August 22 occupies a striking corner of Bulgaria’s history, joining the second day of the legendary defence of Shipka in 1877 to a bold political gamble that reshaped the young principality in 1886.
August 22, 1877 — The Second Day at Shipka
As the Ottoman assault on the Shipka Pass entered its second day, Suleiman Pasha’s forces hauled artillery up the mountainside to bombard Russian and Bulgarian positions while infantry worked to outflank the defenders. Bulgarian volunteer units, fighting alongside Russian troops, held their ground under punishing fire.
Their resolve against overwhelming Ottoman numbers turned the battle into legend, one that would go on to inspire Bulgarian poetry, painting, and national mythology for generations.
August 22, 1886 — Stambolov’s Counter-Coup
A day after Russophile officers deposed Prince Alexander of Battenberg, Stefan Stambolov and Lieutenant Colonel Sava Mutkurov launched a counter-coup, denouncing the overthrow as a crime against the state and inviting the prince to return. Their swift action reversed the plotters’ gains and briefly restored Alexander to the throne.
Russia’s continued hostility would nonetheless force his final abdication just days later. Even so, the episode marked Stambolov’s emergence as the dominant figure in Bulgarian politics for the rest of the decade.
Look back at August 21 or read on to August 23. For travel inspiration, browse our guides to the best of Bulgaria.
