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Alexander BattenbergThe first ruler of modern Bulgaria, after gaining independence from the Ottoman Empire.
Date of Birth: 05.04.1859
Country:  Bulgaria |
Content:
Biography of Alexander Battenberg
Alexander Battenberg was the first ruler of modern Bulgaria after it gained independence from the Ottoman Empire. He was born as the second son of Prince Alexander of Hesse-Darmstadt from a morganatic marriage with Countess Julia von Hauke. In 1858, the countess and her descendants were given the title of Battenberg (derived from the name of the old residence of the grand dukes of Hesse). Prince Alexander was the nephew of Russian Emperor Alexander II, who was married to his paternal aunt, Maximiliane Wilhelmine Marie of Hesse. His mother was a lady-in-waiting to the Empress.
During his childhood and youth, Alexander frequently visited St. Petersburg. When the Russo-Turkish War broke out, he accompanied his uncle Emperor Alexander II on the campaign. He was awarded the Order of St. George, 4th class, on July 20, 1877, for his bravery in the war. After the war, Emperor Alexander II proposed the candidacy of his nephew for the newly formed Bulgarian throne. On June 26, 1879, the Grand National Assembly elected Alexander I as the new ruler of Bulgaria. According to the Tarnovo Constitution, the first monarch of Bulgaria had the right to remain Lutheran and not convert to Orthodoxy.
Rise and Fall of Alexander Battenberg
As a young man with no previous experience in governance, Alexander was initially welcomed in Bulgaria with great enthusiasm. However, his popularity quickly declined when he found himself caught between the interests of various Bulgarian elite groups and the Great Powers (Russia, Germany, and Austria-Hungary). On September 18, 1885, an uprising began in Plovdiv, the capital of Eastern Rumelia. Despite protests from Russia (who did not want to quarrel with Austria-Hungary), Alexander supported the uprising and announced the reunification of Bulgaria. Fearing the strengthening of a united Bulgaria, Serbian King Milan declared war on it. The brief war ended in a complete defeat for Serbia.
Despite the victory in the war, the decline in popularity led to a military coup against Prince Alexander. Under pressure from the conspirators, Alexander was forced to sign an abdication from the throne. Several years later, Alexander married actress Johanna Loisinger. He spent the rest of his life in the Austrian city of Graz, where he had a son and a daughter. He passed away on October 23, 1893.
