Ferdinand I, Tsar of Bulgaria (February 26, 1861 - September 10, 1948),^[1] born Prince Ferdinand Maximilian Karl Leopold Maria of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, was the Prince Regnant and later Tsar of Bulgaria as well as an author, botanist, entomologist and philatelist. From [1], in the public domain This image has been released into the public domain by the copyright holder, its copyright has expired, or it is ineligible for copyright. ... is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1887 (MDCCCLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 276th day of the year (277th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ... is the 57th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1861 (MDCCCLXI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Alexander Joseph of Battenberg (April 5, 1857 - November 17, 1893), the first prince of modern Bulgaria, reigned from April 29, 1879 to September 7, 1886). ... Tsar Boris III of Bulgaria (January 30, 1894 – August 28, 1943), originally Boris Klemens Robert Maria Pius Ludwig Stanislaus Xaver, son of Ferdinand I, came to the throne in 1918 upon the abdication of his father, following Bulgarias defeat in World War I. This was the countrys second... Marie Louise of Bourbon-Parma was the princess-consort of Bulgaria as the first wife of Ferdinand of Bulgaria, the then prince-regnant, and Tsar after her death, and became mother of Tsar Boris III of Bulgaria. ... Eleonore Caroline Gasparine Louise, Princess Reuss-Köstritz (22 August 1860-12 September 1917) was Tsaritsa of Bulgaria and the second wife of Tsar Ferdinand of Bulgaria. ... Tsar Boris III of Bulgaria (January 30, 1894 – August 28, 1943), originally Boris Klemens Robert Maria Pius Ludwig Stanislaus Xaver, son of Ferdinand I, came to the throne in 1918 upon the abdication of his father, following Bulgarias defeat in World War I. This was the countrys second... Prince Kyril of Bulgaria, Prince of Preslav (November 17, 1895 - February 1, 1945) was the second son of Ferdinand I of Bulgaria and his first wife Marie Louise of Bourbon-Parma. ... Capitals Coburg and Gotha Head of State Duke of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha Saxe-Coburg and Gotha or Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (German: Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha) served as the name of the two German duchies of Saxe-Coburg and Saxe-Gotha in Germany, in the present-day states of Bavaria... August Ludwig Viktor of Saxe-Coburg-Kohary (b. ... Clémentine of Orléans, Princess of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (March 6, 1817 - February 16, 1907) was the daughter of King Louis-Philippe of France, the last King of France and of his wife Marie Amalie of Bourbon-Sicilies. ... is the 57th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1861 (MDCCCLXI) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Sunday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Prince Regent (or Prince Regnant, as a direct borrowing from French language) is a prince who rules a country instead of a sovereign, e. ... Louis XIV, king of France and Navarre (Painting by Hyacinthe Rigaud, 1701). ... Botany is the scientific study of plant life. ... Entomology is the scientific study of insects. ... Close examination of the Penny Red, left, reveals a 148 in the margin, indicating that it was printed with plate #148. ...

Family Background

Ferdinand was born in Vienna, a prince of the Kohary branch of the ducal family of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. He grew up in the cosmopolitan environment of Austro-Hungarian high nobility and also in their ancestral lands in Slovakia and in Germany. The Kohary, descending from a noble Slovak family of Hungary, were quite wealthy, holding for example the princely lands of Čabrad and Sitno, in what is now Slovakia. The family's property was also augmented by Clémentine of Orléans' remarkable dowry. For other uses, see Vienna (disambiguation). ... Kohary has been a Slovak noble family, and a magnate of Hungary with its seat at Csabrag. ... Saxe-Coburg-Gotha or Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (German: Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha) was once the name given to the two German duchies of Saxe-Coburg and Saxe-Gotha in Germany, in the present states of Bavaria and Thuringia, which were in personal union between 1826 and 1918. ... Austria-Hungary, also known as the Dual monarchy (or: the k. ... Sitno may refer to the following places in Poland: Sitno in Gmina Åšcinawa, Lubin County in Lower Silesian Voivodeship (SW Poland) Other places called Sitno (listed in Polish Wikipedia) Category: ... Clémentine of Orléans, Princess of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (March 6, 1817 - February 16, 1907) was the daughter of King Louis-Philippe of France, the last King of France and of his wife Marie Amalie of Bourbon-Sicilies. ...

