Bulgaria (1962: The War to End all Wars of the World)

Tsardom of Bulgaria
Царство България
*Tsarstvo Bŭlgariya*
Timeline: 1962: The War to End all Wars of the World
OTL equivalent: Bulgaria, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Çanakkale Province, Yalova Province, Kocaeli Province, Istanbul Province, Kırklareli Province, Tekirdağ Province, Edirne Province, and Constanța County
Tsardom of Bulgaria Царство България; Tsarstvo BŭlgariyaTimeline: 1962: The War to End all Wars of the World ; OTL equivalent: Bulgaria, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, Eastern Macedonia and Thrace, Çanakkale Province, Yalova Province, Kocaeli Province, Istanbul Province, Kırklareli Province, Tekirdağ Province, Edirne Province, and Constanța County
Flag	Coat of arms
	Motto: ; Съединението прави силата; Sŭedinenieto pravi silata; "Unity makes strength"
	Anthem: ; Шуми Марица; Shumi Maritsa; "Maritsa Rushes"; Royal anthem: ; Химн на Негово Величество Царя; Himn na Negovo Velichestvo Tsarya; "Anthem of His Majesty the Tsar";
	Location of Bulgaria (indigo) in Europe
Capital	Pleven
Largest city	Konstantograd
Other cities	Burgas, Dobrich, Pernik, Haskovo, Yambol, Blagoevgrad, Vratsa
Official languages	Bulgarian
Regional languages	Romanian, Macedonian, Greek, and Turkish
Official script	Cyrillic script
Religion	Eastern Orthodox Christianity
Demonym	Bulgarian
Government	Unitary parliamentary constitutional monarchy
Legislature	National Assembly
Formation
Area
Population
Currency	Bulgarian lev (BGN)
Time zone	EET (UTC+2)
Date formats	dd/mm/yyyy
Drives on the	right
Calling code	+359
Patron saint	John of Rila

The Tsardom of Bulgaria is a country in southeastern Europe. It is bordered by Wallachia and Romania to the north, Serbia to the west and northwest, Albania to the west, Greece to the south, and Turkey to the east. In terms of land area, Bulgaria is the largest nation in the Balkan region and the only European nation besides Russia to be located within two continents.

Following the Great Nuclear War, the Communist government was deposed by a military coup and a nationalist regime was established. In 1985, Prince Kyril of Preslav, the second eldest son of the last Tsar landed on Bulgarian shores while serving in the Spanish navy. The Prince was invited to Pleven to meet the head of state, and he was treated with a hero's welcome. He was offered the crown of Bulgaria. Kyril, who wished to have meaning in his life, accepted the offer. And thus, the monarchy was reestablished and the Tsardom was restored.

In 1990, Bulgaria invaded the crumbling Yugoslav state and conquered Macedonia. Bulgaria continued to expand her borders by conquering parts of Greece and Turkey. The early 2000's saw the reconstruction and Bulgarianisation of the city of Istanbul (which had been renamed Konstantograd), a city that was originally destroyed by ICBMs in the nuclear war.

Etymology[]

The country's name, Bulgaria, is taken from the word Bulgars, an extinct tribe of Turkic origin, which created the country. Within Bulgaria, some historians question the identification of the Bulgars as a Turkic tribe, in favor of an Iranian origin. Their name is not completely understood and difficult to trace back earlier than the 4th century AD, but it is possibly derived from the Proto-Turkic word bulģha ("to mix", "shake", "stir") and its derivative bulgak ("revolt", "disorder") Alternate etymologies include derivation from a compound of Proto-Turkic bel ("five") and gur ("arrow" in the sense of "tribe"), a proposed division within the Utigurs or Onogurs ("ten tribes").

The country is known by several names, such as the Fourth Bulgarian Tsardom, the Fourth Bulgarian Empire, the Kingdom of Bulgaria, the Neo-Bulgarian Tsardom, the Neo-Bulgarian Empire, the Bulgarian Empire, or just simply Bulgaria.

Following the coronation of Tsar Kyril I, the Socialist Republic of Romania and the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia refused to recognized the new regime and the restored monarchy. Following the dissolution of Yugoslavia, Vojvodina and Croatia would recognize the Tsardom of Bulgaria as the official, legal, and legitimate government. Following the Third Balkan War, it would not be until 2005 that Serbia would recognize the Tsardom as the legitimate government of Bulgaria.

Following their independence, Wallachia and Transylvania would recognize the Tsardom of Bulgaria as the legitimate government. Romania, which remains a Marxist-Leninist one-party republic, refuses to recognize the Tsardom, especially since the country is home to numerous Bulgarian pro-communist exiles. The Romanian government officially recognizes Bulgaria as the People's Republic of Bulgaria, and claims that it is being occupied by capitalist forces. The latter statement would force the Bulgarian government to build a wall along the border between Romania and Bulgaria.

