Home > Ferdinand of Bulgaria

Ferdinand Maximilan Charles Leopold Marie, Ferdinand I of Bulgaria ( February 26, 1861 - September 10, 1948) was monarch of Bulgaria as well as an author, botanist and philatelist.

The son of Augustus of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha (1818-81) and his wife Clémentine of Orléans (1817-1907) and a grand-nephew of Ernst I of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha, Ferdinand was born in Vienna, initially with the title Duke of Saxony, later succeeding his father as Prince of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha.

He was proclaimed prince regnant of autonomous Bulgaria on July 7, 1887 in the Gregorian calendar (the "New Style" used hereinafter), ten months after the abdication of his predecessor Prince AlexanderAlexander Joseph of Battenburg ( April 5, 1857 November 17, 1893), the first prince of modern Bulgaria, reigned from April 29, 1879 to September 7, 1886) Alexander was the second son of Prince Alexander of Hesse and the Rhine by the latter's morganatic ma.

Bulgaria's domestic political life was dominated during the early years of his reign by liberal party leader Stefan StambolovStefan Stambolov was one of the most most important and popular "Founders of Modern Bulgaria". He was born on January 31st, 1854 in Veliko Turnovo. His family came from Tryavna. Stambolov's education began in Veliko Turnovo, but he later studied in the Od, whose foreign policy saw a marked cooling in relations with RussiaThe Russian Federation ( Russian: , transliteration: Rossiyskaya Federatsiya or Rossijskaja Federacija , or Russia (Russian: , transliteration: Rossiya or Rossija , is a country that stretches over a vast expanse of eastern Europe and northern Asia. With, formerly seen as Bulgaria's protector.

Despite Ferdinand's preference for handsome young blond men, he took his responsibility to wed and father a dynasty with the utmost seriousness, marrying Marie Louise of Bourbon-ParmaMarie Louise of Bourbon-Parma Princess of Bourbon-Parma, was the first wife of Tsar Ferdinand of Bulgaria and mother of Tsar Boris III of Bulgaria. Marie Louise was born 'Maria Luisa Pia Teresa Anna Ferdinanda Francesca Antonietta Margherita Giuseppina Ca, Princess of Bourbon-Parma, daughter of Roberto I of Parma on April 20April 20 is the 110th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (111th in leap years). There are 255 days remaining. Events 636 Battle of Yarmuk: Arabs take control of Syria and Palestine away from the Byzantine Empire. 1653 Oliver Cromwell disbands Parli, 1893Events January 1 Japan accepts the Gregorian calendar January 2 Introduction by Webb C. Ball of the General Railroad Timepiece Standards in North America: Railroad chronometers January 13 The Independent Labour Party of the UK has its first meeting. Janua at the Villa Pianore in Luccia in Italy, producing four children:

• Boris IIITsar Boris III of Bulgaria ( January 30, 1894 August 28, 1943), son of Ferdinand I, came to the throne in 1918 upon the abdication of his father, following Bulgaria's defeat in World War I. This was the country's second major defeat in only five years, af (1894-1943)
• Kyril (1895-1945)
• Eudoxia (1898-1985)
• Nadejda (1899-1958)

Following Maria Luisa's death (on January 31January 31 is the 31st day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar. There are 334 days remaining, (335 in leap years). Also, this is the final day of January. Events 1504 France cedes Naples to Aragon. 1606 Gunpowder Plot: Guy Fawkes is executed for his plo, 1899), Ferdinand married Eleonore Caroline Gasparine Louise, Princess Reuss-Köstritz on ( February 28, 1908).

Ferdinand's bisexuality was both well-known and exploited throughout European diplomatic circles. It became the custom for visiting dignataries seeking favour from Ferdinand to be accompanied by a handsome young equerry and Ferdinand's regular holidays on Capri, then a famous haunt for wealthy gay men, was common knowledge in royal courts throughout Europe. A much repeated tale of First World War vintage centred around the occasion the Bulgarian war minister arrived at Ferdinand's quarters to discuss an urgent military manner only to discover that Ferdinand had left for a picnic with a young man he had just met.

Stambolov's fall (May 1894) and subsequent assassination (July 1895) paved the way for a reconciliation with Russia, effected in February 1896 with the conversion of the infant Prince Boris from Catholicism to Eastern Orthodox Christianity.

Ferdinand became Tsar of Bulgaria upon the country's declaration of independence from the Ottoman Empire on October 5, 1908. The two Balkan Wars of October 1912-July 1913 saw the partial reversal of initial Bulgarian territorial gains.

Ferdinand abdicated on October 3, 1918 after Bulgaria's defeat in World War I, which she had entered (October 1915) on the side of Germany, Austria-Hungary and the Ottoman Empire in an attempt to reverse the losses of 1913.

He died in Burglassschloßen in Coburg, and is buried in St. Augustin's Catholic Church.