The son of Prince August of Saxe-Coburg-Kohary and his wife Clémentine of Orléans, daughter of king Louis Philippe I of the French, Ferdinand was a grand-nephew of Ernest I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha and of Leopold I, first king of the Belgians. His father Augustus was a brother of the Prince Consort of Portugal, and also a first cousin to Queen Victoria, her husband Prince Albert, Empress Carlota of Mexico and her brother Leopold II of Belgium. These last two, Leopold and Carlota, were also first cousins of Ferdinand I's through his mother, a princess of Orléans. This made the Belgian siblings his first cousins, as well as his first cousins once removed (his father's first cousins). Indeed, the ducal family of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha had contrived to occupy, either by marriage or by direct election, several European thrones in the course of the 19th century. Following the family trend, Ferdinand was himself to found the royal dynasty of Bulgaria. August Ludwig Viktor of Saxe-Coburg-Kohary (b. ... Clémentine of Orléans, Princess of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (March 6, 1817 - February 16, 1907) was the daughter of King Louis-Philippe of France, the last King of France and of his wife Marie Amalie of Bourbon-Sicilies. ... Silver five francs coin of Louis Philippe of France, dated 1854. ... Ernst I, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, later Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, (January 2, 1784-January 29, 1844) was the son of Duke Francis Frederick of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfield (1750-1806) and Countess Auguste Reuss zu Ebersdorf und Lobenstein (1757-1831). ... Saxe-Coburg-Gotha or Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (German: Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha) was once the name given to the two German duchies of Saxe-Coburg and Saxe-Gotha in Germany, in the present states of Bavaria and Thuringia, which were in personal union between 1826 and 1918. ... Leopold I of the Belgians (Leopold George Christian Frederick of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld, later of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha) (b. ... Queen Victoria redirects here. ... Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (in full Francis Charles Augustus Albert Emmanuel) (26 August 1819 – 14 December 1861) was the husband and consort of Queen Victoria of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. ... Charlotte of Belgium (Princess Marie Charlotte Amélie Augustine Victoire Clémentine Léopoldine of Belgium), (June 7, 1840–January 19, 1927) as Charlotte (or Carlota), Empress of Mexico was the consort of Emperor Maximilian I of Mexico. ... Leopold II (Léopold Louis Philippe Marie Victor (French) or Leopold Lodewijk Filips Marie Victor (Dutch) (April 9, 1835 – December 17, 1909) was King of the Belgians. ... Saxe-Coburg-Gotha or Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (German: Sachsen-Coburg und Gotha) was once the name given to the two German duchies of Saxe-Coburg and Saxe-Gotha in Germany, in the present states of Bavaria and Thuringia, which were in personal union between 1826 and 1918. ...

Ferdinand had some ancestry from medieval rulers of Bulgaria, descents from both his mother's and father's side.

Prince of Bulgaria

Bulgaria replaced its first Prince, Alexander of Battenberg in 1886, only seven years after he had been installed.^[2] His successor was Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. Ferdinand was proclaimed Prince Regnant of autonomous Bulgaria on 7 July 1887 in the Gregorian calendar (the "New Style" used hereinafter).^[3] The throne had been previously offered, before Ferdinand's acceptance, from Denmark to the Caucasus and even to the King of Romania.^[4] His accession was greeted with disbelief in many of the royal houses of Europe. Queen Victoria, his father's first cousin, stated to her Prime Minister, "He is totally unfit, ... delicate, eccentric and effeminate .. Should be stopped at once."^[5] To the amazement of his initial detractors, Ferdinand generally made a success of his reign.^[6] Alexander Joseph of Battenburg (April 5, 1857 _ November 17, 1893), the first prince of modern Bulgaria, reigned from April 29, 1879 to September 7, 1886). ... Prince Regent (or Prince Regnant, as a direct borrowing from French language) is a prince who rules a country instead of a sovereign, e. ... is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1887 (MDCCCLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ... For the calendar of religious holidays and periods, see liturgical year. ... Victoria Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Empress of India Victoria (Alexandrina Victoria) (24 May 1819–22 January 1901) was a Queen of the United Kingdom, reigning from 20 June 1837 until her death. ...