History[]

Pre-Doomsday[]

The history of Bulgaria can be traced from the first settlements on the lands of modern Bulgaria to its formation as a nation-state and includes the history of the Bulgarian people and their origin. The earliest evidence of hominid occupation discovered on what is today Bulgaria date from at least 1.4 million years ago. Around 5000 BC, a sophisticated civilization already existed and produced some of the first pottery and jewelry in the world. After 3000 BC, the Thracians appeared on the Balkan peninsula.

In the late 6th century BC, most of what is nowadays Bulgaria came under the Persian Empire. In the 470s BC, the Thracians formed the powerful Odrysian Kingdom, probably after the Persian defeat in Greece, which subsequently declined and Thracian tribes fell under Macedonian, Celtic and Roman domination. This mixture of ancient peoples was assimilated by the Slavs, who permanently settled on the peninsula after 500 AD.

Meanwhile, in 632 the Bulgars formed an independent state north of the Black sea that became known as Great Bulgaria under the leadership of Kubrat. Pressure from the Khazars led to the disintegration of Great Bulgaria in the second half of the 7th century. One of the Kubrat's successors, Asparukh, migrated with some of the Bulgar tribes to the area around the Danube delta, and subsequently conquered Scythia Minor and Moesia Inferior from the Byzantine Empire, expanding his new kingdom further into the Balkan Peninsula.

A peace treaty with Byzantium in 681 and the establishment of a permanent Bulgarian capital at Pliska south of the Danube mark the beginning of the First Bulgarian Empire. The new state brought together Thracian remnants and Slavs under Bulgar rule, and a slow process of mutual assimilation began. In the following centuries Bulgaria established itself as a powerful empire, dominating the Balkans through its aggressive military traditions, which led to development of distinct ethnic identity. Its ethnically and culturally diverse people united under a common religion, language and alphabet which formed and preserved the Bulgarian national consciousness despite foreign invasions and influences.

In the 11th century, the First Bulgarian Empire collapsed under Rus' and Byzantine attacks, and became part of the Byzantine Empire until 1185. Then, a major uprising led by two brothers - Asen and Peter of the Asen dynasty, restored the Bulgarian state to form the Second Bulgarian Empire. After reaching its apogee in the 1230s, Bulgaria started to decline due to a number of factors, most notably its geographic position which rendered it vulnerable to simultaneous attacks and invasions from many sides. A peasant rebellion, one of the few successful such in history, established the swineherd Ivaylo as a Tsar. His short reign was essential in recovering - at least partially - the integrity of the Bulgarian state.

A relatively thriving period followed after 1300, but ended in 1371, when factional divisions caused Bulgaria to split into three small Tsardoms. By 1396, they were subjugated by the Ottoman Empire. The Turks eliminated the Bulgarian system of nobility and ruling clergy, and Bulgaria remained an integral Turkish territory for the next 500 years. With the decline of the Ottoman Empire after 1700, signs of revival started to emerge. The Bulgarian nobility had vanished, leaving an egalitarian peasant society with a small but growing urban middle class.

By the 19th century, the Bulgarian National Revival became a key component of the struggle for independence, which would culminate in the failed April uprising in 1876, which prompted the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78 and the subsequent Liberation of Bulgaria. The initial Treaty of San Stefano was rejected by the Western Great Powers, and the following Treaty of Berlin limited Bulgaria's territories to Moesia and the region of Sofia. This left many ethnic Bulgarians out of the borders of the new state, which defined Bulgaria's militaristic approach to regional affairs and its allegiance to Germany in both World Wars. After World War II, Bulgaria became a Communist state, dominated by Todor Zhivkov for a period of 35 years.

World War III[]

In the autumn of 1962, the two sides of the Cold War finally fought each in a full-blown war. On the 20th of October, both sides launched their nuclear stockpiles. The Bulgarian capital of Sofia was destroyed by an American intercontinental ballistic nuclear missile around midnight local time.

A few minutes later, more nuclear missiles destroyed the cities of Varna, Sliven, and Ruse, as well as several Bulgarian and Soviet military bases and training facilities. An estimate two million Bulgarians were killed instantly, and an estimated one million perished from complications from the "atomic war". Zhivkov and most of the government fled Sofia not long before the city was destroyed by the atom bomb. He relocated the capital to Pleven and issued an emergency government meeting with politicians and surviving military officials.

Zhivkov wanted to ensure the survival of the socialist regime, believing that it was the best option in order to rebuild the ruined Bulgarian nation. By December of that year, it was certain the Moscow was destroyed by the atom bombs, but it was unsure if the Soviet state and Nikita Khrushchev survived. The Warsaw Pact was considered to have been dissolved, however the Communist regimes of the Balkan peninsula remained intact in spite of the barrage of atom bombs.

