Tsar of the Bulgarians Boris III. European Dynasties Birth and Baptism

Boris III became Tsar of Bulgaria on October 3, 1918 as a result of his renunciation of his crown. He abdicated in favor of his 24-year-old son and left Bulgaria with three other children. Boris was left alone in a difficult situation, the First World War was going on. However, he coped, and, according to many Bulgarian historians, in the best way possible in his position. Boris III is the most popular king in Bulgaria. Many interesting cases and even legends are associated with it. The full name of the second Bulgarian Tsar Boris Clement Robert Maria Pius Stanislav Saxe-burggotsky. Being a Catholic (godfather Leo XIII), he was rebaptized into the Orthodox faith as a child, the Russian Tsar Nicholas II became his godfather. It was a political decision of his father Ferdinand I, for which half of Europe was offended by him.

Boris had an affair with the young princess Maria of Romania, who later married the Serbian king Alexander I Karadjordjevic, because it was impossible to marry the Bulgarian king for political reasons.

In 1911, Boris, while visiting his god Tsar Nicholas II, witnessed an assassination attempt on Prime Minister Pyotr Stolypin at the Kyiv Opera House.

Boris III had the rank of General of Infantry, despite the fact that after the First World War he became a pacifist until the end of his days. Boris died on August 28, 1943.

There is a legend that, although according to the official version, he died of a heart attack, it all just happened quickly and under suspicious circumstances. The fact is that Boris III saved 50,000 Bulgarian Jews from death, kept neutrality in every possible way, did not go to war with the USSR and did not send his troops to the eastern front. It is believed that Hitler did not like this behavior of an ally.

In April 1925, in the church of the Holy Week, during the funeral of General Konstantin Georgiev, an assassination attempt was organized on Tsar Boris - a bomb was planted and detonated, in which 193 people died, 500 were injured, and among them were government officials. Tsar Boris was not there - he was at the funeral of his friend and was late for this funeral.

And three days before that, an attempt was made on the king in the mountains while hunting - he miraculously survived during the shelling at the Arabakonak pass.

In 1930, Boris married the Italian princess Giovanna of Savoy, who became the Bulgarian queen under the name Joanna. They had two children: Maria Louise and Simeon - the future Tsar Simeon II, who inherited the throne at the age of six after the death of his father.

The wedding was played in Italy. Contemporaries claim that it was a love marriage and the princess in her life did not love anyone else except Boris. Their wedding was attended by the entire color of the European aristocracy, the witnesses were Benito Mussolini and Andrey Lyapchev (Minister Chairman of Bulgaria). The bride had a veil 15 meters long.

Queen Joanna was famous for her charitable work; she built and donated to the city in 1935 the well-known and still operating hospital ISUL or "Queen Joanna".

Royal family, 1937

Boris took the royal throne when the situation in the world was changing radically. Before his eyes, a powerful revolutionary wave swept away the until recently powerful dynasties of the Romanovs, Habsburgs, and Hohenzollerns. The heavy military defeat of the Bulgarian army on the Thessaloniki front in September 1918, the spontaneous uprising of the soldiers and the ensuing upsurge of the revolutionary struggle of the Bulgarian people were imprinted in Boris's memory for a long time. All this, of course, forced Boris to adjust to the new historical conditions.

He could no longer afford much of what was characteristic of his father, who ruled in an atmosphere of relative stability of political regimes in Europe. Unlike Ferdinand, Tsar Boris led a rather modest lifestyle, was considered an exemplary family man, and did not openly express his aristocratic arrogance. He was born and raised in Bulgaria, he knew the life and customs of the people better than his father.

In part, the difference in characters was also explained by Boris's unwillingness to be like his father, whom he had disliked since childhood because of his despotic treatment. In addition, during the entire reign, Boris was afraid of the return of his father to the Bulgarian throne. He stubbornly resisted the desire of the latter to at least stay in Bulgaria. At the same time, Boris observed filial piety towards his parent, visited him in the family castle, carefully transferred the requested sums of money there, and most importantly, often accepted his father's political advice. Ferdinand seemed to be invisibly present next to Boris. According to the British envoy to Sofia (in 1938-1941) J. Rendel, this was especially felt during a visit to the tsar's study, over whose desk a large portrait of Ferdinand gloomily hung *.

