A Short History of Bulgaria
Thracians and Romans
People have lived in these lands since the Palaeolithic. The Varna culture produced gold objects more than 6,000 years ago. Thracian tribes formed the Odrysian kingdom around 470 BC; the region later came under Persian, Macedonian and Roman rule, and Rome built towns such as Philippopolis, today’s Plovdiv, where its theatre still stands.1,3
The medieval empires
Slavs settled the Balkans in the 6th and 7th centuries. Bulgars led by Khan Asparukh crossed the Danube, and a treaty with Byzantium in 681 recognised their state south of the river: the First Bulgarian Empire. Under Boris I the country adopted Christianity in 864, and the Cyrillic script was developed at the Preslav Literary School in the following decades. Under Tsar Simeon I it became a serious rival to Byzantium.1,2
Byzantium conquered Bulgaria in 1018. A revolt led by the brothers Peter and Asen restored independence in 1185 and began the Second Bulgarian Empire, with its capital at Veliko Tarnovo.1,2
Ottoman rule and the Liberation
The Ottomans took Tarnovo in 1393 and Vidin in 1396, and ruled for almost five centuries. From the 18th century a National Revival brought Bulgarian schools, literature and a separate church. The April Uprising of 1876 was crushed, and the massacres that followed turned European opinion. Russia’s war with the Ottoman Empire in 1877–1878, with Bulgarian volunteers, led to an autonomous Bulgarian principality; 3 March is now the national holiday, Liberation Day.1,2
The modern state
The principality united with Eastern Rumelia in 1885 and declared full independence in 1908. Bulgaria fought in the Balkan Wars and the First World War, and sided with Germany in the Second. In 1946 the monarchy was abolished and the country became a communist state in the Soviet bloc, led from 1956 to 1989 by Todor Zhivkov. The Communist Party gave up its monopoly on power in 1989, and the Constitution of 1991 created the present parliamentary republic.1,3,5
Key dates
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 681 | Byzantium recognises the Bulgarian state by treaty; the First Bulgarian Empire begins |
| 864 | Boris I adopts Christianity |
| c. 886 | The Cyrillic script is developed at the Preslav Literary School |
| 1018 | Bulgaria falls under Byzantine rule |
| 1185 | The revolt of Peter and Asen begins the Second Bulgarian Empire |
| 1396 | The fall of Vidin completes the Ottoman conquest |
| 1876–1878 | The April Uprising and the Russo-Turkish War lead to the Liberation |
| 1885 | Unification with Eastern Rumelia |
| 1908 | Declaration of independence |
| 1912–1918 | The Balkan Wars and the First World War |
| 1946 | The monarchy is abolished; a communist state |
| 1989 | The end of one-party rule |
| 1991 | The present Constitution is adopted |
| 2004 | Bulgaria joins NATO |
| 2007 | Bulgaria joins the European Union |
| 2025 | Bulgaria joins the Schengen area |
| 2026 | The euro replaces the lev |
Source: Wikipedia: History of Bulgaria; Wikipedia: Bulgaria; European Central Bank: Bulgaria joins the euro area1,3,4
Frequently Asked Questions
When was Bulgaria recognised as a state?
Bulgaria was recognised as a state in 681, when a treaty with Byzantium recognised the Bulgarian state south of the Danube. This marked the beginning of the First Bulgarian Empire.
When did Bulgaria adopt Christianity?
Bulgaria adopted Christianity in 864 under Boris I. In the following decades, the Cyrillic script was developed at the Preslav Literary School.
How long did Ottoman rule last in Bulgaria?
Ottoman rule in Bulgaria lasted almost five centuries. The Ottomans took Tarnovo in 1393 and Vidin in 1396, completing the conquest.
When was Bulgaria liberated from Ottoman rule?
Bulgaria’s Liberation from Ottoman rule followed the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878, with Bulgarian volunteers, and led to an autonomous Bulgarian principality. 3 March is now Bulgaria’s national holiday, Liberation Day.
When did Bulgaria become a parliamentary republic?
Bulgaria’s present parliamentary republic was created by the Constitution of 1991. The monarchy was abolished in 1946, when the country became a communist state in the Soviet bloc.
When did Bulgaria join the EU and adopt the euro?
Bulgaria joined the European Union in 2007, and the euro replaces the lev in 2026. Bulgaria joined NATO in 2004 and the Schengen area in 2025.
Sources
- Wikipedia: History of Bulgaria
- Encyclopaedia Britannica: Bulgaria, history
- Wikipedia: Bulgaria
- European Central Bank: Bulgaria joins the euro area
- Wikipedia: Todor Zhivkov
Facts checked 13 October 2026. Prepared by InvestBulgaria for general information.
