Timeline of Bulgaria’s History

Bulgaria’s lands were inhabited from prehistoric times and were part of several ancient civilizations.

Here is a Brief Timeline of Bulgaria’s History:

681	Khan Asparuch, the Proto-Bulgarian leader, defeated the defending Byzantine army at the Danube and took over the territory south to the Danube river. He founded the First Bulgarian Kingdom, with its capital Pliska.
855	Cyril and Methodius created the first Slavonic alphabet, thus making the Bulgarian language the fourth literary language in Europe.
866	Tsar Boris I converted to Christianity and began the convertion of the Bulgarian people.
893	Tsar Simeon I came to power and moved the capital from Pliska to Preslav.
927	Bulgarian Capital moved to Ochrid, in present-day Macedonia.
1018–1187	Bulgaria lost independence and was incorporated into the Byzantine Empire.
1218–1241	Bulgarian Kingdom under Tsar Ivan Assen II, with capital in Veliko Tarnovo, expanded and reached the Adriatic and Aegean Seas.
1392-1878	Bulgaria lost its independence and became part of the Ottoman Empire
1762	Paissy Hylendarsky wrote the Slav-Bulgarian History and marked the beginning of the National Revival period
1878	Liberation of Bulgaria from 5 century-long Ottoman domination – the Treaty of San Stefano – Bulgaria was supposed to regain its former territories; Treaty of Berlin – the great powers took away 2/3 of the territorial gains. Prince Alexander Battenberg arrived to take charge of Bulgaria
1879	Sofia became capital of Bulgaria
1885	Unification of Bulgaria
1886	Prince Ferdinand I of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha was elected Prince
1908	Declaration of Independence, Prince Ferdinand became Tsar Ferdinand
1912	1st Balkan war: Bulgaria,Serbia,and Greece against Turkey
1913	2nd Balkan War: Bulgaria was defeated by Serbia, Greece, Romania and Turkey, lost territory on all sides.
1915	World War I
1919	Peace Treaty of Neuilly: Bulgaria lost land on all sides.
1918-1934	A time of instability under Tsar Boris III
1941	Bulgaria joined World War II on the side of the Axis Powers
1944	Soviet army crossed into Bulgaria
1946	Establishment of the Peoples Republic of Bulgaria with Soviet model of development
1954	Todor Zhivkov was elected 1st secretary of the Central Committee of the Bulgarian Communist Party
1989	Todor Zhivkov was released from his responsibilities
1990	First free elections in Bulgaria
2002	Bulgaria was invited to join the EU with a probable date in 2007
2004	Bulgaria became a member of NATO
2005	Prime minister Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha signed the EU Treaty of Accession of Bulgaria.
2007	Bulgaria became an EU member

Reading List:

The History of the First Bulgarian Empire by Steven Runciman, G.BELL&SONS Ltd London, 1930;

A Short History of Modern Bulgaria by R.J.Crampton, Cambridge University Press

Travels in the Slavonic provinces of Turkey in Europe by Georgina Mary Muir (Mackenzie) & Irby, Adelina Paulina.

Mission on the Balkans by Noel and Charles “Roden” Buxton, http://berberian11.tripod.com/ilchev_buxton.htm ;

History of the Balkans by Barbara Jelavich,Cambridge University Press, 1983;

The Balkans 1804-1999 by Misha Glenny, Granta Books, London, 1999;

Bulgaria in Transition: Politics, Economics, Society, and Culture after Communism, Contributors: John D. Bell – editor. Publisher: West view Press; https://openlibrary.org/publishers/Westview_Press