Untangling from Empire

The newly established Bulgarian state came to encompass a sizable Muslim population. In spite of further emigration, in the early 20th century there were 600,000 Muslims in Bulgaria. A living legacy of Ottoman rule in the region, they became the country’s most sizable minority that was implicitly connected with the Ottoman state. This chapter follows Bulgaria’s efforts to administer and govern these Muslim populations, particularly in view of doubts about their loyalties and concerns that they could become the channels of Ottoman intervention in its internal affairs. It also looks at the question of the place the Muslims and different Muslim groups assumed in the emerging Bulgarian national imagination. The Ottomans, for their part, were faced with the question of finding new ways to maintain connections with this community.

Conclusion

The elation of Bulgaria’s Muslims with the revolution was short-lived. Soon after, Bulgaria declared independence, raising fears about a possible war with the Ottoman Empire. In this tense environment Muslim life came to a standstill. Tensions dissipated with the signing of a Bulgarian-Ottoman convention recognizing Bulgaria’s independence. The Bulgarian and the Ottoman authorities negotiated an agreement concerning Muslim religious organization and the vakıfs in Bulgaria. In reality, it largely formalized the existing situation, although the Ottomans and the Muslims had objected to it. This conclusion evaluates the period and events under discussion, as well as its significance for subsequent events.

Homeland, Nation, and Community

The chapter explores the emergence of new ideas about community and belonging among Bulgaria’s Muslims. For many reformist Muslims the homeland was the most sacred ideal; it could be Bulgaria, the Ottoman Empire or an abstract place. During the period under consideration “Muslim” was the most common term of self-designation regardless of the Muslims’ background. But at the beginning of the 20th century “Turk” started to acquire wider popularity within certain circles, while an argument between Turks and Tatars provides an opportunity to explore the different perceptions of identity. At the same time Bulgaria’s Muslims became increasingly aware of being part of a larger world in which many of their coreligionists shared similar challenges. The chapter looks specifically at the contacts with Crimean Tatars and the Muslims of Habsburg Bosnia, and visions of Pan Islamic unity. The chapter ends with the reactions to the Young Turk revolution.

Navigating Politics

One of the most important goals was to encourage Muslims to participate in politics in the name of higher patriotic ideals. The Bulgarian political context presented opportunities and obstacles. Bulgaria was a parliamentary electoral democracy and Muslims became involved in political life from the very beginning. Although some Bulgarians were skeptical about Muslims participation in elections and the national assembly, Bulgarian political parties routinely courted Muslim votes. Certain prominent reformist figures argued for the establishment of a Muslim political party which would be the only proper advocate of Muslim interests, however, such ambitions were not realized. At the same time, reformers contested the position of the established Muslim leadership resorting to common tactics popular in the local political environment. The chapter looks at some of the major campaigns launched by Muslim reformers, as well as the actions of their Muslim adversaries.

The Ottoman Imperial Context

This chapter begins with an overview of the Ottoman imperial context and the processes leading to formation of Muslim communities in the Balkans. Then it turns to the events leading to the establishment of modern Bulgaria. The Bulgarian uprisings of the 1870s and the Russo-Ottoman War of 1877–78 were crucial events. They had important consequences for intercommunal relations, as well as for the emergence of civilizational and humanitarian discourses that influenced the views of Bulgarians, Ottomans, and Bulgaria’s Muslims. Hailed by Bulgarians as their “liberation war,” the Russo-Ottoman War was a formative experience for the Muslims as it was accompanied by violence, mass flight, and destitution. The chapter underscores the unique features of the 1878 San Stefano and Berlin Treaties that sought to provide guarantees for the protection for all communities, including, for the first time, the Muslims.