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The History of Bulgaria.

Bulgaria, Adrianople, Bulgarian Soldier giving water to an injured Turk in 1912 - even in a time of war there is a place for compassion.

From cave drawings, and the remnants of flint tools used in the region now known as Bulgaria, we know that the history of this area can be traced back to the Palaeolithic and Mesolithic times, when they took advantage of the forests, well stocked rivers, the Black Sea, and the fertile pastures of this country, that was - and is - so wealthy in natural resources.

Later, - as across the rest of Europe - they left their caves, and their lives as hunter gatherers, and began to live and remain in the same area, raising livestock, and harvesting crops. Few remains of their accommodations are to be found, as they were predominantly made from wood, which does not survive the millennia.

As Bulgarian lands were rich in ores containing copper, the majority of which was exported, the area contributed much to the production of metal tools and weapons during the Bronze Ages.

We know that the Thracians later inhabited an area that included Bulgaria, parts of Serbia, Greece and Turkey, and also Romania, even prior to the 13th century BC, and according to Herodotus - a Greek historian who lived in the 5th century BC - the Thracians were the most populous people in Europe. In the 4th century BC however, they were defeated heavily in battle by Alexander the Great.

Infighting between the various Thracian tribes facilitated their defeat by the Romans in 46 AD, and as with most countries conquered by the Romans, there followed 200 years of building and prosperity, and even a time when Thracians were given full citizenship of Rome.

From the 3rd century to the 5th century AD, the Roman fortifications were regularly bombarded by attacks from Barbarians, which marked the great Migration of Peoples from present day Russia, and from the deserts of Asia. Despite the rebuilding of roads and the construction of castles by the now Eastern Roman Empire (Byzantine Empire) – based in Constantinople – all was in vain, and over the next two centuries the ancient Thracian people had all but disappeared.

The arrival of the Bulgarians.

The origin of the peoples that would become Bulgarians has been – and still is – open to lots of study and research, but what appears to be fact to Bulgarians, is that they originated from the highland regions of Altai in Siberia. Their language was related to the Turko/Altai group of peoples, which linguistically puts them in the same group as Cumans, Pechenegs, Avars and Huns, the very peoples that would flow into the Bulgarian lands between the 7th and 14th centuries.

Over the centuries, the Bulgarian people were an aggressive and warlike people, regularly invading the surrounding countries. In the late 5th century AD, the Bulgarian and Byzantium armies drove the Goths from their lands, and within five years Bulgaria had invaded Thrace, and then defeated the Eastern Roman army, which led to the Byzantines constructing many new fortresses. Another embarrassing defeat of the Byzantines followed in 499 AD, and the army of the Illyrians were massacred in the Battle of Zurta.

In 502 AD the Bulgarian army conquered the Thracians, and 11 years later began annual raids against the Byzantine Empire in Europe. After each battle, the Bulgarians would carry away the population from the rural areas. The Bulgarians began to lay siege to the forts, seizing 32 of them and carrying off the people, along with their plunder. to be continued.........

Bulgarian Royal Family

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Bulgaria, Bulgarian Ambulance going to the front in the 1910's

Bulgaria, Bulgarian Army, carrying out the dead 1910's

Bulgaria, Queen of Bulgaria awaits wounded from Lozengrad at Yambol in the 1870's

Bulgaria, Bulgarian Army, Siege Artillery

Bulgaria, Bulgarian Army, Machine Gunners

Bulgaria, War Minister and the Tsar WWII c.1941