Between “Threat” and “Hero”: Prince Alexander I of Bulgaria and Germany

Abstract

In 1879, when Alexander von Battenberg became ruler of Bulgaria as a compromise decision of the European powers in their search for balance, he faced a difficult situation. It took him a lot of strength to handle the different crises. When the long-term break with Russia occurred, he tried to achieve the cooperation of Germany. He had friends in Berlin, but he also had even more powerful enemies. The analysis of sources that have not yet been evaluated on the topic shows that Alexander I waited with hope for the change of the throne in Berlin. This is because the political plans of the Crown Prince’s family were also connected with Bulgaria and his career. A high-level political game began, which put Alexander at the centre of the politics of the German chancellor Otto von Bismarck for years, as well as of European relations. This power struggle, marked by intrigues and threats, was to end in the defeat of Alexander and his allies. The Bulgarian ruler was forced to abdicate, not so much because of his own mistakes, but as a result of the conflicts among the Great Powers and their efforts to maintain balance. The whole situation had negative consequences for Bismarck’s political course as well.