Tsar
Simeon's father, Tsar Boris III, became the last Bulgarian monarch to rule the country. Simeon was still too young at the time of his father’s death. Simeon was born in June 1937 in Sofia. His father was Tsar Boris III, the same one who led Bulgaria during the Second World War, participated in the rescue of Bulgarian Jews and died unexpectedly after a meeting with Hitler. Simeon was too young at the time to ascend the throne, and a regency council ruled on his behalf from 1943 to 1946. Until 1944, the regents were Kirill Preslavski, Boris Filov and Nikola Mikhov, and then Todor Pavlov, Venelin Ganev and Tsvyatko Boboshevski. In February 1945, the “People's Court” took place, many Bulgarian ministers, as well as three regents, were executed. The royal family lived under house arrest in the Vrana Palace. In 1946, the monarchy in Bulgaria was abolished with the help of Soviet troops stationed in the country. 95% of Bulgarians voted for the abolition of the monarchy in the Referendum. It is often said that the results were falsified, but the fact remains: there were few fans of the monarchical system in the country at that time. Some were destroyed, others lost faith. On September 16, 1946, the royal family (Simeon II, his mother Queen Joanna and sister Maria Louise) was expelled from the country. Without really having time to be king, Simeon lost his kingdom. However, he did not officially abdicate the throne.
Family
Married to the Spanish Catholic noblewoman Margarita Gomez Acebo y Sejuela (daughter of the Marquis and distant relative of King Juan Carlos). Their marriage took place in 1962 through a three-stage wedding ceremony (the final one was the wedding in the Church of St. Barbara of the Russian Church Abroad in Vevey)[3][4]. Four sons - Prince Kardam (1962-2015), Prince Kirill (1964), Prince Kubrat (1965) and Prince Konstantin-Asen (1967), as well as a daughter, Princess Kalina (b. 1972). The two eldest were baptized in the Orthodox Church, the rest in the Catholic Church.
Since 2002, Simeon’s residence has been the Vrana Palace, built by his grandfather on the outskirts of Sofia.
Emigrant
Kings have many specific problems, but there will always be influential relatives. They were also found in Simeon. The royal family went to Egypt, where Joanna's father, the Italian king Victor Emmanuel III, lived. In Egypt, the king graduated from college, and then went to Spain, where he continued his studies. Having reached adulthood, Simeon confirmed his desire to be the Bulgarian Tsar and remain faithful to the Tarnovo Constitution. Nothing is known about the public reaction to these statements. Bulgaria at that time was already deeply socialist, and hardly anyone took seriously the intention of the last Bulgarian king to return to the throne. Little is known about the life of the king in subsequent years. He attended a military academy in the United States and was allegedly involved in business.
Excerpt characterizing Simeon II
Pierre sat down on the sofa, tucking his legs under him. – You can imagine, I still don’t know. I don't like either one. - But you have to decide on something? Your father is waiting. From the age of ten, Pierre was sent abroad with his tutor, the abbot, where he stayed until he was twenty. When he returned to Moscow, his father released the abbot and said to the young man: “Now you go to St. Petersburg, look around and choose. I agree to everything. Here is a letter for you to Prince Vasily, and here is money for you. Write about everything, I will help you with everything.” Pierre had been choosing a career for three months and had done nothing. Prince Andrey told him about this choice. Pierre rubbed his forehead. “But he must be a Mason,” he said, meaning the abbot whom he saw at the evening. “All this is nonsense,” Prince Andrei stopped him again, “let’s talk about business.” Were you in the Horse Guards?... - No, you weren’t, but this is what came to my mind, and I wanted to tell you. Now the war is against Napoleon. If this had been a war for freedom, I would have understood; I would have been the first to enter military service; but helping England and Austria against the greatest man in the world... this is not good... Prince Andrei only shrugged his shoulders at Pierre’s childish speeches. He pretended that such nonsense could not be answered; but indeed it was difficult to answer this naive question with anything other than what Prince Andrei answered. “If everyone fought only according to their convictions, there would be no war,” he said. “That would be great,” said Pierre. Prince Andrei grinned. - It may very well be that it would be wonderful, but it will never happen... - Well, why are you going to war? asked Pierre. - For what? I don't know. That's how it should be. Besides, I’m going... - He stopped. “I’m going because this life that I lead here, this life is not for me!” A woman's dress rustled in the next room. As if waking up, Prince Andrei shook himself, and his face took on the same expression that it had in Anna Pavlovna’s living room. Pierre swung his legs off the sofa. The princess entered. She was already in a different, homely, but equally elegant and fresh dress. Prince Andrei stood up, politely moving a chair for her. “Why, I often think,” she spoke, as always, in French, hastily and fussily sitting down in a chair, “why didn’t Annette get married?” How stupid you all are, messurs, for not marrying her. Excuse me, but you don’t understand anything about women. What a debater you are, Monsieur Pierre. “I keep arguing with your husband too; I don’t understand why he wants to go to war,” said Pierre, without any embarrassment (so common in the relationship of a young man to a young woman) addressing the princess. The princess perked up. Apparently, Pierre's words touched her to the quick. - Oh, that’s what I’m saying! - she said. “I don’t understand, I absolutely don’t understand, why men can’t live without war? Why do we women don’t want anything, don’t need anything? Well, you be the judge. I tell him everything: here he is his uncle’s adjutant, the most brilliant position. Everyone knows him so