36. – The Union of the two Bulgarias (1885).

The artificial division in North- and South-Bulgaria, accomplished at the Congress of Berlin, like every unnatural, unjust and enforced work, lasted only seven years. This short space of time had been sufficient to strengthen the moral unity of the Bulgarian people on both sides of the Balkan mountains, and to develop such a strong movement in favour of the unity of both Bulgarias that no Bulgarian government could possibly stop it. And, when a secret committee of revolution, founded at Philippopolis [now Plovdiv] in the month of July 1885 for the purpose of declaring the union of both Bulgarias, called upon the Bulgarian officers of the militia of East-Rumelia to take part with their troops in the national work, they at once put themselves at the disposal of the committee. Thus, easily and quickly the blow of 6/18th September 1885 was prepared and struck, and liquidated the Eastern-Rumelia in a few hours time. It was sufficient to arrest the Governor-General and to destroy the frontier railway bridge that joined Turkey to East-Rumelia, in order to proclaim the union which was greeted by the population of the two Bulgarian with an enthusiasm ready for every sacrifice necessary for its sanction.

Of all jealous neighbours of Bulgaria, who did not look upon the union of the two Bulgarian with pleased eyes, onlv Servia resolved to frustrate it by force. Without any previous declaration of war, Servia broke into Bulgaria in the night of the 1/13th November 1885 for the purpose of seizing Sofia and to enable Turkey to re-establish East-Rumelia or, if Turkey should not want that, to look after territorial indemnities for herself in Bulgaria. The Servians hoped to carry off an easy and quick victors, chiefly because Russian officers, who had been in charge of the high command in the Bulgarian army, had already left Bulgaria. But, outraged by the treacherous invasion of their neighbour, the Bulgarian people rose like a single man before his enemy, and the Bulgarian army, under the high command of young Bulgarian officers threw itself against Servia in such assault that the Servian army, taken by surprise, was flung out of Bulgarian territory in 13 days, and the town Plrot was stormed and taken. The triumphal march of the Bulgarian army was checked by Austria, at that time the effective protector of Servia.

In this way the union of both Bulgarias was sanctioned and besides, brought an unexpected benefit to the Bulgarian people: the recall of the Russian officers who had kept the Bulgarian army at the disposal of Russia. As it happens with every extraordinary gain the union, too, was followed by mischief: – the vanquished Servia, unable to seize Bulgarian territory, cast her eyes upon Macedonia. Therefore the propagation of Servian ideas in Macedonia began in 1885.

Thls map shows Bulgaria after the union, and with her boundaries, as they remained up to the wars against Turkey, Servia, Montenegro, Greece, and Roumania in the years 1912/13.