The first Balkan alliance (1860-1868) and the Bulgarians

Abstract

The First Balkan Alliance was formed in 1860, thanks mainly to the
diplomatic efforts of the Serbian statesman Ilija Garašanin. The purpose of the
alliance was to unite all the Balkan peoples against the Ottoman Empire with
the aim of liberating all their brothers still living under the imperial yoke.
In the framework of the alliance, the politicians of Serbia also turned to
the Bulgarians, both those living in unredeemed Bulgaria and those of the
diaspora.
Thus, early in 1867 a Bulgarian revolutionary organization which was
active in Bucharest under the name of the “Benevolent Society” approached
Serbia with a view to collaboration and, urged on by Russia, presented the
Serbian government with a draft agreement on 27 January.
The draft was titled “Programme for Serbo-Bulgarian (Bulgaro-Serbian) 

political relations; or: cordial agreement between them” (Program političkodnosaja
Srbobugaru (Bugarosrbe) Hi njihov srdaču sporazum). The Bulgarians
also proposed the setting-up of a Serbo-Bulgarian or Bulgaro-Serbian
state headed by the Serbian Prince Michael. Although the borders of this state
were not defined, its organization was outlined in detail, and it was to have a
common government, common legislation, common armed forces, and a common capital.
This article also discusses the intensive activity of the Bulgarian revolutionary
Georgij Rakovski.