Bulgaria's domestic political life was dominated during the early years of Ferdinand's reign by liberal party leader Stefan Stambolov, whose foreign policy saw a marked cooling in relations with Russia, formerly seen as Bulgaria's protector. A statue of Stefan N. Stambolov in his birthplace Veliko Turnovo Stefan Nikolov Stambolov (Bulgarian: Стефан Николов Стамболов) (January 31, 1854 - July 6, 1895) was a Bulgarian revolutionary and statesman. ...

Personal life

Ferdinand was bisexual throughout his life, but up to middle age, his proclivities for women predominated.^[7] Ferdinand's bisexuality was both well-known and exploited throughout European diplomatic circles.

Ferdinand entered a marriage of convenience^[8] with Princess Marie Louise of Bourbon-Parma, daughter of Roberto I of Parma on April 20, 1893 at the Villa Pianore in Luccia in Italy, producing four children: Marie Louise of Bourbon-Parma was the princess-consort of Bulgaria as the first wife of Ferdinand of Bulgaria, the then prince-regnant, and Tsar after her death, and became mother of Tsar Boris III of Bulgaria. ... Robert I Duke of Parma, Roberto I Carlo Luigi Maria Duke of Parma and Piacenza (July 9, 1848-November 16, 1907) was the son of Charles III of Parma and his wife Louise du Berry. ... is the 110th day of the year (111th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1893 (MDCCCXCIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Tuesday of the 12-day slower Julian calendar). ...

• Boris III (1894–1943)
• Kyril (1895–1945)
• Eudoxia (1898–1985)
• Nadejda (1899–1958). Married Duke Albrecht Eugen of Württemberg.

Maria Louise died on 31 January 1899. Ferdinand did not think again about marriage until his mother, Princess Clémentine died in 1907. To satisfy dynastic obligations and to provide his children with a mother figure, Ferdinand married Eleonore Caroline Gasparine Louise, Princess Reuss-Köstritz, on 28 February 1908.^[9] Tsar Boris III of Bulgaria (January 30, 1894 – August 28, 1943), originally Boris Klemens Robert Maria Pius Ludwig Stanislaus Xaver, son of Ferdinand I, came to the throne in 1918 upon the abdication of his father, following Bulgarias defeat in World War I. This was the countrys second... Prince Kyril of Bulgaria, Prince of Preslav (November 17, 1895 - February 1, 1945) was the second son of Ferdinand I of Bulgaria and his first wife Marie Louise of Bourbon-Parma. ... is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1899 (MDCCCXCIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Friday [1] of the 12-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Eleonore Caroline Gasparine Louise, Princess Reuss-Köstritz (22 August 1860-12 September 1917) was Tsaritsa of Bulgaria and the second wife of Tsar Ferdinand of Bulgaria. ... is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1908 (MCMVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ...

Ferdinand's regular holidays on Capri, then a famous haunt for wealthy gay men, was common knowledge in royal courts throughout Europe.^[10] It became the custom for visiting dignitaries seeking favour from Ferdinand to be accompanied by a handsome young equerry. A much recounted tale of First World War vintage centred around the occasion the Bulgarian war minister arrived at Ferdinand's quarters to discuss an urgent military matter, only to discover that Ferdinand had left for a picnic with a young man he had just met.^{[citation needed]} For other uses, see Capri (disambiguation). ...