Downfall of the People's Republic[]

With the exception of her neighbors (Romania, Yugoslavia, Greece, Albania, and Turkey), Bulgaria was isolated from the rest of the world, with the belief that the entire world was destroyed by nuclear fire. The winter of 1962/1963 was particularly devastating, with many people succumbing from the bitterly cold temperatures and the resulting famines. Global temperatures would remain low for years to come. State propaganda was quick to blame the "capitalists" and "imperialists" of the west for the devastation. Kennedy and Macmillan were portrayed as a inhuman monsters with a thirst for blood, while Khrushchev and Zhivkov were portrayed as heroes of the people.

Propaganda, however, did little to inspire the Bulgarian people to support the Communist regime. Anti-Communist political dissidents were arrested en mass from 1963 to the deposition of Zhivkov in 1984. Famines and isolation would take a toll on the Bulgarian economy. Trade was limited to only Romania, Yugoslavia, and Albania. Even then, the trade with her neighbors did nothing to help the failing economy. The situation was made only worse in part to the expenses of Zhivkov. Instead of assisting survivors of the nuclear blast or feeding the starving, Zhivkov choose instead to spend what little remained of state expenses on pro-Communist monuments, such as a statue to Khrushchev and a museum dedicated to Communist leaders and revolutionaries, such as Vladimir Lenin and Georgi Dimitrov.

By the summer of 1984, the majority of the Bulgarian people lost faith in the Marxist regime. Almost seventy percent of the Bulgarian population was living in poverty while thirty percent was imprisoned for anti-government thought. Thousands of Bulgarians marched to the streets to show their discontent. The first major protest erupted in Pleven on 15 September 1984, during the anniversary of the establishment of the People's Republic of Bulgaria. Factory workers in Pleven announced their intentions to strike, and the factory workers left their post. The protests then became violent when a bread riot erupted. In Pleven alone, 200,000 people protested, demanding the abolition of the Communist system and the replacement of Zhivkov with a more competent political leader. Although public gatherings were forbidden, an estimated 300,000 people were on strile. Zhivkov ordered the army into the cities to suppress the unrest and institute martial law. However, soldiers of the Bulgarian People's Army refused to obey orders and joined the protests. Regiments openly fired at their commanding officers, who remained loyal to the Communists. Prison guards began to release political prisoners without authorization from the government and the wardens. The situation was now out of control, without the Warsaw Pact, Bulgaria faced revolution.

Traveling by train, Zhivkov hoped to meet with loyalist, with the unrealistic belief that he would be able to suppress the unrest within the country. His train was stopped by troops under the command of retired General Ivan Bachvarov, a well respected officer in the Bulgarian People's Army. Bachvarov demanded that Zhivkov resign from his post as head of state immediately. Zhivkov was then detached from reality, and he refused. By that point, Bachvarov then threatened Zhivkov at gun point, and the Communist leader allegedly surrendered to the general in tears. Bachvarov then ordered the army to arrest other high-ranking Communist officials, and the People's Republic of Bulgaria came to an end.

Restoration[]

With the army now in control, Bachvarov established a military junta. He used what remained of state expenses to help feed the starving populace and repair infrastructure, but there wasn't enough money. The government began to sign trade deals with Turkey and Greece, and later Naples and Alpines after sailors from the latter two discovered Bulgaria. The economy began to slowly improve, and stability was restored.

In August 1985, a mysterious and damaged ship was running low on supplies and fuel and was forced to beach itself. A detachment of the Bulgarian Army was sent to investigate the mysterious vessel. The ship was a Royal Spanish naval warship, that was searching for a Catalan rebel vessel in the Mediterranean, in which one of the Spanish sailors would later describe as a "wild goose chase".

The sailors came into contact with the soldiers after fifteen minutes. The soldiers demanded an explanation in Bulgarian, and they were surprised to find one sailor who was fluent in the Bulgarian language. When a Bulgarian lieutenant asked the young sailor how he was fluent in the Bulgarian language, the sailor said, "My name is Kyril, and my father was the last Tsar of Bulgaria." The lieutenant and his soldiers were stunned by the words spoken by the sailor. Kyril then showed the sailors a photograph of his father (Tsar Simeon II) and his grandfather (Tsar Boris III) and the soldiers noticed a resemblance between him and his forefathers. When asked why he came to Bulgaria, Kyril simply answered he came by accident.

The news of the accidental arrival of Kyril spread throughout Bulgaria, as Pleven was immediately informed. The son of the last Bulgarian Tsar, landing on Bulgarian land, came as a huge shock and pleasant surprise to the Bulgarian people. The news provide hope to many, who wished to return to the days of the Tsardom. The young Tsar was invited to meet General Bachvarov in Pleven, and along the way he was met by cheering crowds of Bulgarians, both young and old. Many in the crowd chanted; "We want our Tsar!"

Kyril arrived in Pleven and met Bachvarov for the first time. The two men had dinner together, which at point in time, Kyril revealed that his father died by a Catalan terrorist bomb. Spain, where the royal family took refuge after the Second World War, was at war, in which King Juan Carlos fought to maintain control over the country following the nuclear war of 1962.