190 years from the birth of Lyuben Karavelov (1834–1879)

Lyuben Karavelov (1834-1879) is a Bulgarian poet, writer, encyclopedist, journalist, ethnographer, national hero, a fighter for the liberation of Bulgaria from the Ottoman rule. He was born on 7 November 1834 in the town of Koprivshtitsa. He first studied at a pop school Nikita Vapsilkata. After the opening of the first Bulgarian class school by Naiden Gerov in Koprivshtitsa in 1846, Karavelov became a student of Gerov (until 1850). In the period 1853-1856, Karavelov was sent to Edirne by his father to study for an Abadji's apprentice, but he returned later to his hometown. He made unsuccessful attempts at taking part in the Turkish military school, then took a trip to Burgas, Shipka and Gabrovo, where he recorded folk songs, collected material for his future folklore and ethnographic studies. In 1856 he was sent to Constantinople to trade, but instead he was interested in the Eastern issue and the Crimean War. In early 1867, Karavelov decided to join the liberation struggles of his people. He departs for Belgrade and founded a Bulgarian committee that fully embraced Rakovski's tactics and issued a "Proclamation" to the Bulgarian people calling him to pick up arms. In the spring of 1869, Karavelov settled in Bucharest and exerts extensive political activity there. Simultaneously with the publication of Nezavisimost newspaper, Karavelov maintains close contacts with the revolutionary Bulgarian emigration, with Vasil Levski, who in the autumn or the end of 1869 laid the foundations of the revolutionary organization. At its constituent assembly in late April and early May 1872, Karavelov was elected Chairman of the Bulgarian Revolutionary Central Committee (BRC). After the death of Levski, he withdrew from the governing bodies of the movement. He died on 21 January 1879 from tuberculosis.