Stambolov's fall (May 1894) and subsequent assassination (July 1895) paved the way for a reconciliation of Bulgaria with Russia, effected in February 1896 with the conversion of the infant Prince Boris from Roman Catholicism to Eastern Orthodox Christianity. House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (Bulgarian branch) was the ruling dynasty of Bulgaria (1887 - 1946). ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Tsar Boris III of Bulgaria (January 30, 1894 – August 28, 1943), originally Boris Klemens Robert Maria Pius Ludwig Stanislaus Xaver, son of Ferdinand I, came to the throne in 1918 upon the abdication of his father, following Bulgarias defeat in World War I. This was the countrys second... Prince Kyril of Bulgaria, Prince of Preslav (November 17, 1895 - February 1, 1945) was the second son of Ferdinand I of Bulgaria and his first wife Marie Louise of Bourbon-Parma. ... Tsar Boris III of Bulgaria (January 30, 1894 – August 28, 1943), originally Boris Klemens Robert Maria Pius Ludwig Stanislaus Xaver, son of Ferdinand I, came to the throne in 1918 upon the abdication of his father, following Bulgarias defeat in World War I. This was the countrys second... Princess Maria Louise (Bulgarian: ; b. ... Simeon Saxe-Coburg-Gotha as Prime Minister of Bulgaria Tsar Simeon II of Bulgaria (born June 16, 1937) was the last Tsar of Bulgaria from 1943 to 1946, and was Prime Minister of Bulgaria from 2001 until August 2005. ... Simeon of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha (born June 16, 1937) was head of state as the Tsar of Bulgaria, Tsar Simeon II, from 1943 to 1946. ... Prince Kardam (born December 2, 1962), is eldest son of the deposed tsar Simeon II of Bulgaria and his wife Doña Margarita Gomez-Acebo y Cejuela, however born after his loss of the throne. ... Prince Kyrill of Bulgaria, Prince of Preslav, Duke of Saxony (born July 11, 1964), also known as Kyrill of Saxe-Coburg, is the second son of the deposed tsar Simeon II of Bulgaria (later Prime Minister of Bulgaria from 2001 to 2005) and his wife Doña Margarita Gomez-Acebo... Kubrat of Saxe-Coburg (born November 5, 1965), is third son of Tsar Simeon II of Bulgaria and his wife Doña Margarita Gomez-Acebo y Cejuela. ... Prince Konstantin-Assen of Bulgaria, Prince of Vidin, Duke of Saxony (born December 5, 1967), is the fourth son of Tsar Simeon II of Bulgaria and his wife Doña Margarita Gomez-Acebo y Cejuela. ... Kalina of Bulgaria Princess Kalina of Bulgaria (born January 19, 1972 in Madrid, Spain), is the fifth child and only daughter of the former Tsar Simeon II of Bulgaria and his wife Doña Margarita Gomez-Acebo y Cejuela. ... Boris of Saxe-Coburg, born October 12, 1997 in Madrid, is the first son of Kardam of Saxe-Coburg and grandson of Simeon II of Bulgaria, the former Tsar of Bulgaria. ... Prince Beltran of Bulgaria (born March 23, 1999 in Madrid) is the second son of Kardam, Prince of Turnovo and a grandson of Simeon II of Bulgaria, the former Tsar of Bulgaria. ... Mafalda of Saxe-Coburg, born July 27, 1994 in London, is the first daughter of Kyrill of Preslav and granddaughter of Simeon II of Bulgaria, the former Tsar of Bulgaria. ... Olimpia of Saxe-Coburg, born December 14, 1995 in London, is the second daughter of Kyrill of Preslav and granddaughter of Simeon II of Bulgaria, the former Tsar of Bulgaria. ... Tassilo of Saxe-Coburg, born January 20, 2002, is a son of Kyrill of Preslav and grandson of Simeon II of Bulgaria, the former Tsar of Bulgaria. ... Mirko of Saxe-Coburg, born April 26, 1995, is first son of Kubrat of Panagiurishte and grandson of Simeon II of Bulgaria, the former Tsar of Bulgaria. ... Lukás of Saxe-Coburg, born July 15, 1997), is second son of Kubrat of Panagiurishte and grandson of Simeon II of Bulgaria, the former Tsar of Bulgaria. ... Umberto of Saxe-Coburg (styled HRH Prince Umberto of Bulgaria), born November 20, 1999, is son of Konstantin-Assen of Vidin and grandson of Simeon II of Bulgaria, the former Tsar of Bulgaria. ... Princess Sofia of Bulgaria (born November 20, 1999) is the daughter of Konstantin-Assen, Prince of Vidin and a granddaughter of Simeon II of Bulgaria, the former Tsar of Bulgaria. ... Catholic Church redirects here. ... ...

