History of BulgariaThe History of Bulgaria is long and brutal. Dating back to prehistoric times, many ancient civilizations occupied the country now known as Bulgaria, but the Thracian people are the first identifiable race to leave their mark. The first official State of Bulgaria was established in 691AD and several hundred years of relative peace lasted. Art and literature flourished under the Golden Age of Tsar Simeon I in 893-927 and the Bulgarian people lived under a reign of cruelty and tyranny. Many of the country’s main cultural centers were destroyed and several courageous uprisings by the people were brutally suppressed by the Ottomans. By the end of the 17th century, the Ottoman stranglehold had begun to weaken and following the April Uprising massacres in 1876, Russia seized its chance and declared war on the Ottomans. By 1878, most of Bulgaria had been liberated and the Treaty of Berlin afforded Bulgaria sovereignty of Moesia and the region of Sofia. However, it was not until 1908 that Bulgaria was finally freed from Ottoman rule and its independence formally recognized. Further social and political unrest followed during the latter half of the 20th century. Bulgaria fought in the Balkan Wars and sided with Central Powers during WW1. During WW2, Bulgaria officially allied itself with the Axis Powers, but switched sides towards the end of the war and in 1945, Bulgaria became a satellite country of the Soviet Union and remained a “People’s Republic” until 1989. In June 1990, a new constitution in the history of Bulgaria was born and the anti-Communist Union of Democratic Forces took power when they after winning the 1991 parliamentary elections. With Communism rule over, the country entered another period of economic and social unrest, culminating in a series of reforms in 1887 that helped to stabilize the economy. Bulgaria joined NATO in 2004 and in 2007 it became a member of the European Union.
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