much and appreciates him so much. The other day at the Apraksins’ I heard a lady ask: “C’est ca le fameux prince Andre?” Ma parole d'honneur! [Is this the famous Prince Andrei? Honestly!] – She laughed. - He is so accepted everywhere. He could very easily be an adjutant in the wing. You know, the sovereign spoke to him very graciously. Annette and I talked about how this would be very easy to arrange. How do you think? Pierre looked at Prince Andrei and, noticing that his friend did not like this conversation, did not answer. - When are you leaving? - he asked. - Ah! ne me parlez pas de ce depart, ne m'en parlez pas. Je ne veux pas en entendre parler, [Oh, don’t tell me about this departure! “I don’t want to hear about him,” the princess spoke in the same capriciously playful tone in which she spoke with Hippolyte in the living room, and which obviously did not suit the family circle, where Pierre was, as it were, a member. – Today, when I thought that I needed to break off all these dear relationships... And then, you know, Andre? “She blinked significantly at her husband. – J'ai peur, j'ai peur! [I’m scared, I’m scared!] she whispered, shaking her back. The husband looked at her as if he was surprised to notice that someone else besides him and Pierre was in the room; and with cold politeness he turned inquiringly to his wife: “What are you afraid of, Lisa?” “I can’t understand,” he said. – That’s how all men are selfish; everyone, everyone is selfish! Because of his own whims, God knows why, he abandons me, locks me in the village alone. “With your father and sister, don’t forget,” Prince Andrei said quietly. - Still alone, without my friends... And he wants me not to be afraid. Her tone was already grumbling, her lip lifted, giving her face not a joyful, but a brutal, squirrel-like expression. She fell silent, as if finding it indecent to talk about her pregnancy in front of Pierre, when that was the essence of the matter. “Still, I don’t understand, de quoi vous avez peur, [What are you afraid of," Prince Andrei said slowly, without taking his eyes off his wife. The princess blushed and waved her hands desperately. “Non, Andre, je dis que vous avez tellement, tellement change... [No, Andrei, I say: you have so, so changed...] “Your doctor tells you to go to bed earlier,” said Prince Andrei. - You should go to bed. The princess said nothing, and suddenly her short, whiskered sponge began to tremble; Prince Andrei, standing up and shrugging his shoulders, walked around the room. Pierre looked in surprise and naively through his glasses, first at him, then at the princess, and stirred, as if he, too, wanted to get up, but was again thinking about it. “What does it matter to me that Monsieur Pierre is here,” the little princess suddenly said, and her pretty face suddenly blossomed into a tearful grimace. “I’ve been wanting to tell you for a long time, Andre: why did you change so much towards me?” What I did to you? You're going to the army, you don't feel sorry for me. For what? - Lise! - Prince Andrey just said; but in this word there was a request, a threat, and, most importantly, an assurance that she herself would repent of her words; but she continued hastily: “You treat me like I’m sick or a child.” I see everything. Were you like this six months ago? “Lise, I ask you to stop,” said Prince Andrei even more expressively. Pierre, who became more and more agitated during this conversation, stood up and approached the princess. He seemed unable to bear the sight of tears and was ready to cry himself. - Calm down, princess. It seems so to you, because I assure you, I myself experienced... why... because... No, excuse me, there is no stranger here... No, calm down... Goodbye... Prince Andrei stopped him by the hand. - No, wait, Pierre. The princess is so kind that she will not want to deprive me of the pleasure of spending the evening with you. “No, he only thinks about himself,” said the princess, unable to hold back her angry tears. “Lise,” said Prince Andrei dryly, raising his tone to the degree that shows that patience is exhausted. Suddenly the angry, squirrel-like expression of the princess’s beautiful face was replaced by an attractive and compassion-arousing expression of fear; She glanced from under her beautiful eyes at her husband, and on her face appeared that timid and confessing expression that appears on a dog, quickly but weakly waving its lowered tail. - Mon Dieu, mon Dieu! [My God, my God!] - said the princess and, picking up the fold of her dress with one hand, she walked up to her husband and kissed him on the forehead. “Bonsoir, Lise, [Good night, Liza,” said Prince Andrei, getting up and politely, like a stranger, kissing his hand. The friends were silent. Neither one nor the other began to speak. Pierre looked at Prince Andrei, Prince Andrei rubbed his forehead with his small hand. “Let’s go have dinner,” he said with a sigh, getting up and heading to the door. They entered the elegantly, newly, richly decorated dining room. Everything, from napkins to silver, earthenware and crystal, bore that special imprint of novelty that happens in the household of young spouses. In the middle of dinner, Prince Andrei leaned on his elbow and, like a man who has long had something on his heart and suddenly decides to speak out, with an expression of nervous irritation in which Pierre had never seen his friend, he began to say: “Never, never get married, my friend; Here's my advice to you: don't get married until you tell yourself that you did everything you could, and until you stop loving the woman you chose, until you see her clearly; otherwise you will make a cruel and irreparable mistake. Marry an old man, good for nothing... Otherwise, everything that is good and lofty in you will be lost. Everything will be spent on little things. Yes Yes Yes! Don't look at me with such surprise. If you expect something from yourself in the future, then at every step you will feel that everything is over for you, everything is closed except for the living room, where you will stand on the same level as a court lackey and an idiot... So what!...