Tsar of Bulgaria

Ferdinand became Tsar of Bulgaria upon that country's declaration of independence from the Ottoman Empire on 5 October 1908 (celebrated on 22 September). The Declaration of Independence was proclaimed at the Saint Forty Martyrs Church in Turnovo. It was accepted by Turkey and the other European powers.^[11] This image is in the public domain because its copyright has expired in the United States and those countries with a copyright term of life of the author plus 100 years. ... Motto دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) Anthem Ottoman imperial anthem Borders in 1683, see: list of territories Capital Söğüt (1299–1326) Bursa (1326–1365) Edirne (1365–1453) Ä°stanbul (1453–1922) Government Monarchy Sultans  - 1281–1326 (first) Osman I  - 1918–22 (last) Mehmed VI Grand Viziers  - 1320... For other uses, see 5th October (Serbia). ... Year 1908 (MCMVIII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a leap year starting on Tuesday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... is the 265th day of the year (266th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The St Forty Martyrs Church (църква Св. Четиридесет мъченици, tsarkva Sv. ...

Ferdinand was known for being quite a character. On a visit to German Emperor Wilhelm II, his second cousin once removed, in 1909, Ferdinand was leaning out of a window of the New Palace in Potsdam when the Emperor came up behind him and slapped him on the bottom. Ferdinand was affronted by the gesture and the Emperor apologised. Ferdinand however exacted his revenge by awarding a valuable arms contract he had intended to give to the Krupps factory in Essen to French arms manufacturer Schneider-Cruseot.^[12] Another incident particularly occurred on his journey to the funeral of his second cousin, British King Edward VII in 1910. A tussle broke out on where his private railway carriage would be positioned in relation to the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The Archduke won out, having his carriage positioned directly behind the engine. Ferdinand's was placed directly behind. Realising the dining car of the train was behind his own carriage, Ferdinand obtained his revenge on the Archduke by refusing him entry through his own carriage to the dining car.^[13] This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... William II (German: ) (born Prince Frederick William Victor Albert of Prussia; German: ) (27 January 1859 – 4 June 1941) was the last German Emperor and King of Prussia (German: Deutscher Kaiser und König von Preußen), ruling both the German Empire and the Kingdom of Prussia from 15 June 1888... Edward VII King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, Emperor of India His Majesty King Edward VII (Albert Edward) (9 November 1841–6 May 1910) was the first British monarch of the House of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha. ... Franz Ferdinand links to here. ...

Although married twice and the father of a number of children, Ferdinand had a roaming eye. He had a taste for handsome young muscular men with blonde hair. Such a candidate was soon likely to be appointed a personal orderly. Ferdinand also had a particular liking for dalliances during visits to the notorious Isle of Capri.^[14]

Balkan Wars

Like many a ruler of an Orthodox land before him, Ferdinand had a "dream of a new Byzantium".^[15] In 1912, Ferdinand joined the other Balkan states in an assault on the Ottoman Empire to free occupied territories. He saw this war as a new crusade declaring it, "a just, great and sacred struggle of the Cross against the Crescent."^[16] Bulgaria contributed the most and also lost the greatest number of soldiers. The great powers insisted on the creation of an independent Albania.^[17] Soon after, Bulgaria attacked its recent allies Serbia, Greece and Romania and was defeated. The Treaty of Bucharest in 1913 gave little territorial gains to Bulgaria. A tiny area of land giving access to the Aegean Sea was secured^[18]

