The Union of the Principality of Bulgaria and East Rumelia

The Congress of Berlin, July 1 (13), 1878, partitioned the independent Kingdom of Bulgaria into three parts – the Principality of Bulgaria; the autonomous province of Eastern Rumelia; and Macedonia and Eastern Trace that were handed back to the Ottoman Empire. After years of struggle for liberation, the Bulgarian people were disappointed with the division and started preparing the coalescence of Bulgaria, torn to pieces. On September 6, 1885, a coup d’etat was carried out in Eastern Rumelia and the union of the province with the Principality of Bulgaria was proclaimed. Prince Alexander Batenberg validated the act by the issue of the Union Edict. The Union provoked different repercussions in Europe and was an occasion for Serbia to declare war to Bulgaria in which the Serbian army was badly mauled. This forced the Great Powers and the Ottoman Empire to acknowledge the Union at the Tsarigrad Conference (October 24, 1885). The act of the Union was a manifestation of the independent Bulgarian spirit and was an important step for the consolidation of the Third Bulgarian State.