No matter how different the characters of the Bulgarian crowned bearers, there was, of course, a lot in common between them. Both of them, for example, were educated people. Boris "showed," Rendel notes in his memoirs, "an interest in the history of natural science and botany. His garden at the country palace in Vran, six miles from Sofia, spread out on the slopes of the mountains, was one of the most beautiful in Europe, bringing pleasure and admiration , and he [the king] was always ready to help in identifying any rare plant." Even in his youth, Boris was fond of railway technology and even passed the exam for a locomotive driver. (Photographs of the tsar sitting in the booth of a locomotive often appeared in the newspapers.) With purely German meticulousness, Boris delved into many other questions. He once amazed an English naval attache with his knowledge of the development of the English fleet, the armament of ships and their commanders. In general, military affairs were well known to Tsar Boris: he graduated from the Sofia Military Academy, during the First World War he was at the headquarters of the Commander-in-Chief of the Bulgarian Army. The ability to conduct conversations on various topics, and, moreover, in a confidential manner, allowed Tsar Boris to quickly win the favor of many bourgeois political figures, diplomats, and representatives of the creative intelligentsia who met with him, helped his associates create an aura of "wise ruler" around the Tsar's personality.

* Rendel G. The Sword and the Olive Recollections of Diplomacy and the Foreign Service, 1913-1954. L ., 1957. P. 153.

An extremely suspicious person, constantly reading medical literature and discovering various illnesses in himself, not missing a day so as not to take medicine (although he was physically strong enough), a person of mood, very unbalanced, often experiencing unconscious fear of the future, for his life, falling into extreme pessimism, up to thoughts of renunciation and suicide - such was Tsar Boris, according to his closest advisers.

Boris clearly adopted his approach to political affairs from Ferdinand and other Coburgs. He "was basically a Coburt," Rendel concluded. This was the main thing in the propensity for political intrigues and resourcefulness noted above. From this followed the desire of the king almost always to go to the achievement of political goals in a complex, and not simple, direct way.

Both Coburgs mastered the art of "pretending and fooling", although they used it differently, in accordance with their individuality. "The father preferred, - writes the famous Bulgarian politician Dima Kazasov, - lush and bright scenery, and the son had a penchant for the most ordinary, everyday environment, which, as he believed, could more easily mislead such a" naive and simple-hearted "spectator as Bulgarian" *. Boris liked to emphasize that he was a "republican tsar", close to the needs and concerns of the common people. To maintain such a reputation, the Bulgarian monarch often attended mass festivities, the houses of peasants, entered into conversations with people of "low origin", could with demonstrative patience share the fate of soldiers marching in a parade under a thunderstorm, with touching attention to those around him, provide urgent assistance to a soldier who, in a speck flew into the eye, or people who got into a car accident near the country royal palace. "A mask is necessary for sovereigns, since the majority judges them by what they appear to be, and only a very few are able to distinguish the apparent from the real" ** - this Machiavellian rule was applied by the Bulgarian monarch not without success.

*Kazasov D. Vidano and prezhivyano, 1891-1944. Sofia, 1969. S. 196.

** Machiavelli N. Sovereign and reasoning on the first three books of Chita Livy. SPb., 1869. S. 76.

Boris Klement Robert Maria Pius Stanislav Saxe-Coburg-Gotha graduated from the Sofia Military Academy. During World War I he was at the headquarters of the Commander-in-Chief of the Bulgarian Army. After the defeat of Bulgaria in the 1st World War and the abdication of his father, he ascended the throne (coronation 10/4/1918). All his life he feared that his father would return to the throne, and opposed any of his visits to Bulgaria. 10/25/1930 married Giovanna, daughter of the King of Italy.

An educated person with diverse interests, he was fond of history, natural science, and botany. He knew how to conduct a conversation perfectly, to win the favor of the interlocutor. At the same time, Boris was extremely suspicious and unbalanced, suffering from bouts of apathy and fear of the future. Possessing good health, he could take many medicines daily without harm to the body. From 1918, under the rule of A. Stamboliysky, he did not have any power, being an exclusively decorative figure. On June 9, 1923, as a result of a coup d'état carried out by the rightists, headed by the monarchist A. Tsankov, who enjoyed the full confidence of Boris, the government of Stamboliysky was overthrown.