First World War and Abdication

On 11 October 1915, the Bulgarian army attacked Serbia after signing a treaty with Austria-Hungary and Germany which stated that Bulgaria would gain the territory she sought at the expense of Serbia. See Serbian Campaign (World War I) for details. Ferdinand was not an admirer of German Emperor Wilhelm II (his second cousin once removed) or Emperor of Austria Franz Josef I who he described as "that idiot, that old dotard of a Francis Joseph".^[19] But Ferdinand wanted extra territorial gains after the humiliation of the Balkan Wars. This did however mean forming an alliance with his former enemy, the Ottoman Empire. is the 284th day of the year (285th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1915 (MCMXV) was a common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Thursday[1] of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... Not to be confused with Republika Srpska. ... Austria-Hungary, also known as the Dual monarchy (or: the k. ... Combatants  Austria-Hungary Bulgaria  German Empire Serbia Montenegro Commanders Oskar Potiorek Nikola Zhekov Kliment Boyadzhiev Georgi Todorov Ivan Valkov August von Mackensen Radomir Putnik Živojin MiÅ¡ić Stepa Stepanović Petar Bojović Nicholas I The Serbian Campaign was fought from August 1914, when Austria-Hungary invaded Serbia at the outset of... The title of Emperor of Austria was proclaimed in 1804 by the Habsburg Holy Roman Emperor, Francis II, who feared for the future of the old Reich in the face of Napoleons aggressions, and wished to maintain his imperial title in the event that the Holy Roman Empire should... Franz Joseph I Franz Joseph (in English also Francis Joseph) (August 18, 1830 - November 21, 1916) of the Habsburg Dynasty was Emperor of Austria and King of Bohemia from 1848 until 1916 and King of Hungary from 1867 until 1916. ... Motto دولت ابد مدت Devlet-i Ebed-müddet (The Eternal State) Anthem Ottoman imperial anthem Borders in 1683, see: list of territories Capital Söğüt (1299–1326) Bursa (1326–1365) Edirne (1365–1453) Ä°stanbul (1453–1922) Government Monarchy Sultans  - 1281–1326 (first) Osman I  - 1918–22 (last) Mehmed VI Grand Viziers  - 1320...

At first the war went well, Serbia was defeated and Bulgaria took possession of most of the disputed territory of Macedonia. For the next two years, the Bulgarian army fought a defensive war against the Allied army based in Greece. A small part of the Bulgarian army was involved in the conquest of Romania in 1916.

Then, in the fall of 1918, the Bulgarian army was badly beaten by an attack from the Allied forces in Greece. With his army shattered, Tsar Ferdinand abdicated to save the Bulgarian throne in favour of his eldest son who became Tsar Boris III on October 3, 1918.^[20] Under new leadership, Bulgaria surrendered to the Allies and as a consequence, lost not only the additional territory it had fought for in the major conflict, but also the territory it had won after the Balkan Wars giving access to the Aegean Sea.^[21] Look up abdication in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Tsar Boris III of Bulgaria (January 30, 1894 - August 28, 1943), son of Ferdinand I, came to the throne in 1918 upon the Bulgarias defeat in World War I. This was the countrys second major defeat in only five years, after the disastrous Second Balkan War (1913). ... is the 276th day of the year (277th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 1918 (MCMXVIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar (see link for calendar) or a common year starting on Wednesday of the Julian calendar. ...

