgrade discovering plans invade bulgaria failed spring returned bulgarian lands brief stay romania uncle reported rebel ottoman authorities imprisoned months released help doctor russian vice consul officially relinquished religious office march worked teacher near supported gave shelter persecuted organised patriotic groups population activity caused suspicion ottoman authorities forced spring spring taught villages near detachment second bulgarian legion november visited revolutionary bands led bulgarian community romania invade bulgaria organise anti ottoman resistance recommendation selected standard bearer detachment april band crossed danube moved region reached band fled serbia august serbia government favourable bulgarian revolutionaries aspirations allowed establish belgrade organisation similar predecessor goals prominent member legion february april suffered condition required surgery participate legion training legion disbanded political pressure attempted reunite arrested briefly imprisoned release went romania revolutionary detachments reasons including stomach problems strategic differences participate winter acquainted poet revolutionary lived abandoned near bulgarian tours work romania rejecting detachment strategy internal propaganda undertook tour bulgarian lands engage layers bulgarian society successful revolution december travelled steamship istanbul starting point trek lasted february returned romania reconnaissance mission thought visited establishing links local patriots month stay returned bulgaria second tour lasting august tour carried printed romania political figure representative bulgarian provisional government travelled according researchers established earliest secret committees tour assumptions based uncertain data late august following year active romanian capital contact revolutionary writer journalist participation foundation bulgarian literary society approved writing publications gathered number followers initiated foundation revolutionary organisation included founding member statute disagreement planning departed spring began action concept internal revolutionary network despite insufficient documentation activities known spent year half establishing wide network secret committees bulgarian cities villages network centred called bulgaria provisional government goal committees prepare coordinated uprising network committees central bulgarian regions particularly revolutionary committees established parts macedonia peripheral urban centres committees purchased armaments organised detachments volunteers according study organisation members early 1870s members intellectuals traders layers bulgarian society represented individuals obtained membership secrecy initiation ritual involved formal oath allegiance gospel christian cross gun knife treason death secret police monitored member activities clandestine channels reliable people relations maintained revolutionary community internal correspondence employed conventional signs fake personal committee names headed organisation shared administrative responsibilities assistants monk turned revolutionary adventurous young semi legendary stories surround creation persecuted ottoman authorities offered turkish death capture resorted evade arrest travels example known dyed hair worn variety national costumes autumn published instruction workers liberation bulgarian people draft statute containing ideological sections sent local committees community discussion political experience amassed evident correspondence dating time views revolution clearly matured expanded coordinated activities based initiative general assembly called april assembly delegates approved programme statute elected organisation leader authorised executive body legitimate representative bulgarian lands attending assembly returned bulgaria reorganised internal structure accordance recommendations reduced regular local committee region wide revolutionary centres founded lack funds precipitated organisation crisis man important strategic tactical matters increasingly questioned capture execution situation assistant robbed ottoman postal convoy pass september approval leadership movement robbery successful provided perpetrators soon arrested preliminary investigation trial revealed revolutionary organisation size close relations prisoners confession revealed leading role realising danger decided flee romania meet discuss events collect important documentation committee archive constitute important evidence seized ottomans stayed nearby village inn surprised arrested morning december starting writings accepted version priest named betrayed police theory disputed researchers lack evidence initially taken interrogation sent january taken trial acknowledged identity reveal details related organisation taking blame ottoman authorities sentenced death hanging sentence carried february february stands location grave uncertain 1980s writer campaigned burial place concluded possible death intensified crisis bulgarian revolutionary movement committees soon years hanging russo turkish war secured liberation bulgaria ottoman rule wake april uprising treaty san march established bulgarian state autonomous bulgaria ottoman revolutionary theory ideas end 1860s developed revolutionary theory saw bulgarian liberation movement armed uprising ottoman_empire insurrection prepared controlled coordinated internally central revolutionary organisation include local revolutionary committees parts bulgaria operate independently foreign factors theory resulted repeated failures implement ideas effectively use foreign based armed detachments provoke general revolt idea entirely independent revolution enjoy approval entire population fact prominent bulgarian revolutionary advocate instead regarded intervention great powers feasible solution envisioned bulgaria democratic republic occasionally finding common ground declaration rights man citizen largely reflecting liberal ideas french revolution contemporary western society said free complete liberty bulgarian lives bulgaria macedonia people ethnicity live heaven equal rights bulgarian flag says pure sacred republic time single deed achieve french brothers seeking held religious ethnic groups free bulgaria turks jews enjoy equal rights reiterated bulgarian revolutionaries fought sultan government turkish people religion driving away turkish people faith emperor laws word turkish government ruling way prepared sacrifice life revolution place bulgaria bulgarian people personal interests shall win shall win entire people shall lose shall lose liberated bulgaria national leader high ranking official free order ducks isn right spirit planned assist oppressed peoples world liberation bulgaria advocated strict regular accounting revolutionary organisation tolerate corruption commemoration cities villages bulgaria contributions liberation movement commemorated numerous monuments streets bear monuments exist outside bulgaria belgrade serbia serbia romania paris france washington united_states buenos_aires argentina museums dedicated organised monument erected site execution institutions bulgaria named honour include football club bulgaria national stadium bears national stadium bulgarian circulation featured portrait monument reverse town villages country named honour place names commission bulgaria named ridge peak islands respectively life widely featured bulgarian literature popular culture poet revolutionary dedicated work hanging poem probably written late prose poetry writer devoted ode revolutionary titled published cycle epic forgotten inspired works writers songs devoted found folklore tradition macedonia february nationwide poll conducted great television local spin greatest named greatest bulgarian time motions saint historian emphasised post life martyr incompatible orthodox concept makes reference threatened wealthy death endorsed theft rich pragmatic revolutionary purposes voluntarily gave religious office devote secular struggle liberation hanging observed annually bulgaria february instead february erroneous calculation 19th century julian calendar dates bulgaria adopted calendar location grave determined hair exhibit gave shaved hair mother later sister preserved personal items silver christian cross copper water vessel revolver austria hungary imprisonment exhibited military history museum sabre seen regional museum
Vasil Levski