On July 1, 1927, the military control established by the Entente countries after the 1st World War was removed from Bulgaria. On May 19, 1934, the officer's Military League and the political group "Link" carried out another coup d'état. However, the bulk of the army did not support the conspirators, and gradually Boris managed to make the army the basis of his power. He was able to use the results of the coup of 19/5/1934 to establish a regime of personal dictatorship in Bulgaria. Political parties were dissolved and the effect of the Tyrnovo Constitution of 1879 was actually abolished. He established a "non-partisan" regime in the country, ruling with the help of officials and advisers from court circles who did not belong to any party. He tried with all his might to maintain Bulgarian neutrality, which was virtually impossible in the face of a constant threat from neighbors (to counter which he needed the support of either Germany or the USSR).

Visit of Boris III to Hitler.
Berchtesgaden (Bavaria). 1940

In November 1940 he had a meeting with A. Hitler in Berchtesgaden and under his pressure on March 1, 1941 was forced to sign a protocol on Bulgaria's accession to the Tripartite Pact. 11/29/1941 Bulgaria joined the Anti-Comintern Pact.

Boris managed not to send Bulgarian troops to the front, limiting their participation in the war to the occupation of Yugoslav and Greek territories. The Bulgarian army performed occupying functions in the rear of the Wehrmacht. Boris provided the German command and others with naval bases on Bulgarian territory for military operations against the USSR. The Bulgarian occupation zone in Yugoslavia and Greece was constantly expanding, where additional Bulgarian troops were sent, freeing the German ones for the front. December 13, 1941 declared war on Great Britain and the United States, but the USSR refused to declare war.

In August 1943, he met Hitler again, and upon returning to Sofia, he died suddenly, according to the official conclusion, “from blockage of the left heart artery (thrombosis), bilateral pneumonia and hemorrhage in the lungs and brain” (historians agree that this is the most plausible version his death). Such an unexpected death led to the emergence of unfounded versions about the murder of Boris by German intelligence agents. There is also a version that he was shot dead by a bodyguard.

In Berlin, Boris III met with Hitler, and therefore the legend that the Fuhrer poisoned the Bulgarian Tsar became widespread. It correctly reflects the true essence of the relationship between Boris III and Hitler, which was never friendly. Meanwhile, the opinion was firmly established in the national consciousness that during the Second World War Bulgaria attacked the USSR in 1941, although not a single Bulgarian soldier ever crossed the Soviet border, and diplomatic relations were maintained between the two states until 1944.

Boris III was the godson of the last Russian Emperor Nicholas II and always kept a prayerful memory of him. The tsar understood that Russia and the Bolshevik regime were completely different things. Until 1934, when Boris established monocratic rule in the country, communists and leftist forces constantly sought to overthrow the monarchy. Since 1934, the pressure of Nazi Germany began on Bulgaria. Since the autumn of 1940, both Berlin and Moscow were in dire need of Bulgaria as an important foothold in the Balkans. On October 16, 1940, Hitler in an ultimatum demanded that Boris III join the Nazi pact. However, the tsar refused the Fuhrer several times. It was a kind of sensation: no one expected such resistance from a small Balkan country.

Meanwhile, pressure on Boris III was also increased by Moscow, which persistently imposed an agreement on "mutual assistance" on Sophia. However, Tsar Boris, using the example of the Baltic states, was well aware that the signing of such an agreement would lead to the constant intervention of the USSR not only in foreign, but also in the internal policy of Bulgaria. Therefore, the tsar rejected the Soviet proposal.

Boris III resisted Hitler as best he could, realizing that an alliance with Nazi Germany was not in the interests of Bulgaria and the dynasty. But he could not avoid this union. Meanwhile, at that time, being in the Axis pact was not at all considered so criminal. Recall that during Molotov's meeting with Hitler in Berlin, Nazi Germany, wanting to lull the vigilance of the Soviet Union, offered him entry into the pact. The USSR not only did not refuse, but began to prepare for this entry in the most active way.