Exile and Death

After his abdication, Ferdinand returned to live in Coburg, Germany. He had managed to salvage much of his fortune and was able to live in some style.^[22] He saw his being in exile simply as one of the hazards of kingship.^[23] He commented, "Kings in exile are more philosophic under reverses than ordinary individuals; but our philosophy is primarily the result of tradition and breeding, and do not forget that pride is an important item in the making of a monarch. We are disciplined from the day of our birth and taught the avoidance of all outward signs of emotion. The skeleton sits forever with us at the feast. It may mean murder, it may mean abdication, but it serves always to remind us of the unexpected. Therefore we are prepared and nothing comes in the nature of a catastrophe. The main thing in life is to support any condition of bodily or spiritual exile with dignity. If one sups with sorrow, one need not invite the world to see you eat."^[24] He was pleased that the throne could pass to his son. Ferdinand was not displeased with exile and spent most of his time devoted to artistic endeavours, gardening, travel and natural history. However, he would live to see the collapse of everything he had held to be precious in life.^[25] His eldest son and successor, Boris III, died under mysterious circumstances after returning from a vist to Hitler in Germany in 1943. Boris III's son, Simeon II, succeeded him only to be deposed in 1946, ending the Bulgarian monarchy. The Kingdom of Bulgaria was succeeded by the People's Republic of Bulgaria, under which his sole surviving son, Kyril, was executed. On hearing of his son's death he said, "Everything is collapsing around me."^[26] He died a broken man in Burglassschloßen on September 10, 1948 in Coburg, Germany, cradle of the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha dynasty. Ferdinand I is buried there in St. Augustin's Roman Catholic Church.^[27] A style of office, or honorific, is a form of address which by tradition or law precedes a reference to a person who holds a title or post, or to the political office itself. ... Highness, often used with a personal possessive pronoun (His/Her/Your Highness, the first two abbreviated HH) is an attribute referring to the rank of the dynasty (such as Royal Highness, Imperial Highness) in an address. ... A style of office, or honorific, is a form of address which by tradition or law precedes a reference to a person who holds a title or post, or to the political office itself. ... Look up majesty in Wiktionary, the free dictionary Majesty is an English word rooting in the Latin Maiestas, meaning literally, Greatness. ... Tsar Boris III of Bulgaria (January 30, 1894 - August 28, 1943), son of Ferdinand I, came to the throne in 1918 upon the Bulgarias defeat in World War I. This was the countrys second major defeat in only five years, after the disastrous Second Balkan War (1913). ... Simeon Sakskoburggotski as Prime Minister of Bulgaria Simeon II (born June 16, 1937) was the last Tsar of Bulgaria from 1943 to 1946, and is the current Prime Minister of Bulgaria. ... This article or section does not cite its references or sources. ... is the 253rd day of the year (254th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1948 (MCMXLVIII) was a leap year starting on Thursday (link will display the 1948 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Coburg is a district in Bavaria, Germany. ...

Ancestors

August Ludwig Viktor of Saxe-Coburg-Kohary (b. ... Francis, Duke of Saxe-Coburg Saalfeld Franz Frederick Anton, Duke of Saxe-Coburg-Saalfeld (b. ... Auguste Reuss of Ebersdorf as Artemisia, 1775, painted by Johann Heinrich Tischbein, sen. ... Princess Clémentine of Orléans, Princess of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha, Duchess in Saxony (March 6, 1817 - February 16, 1907) was the youngest daughter of King Louis-Philippe of the French, the last French king, and his wife Marie Amalie of the Two Sicilies. ... Louis-Philippe I, King of the French (October 6, 1773 – August 26, 1850) was King of the French from 1830 to 1848 in what was known as the July Monarchy. ... Louis-Philippe-Joseph dOrléans, by Antoine-François Callet Louis Philippe Joseph II, Duke of Orléans (April 13, 1747 – November 6, 1793), called Philippe Égalité, was a member of a cadet branch of the House of Bourbon, the dynasty then ruling France. ... Louise Marie Adélaïde de Bourbon-Penthièvre, duchess of Orleáns. ... Maria Amalia, 1842 (roughly age 60) by Franz Xaver Winterhalter. ... King Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies (January 12, 1751 - January 4, 1825). ... HM Queen Marie Caroline of Naples and Sicily Her Majesty Queen Marie Caroline of Naples and Sicily née Her Imperial & Royal Highness Archduchess Marie Caroline of Austria (13 August 1752- 8 September 1814) was queen consort and de facto ruler of Naples from 1768 to 1799 and from 1799...

References

Books

• Aronson, Theo (1986). Crowns In Conflict: The Triumph And The Tragedy Of European Monarchy, 1910-1918. London: J.Murray. ISBN 0-7195-4279-0. 
• Finestone, Jeffrey (1981). The Last Courts of Europe. London: J.M.Dent & Sons Ltd. ISBN 0 460 04519 9. 
• Louda, Jiri; Michael Maclagan (1981). Lines of Succession. London: Orbis Publishing Ltd. ISBN 0 460 04519 9. 
• Constant, Stephen (1986). Foxy Ferdinand, 1861-1948, Tsar of Bulgaria. London: Sidgwick and Jackson. ISBN 0-238-98515-1. 
• Palmer, Alan (1978). The Kaiser: Warlord Of The Second Reich. London: Weidenfeld and Nicolson. ISBN 0-297-77393-3.