On March 2, 1941, the Wehrmacht entered the territory of Bulgaria in order to assist its grouping in Greece. On the same day, Bulgaria announced its accession to the Tripartite Pact. However, soon Boris III ensured that the German troops remained only along the railway leading to occupied Greece. In addition, the tsar saved the Bulgarian Jews from destruction (his memory is immortalized in Israel). Unfortunately, Boris III could not resist the joint occupation of Yugoslavia and Greece with the Germans and Italians. In December 1941, the tsar declared war on the United States and England, which led to the severe bombing of Sofia.

On June 22, 1941, Nazi Germany and its allies declared war on the USSR. Bulgaria categorically refused to do so. When Hitler insisted, Boris III replied: "Do you want my entire army to immediately surrender?"

Tsar Boris III was buried in the Rila Monastery, which he loved so much. Having come to power, the communists took away the body of the king and, most likely, destroyed it. In 1990, the heart of Tsar Boris III was found and returned to the Rila Monastery, where it remains to this day.

On June 9, 1923, a military coup overthrew the government of the Agricultural Union, Stamboliysky was captured and shot. One of the leaders of the coup, Alexander Tsankov, was appointed prime minister of the new government. The coup marked the beginning of a long period of internal instability. On September 23, 1923, an uprising took place, started by the communists and lasting several days. It was suppressed, after which the “white terror” began, in which about 20 thousand people became victims of terrorist and anti-terrorist forces. In 1924 alone, about two hundred political assassinations took place.

In this situation, in 1925, after the so-called Petrich Incident, Greece declared war on Bulgaria. Despite the intervention of the League of Nations, the situation inside the country remained extremely tense.

Two assassination attempts

On April 13, 1925, Boris III, accompanied by four people, went by car to hunt at the Arabakonak Pass near the town of Orkhaniye. On the way back, shots were fired, the tsar's bodyguard and an employee of the Museum of Natural History were killed, the driver was wounded. Boris tried to take control of the car, but failed to control it, and the car crashed into a telegraph pole. A truck accidentally passing by allowed Boris and his two surviving companions to escape. On the same day, former general and deputy Konstantin Georgiev was killed.

Three days later, in the Cathedral of the Holy Week in Sofia, the funeral of the murdered general took place, which was attended by many Bulgarian politicians. The communists and anarchists took advantage of this by planting a bomb in the cathedral. This time, the assassination attempt was clearly directed against Boris III and the government. The explosion occurred during the funeral ceremony. 128 people were killed, including the mayor of Sofia, eleven generals, twenty-five senior officers, the chief of police and a whole class of lyceum students. Boris III was late for the ceremony due to the fact that he was at the funeral of his friend, the hunter. The assassination attempt was followed by a wave of repression by the authorities. Martial law was declared that evening, and 3,194 people were arrested in the following two weeks, many of whom were killed without trial or sentenced to death.

Last years

On May 19, 1934, a military coup took place, which led to the personal dictatorship of Tsar Boris. At first, he did not interfere with the rapprochement of his pro-German ministers with Hitler in the 1930s and the involvement of Bulgaria in the circle of German satellites. In 1940, Bulgaria passed, in agreement with Germany and Romania, southern Dobrudja, and in 1941 - the areas of historical Macedonia (including access to the Aegean Sea), lost by Bulgaria under the Neuilly Treaty of 1919 and between the wars were part of Yugoslavia and Greece captured at that time by the Germans. Repeatedly met with Hitler, including in his mountain residence Berghof.

However, given the pro-Russian sentiments of a significant part of the people and being a pacifist by conviction, during World War II he did not declare war on the USSR and did not send Bulgarian troops to the Eastern Front. In addition, he was able to save 50 thousand Bulgarian Jews by mobilizing them for public works (his memory is immortalized in Israel). German troops were present in Bulgaria only along the railway leading to occupied Greece. Tsar Boris died suddenly in 1943, a few days after returning to Sofia from a meeting with Hitler in East Prussia, according to the official version, from a heart attack. Versions of his poisoning appeared due to disagreements with the Fuhrer (in particular, unwillingness to declare war on the USSR and extradite Jews), and although an analysis of the testimonies of contemporaries and Boris's embalmed heart, discovered in the 1990s, confirms the version of death from a heart attack, there are poisons, imitating death due to natural causes and leaving no traces.

Boris was succeeded by his 6-year-old son Simeon II, later Prime Minister of Bulgaria.