Prime Minister
Citizens of Bulgaria are not happy with the rule of Simeon II. In 1989, socialism ended in Bulgaria. Soon the last Bulgarian king made an attempt to return to his homeland, but this turned out to be fraught with various difficulties. The tsar received a passport and an Unified National Tax Code with great difficulty, and during his first visit to Bulgaria in 1996, the prime minister did not even want to meet with him, although the people received the tsar cordially. Simeon’s second trip to his homeland took place in 1999 – as part of a religious and environmental conference. And for the third time, the stubborn king achieved his goal and stayed in Bulgaria for a long time, and not just like that, but in power. The political party NDSV (National Movement Simeon Vtori) was formed, which won the elections. Simeon of Saxcoburgotta headed the government of Bulgaria. He held this post from 2001 to 2005. After this, the last Bulgarian Tsar resigned as the leader of the movement.
Awards
- Order of Stara Planina, 1st class (2007)[5]
- Order of Carlos III (Spain)
- Grand Officer of the Legion of Honor (France)
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold I (Belgium)
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Independence (Jordan)
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer (Greece)
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Holy Sepulcher (Jerusalem Orthodox Patriarchate)
- Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Malta
- Order of the Golden Fleece
- Numerous dynastic orders, including the Order of St. Andrew the First-Called (from the Russian Imperial House in 1976)
Scandals
The autobiographical book is called simply and tastefully “One Extraordinary Fate.” Simeon’s desire for power was caused not only by love for his homeland. Today, the royal dynasty owns huge chunks of Bulgarian territory - the royal residence of Bistritsa, forests in the vicinity of the resort of Borovets and the city of Samokov, palaces and houses. This restitution was not to everyone’s taste, but it was not in vain that the last king studied the laws and engaged in politics - so far he successfully defeated all his opponents. From time to time, reports appear in the Bulgarian media that the court considered this or that royal property not even royal at all, but state-owned. Simeon does not think so, claiming that the palaces and estates were built at the expense of his father and grandfather, and successfully appeals the court decisions one after another. The story of the king's citizenship is also quite murky. During the expulsion, the royal family was not deprived of Bulgarian citizenship. But later the king traveled on an Italian diplomatic passport. He began to apply for Bulgarian citizenship only after 1991. There were persistent rumors about his dual citizenship (which is unacceptable for the prime minister of the country), but no evidence was found. Simeon II was also involved in a scandal related to the construction of the hospital. Suspiciously large sums were allocated for construction. The scandal was international and major, but it did not end in anything: endless checks began, which went so slowly that everyone gradually forgot about corruption schemes, fraud and Simeon. In general, the people do not like the last king too much. At one time, great hopes were placed on him, which Simeon skillfully fueled with promises. But as a result of his reign, the country did not live any better, and Simeon II became noticeably richer, and this caused natural discontent among the Bulgarians. Even the news report about the presentation of the book received some unkind comments, so it’s not very clear what to expect from this event. We will be grateful for the comments of those who attend the presentation or read the book - maybe there will be something very interesting there. You may also be interested in our other articles: Varna: history and modernity Veliko Tarnovo: the ancient Bulgarian capital Archaeological Museum in Dobrich: the oldest gold jewelry is here! Do you like the article? Share with your friends by clicking on the social media buttons! Thank you!
Notes
First Bulgarian Kingdom (681–1018) Asparuh • Tervel • Kormesius • Sevar • Kormisosh • Vineh • Taurus • Sabin • Umor • Toktu • Pagan • Telerig • Kardam • Krum • Omurtag • Malamir • Presian • Boris I • Vladimir Rasate • Simeon I • Peter I • Boris II Western Bulgarian Kingdom (970–1018) Roman • Samuel • Gabriel Radomir • Ivan Vladislav • Presian II Second Bulgarian Kingdom (1186–1396) Peter IV • Ivan Asen I • Ivanko1 • Kaloyan • Boril • Strez1 • Alexy Slav • Ivan Asen II • Koloman I Asen • Mikhail I Asen • Koloman II Asen • Mitso Asen • Konstantin I Tikh • Ivaylo • Ivan Asen III • George I Terter • Smilets • Chaka • Theodore Svyatoslav Terter • George II Terter • Michael III Shishman • Ivan Stefan • John-Alexander • John-Shishman • Ivan Sratsimir • Constantine II Asen Third Bulgarian Kingdom (1878-1946) Alexander I • Ferdinand I • Boris III • Simeon II 1 Usurpers. They were not officially kings. Third Bulgarian Kingdom Malinov • Geshov • Danev • Radoslavov • Malinov • Teodorov • Stamboliysky • A. Tsankov • Lyapchev • Malinov • Mushanov • Georgiev • Zlatev • Toshev • Koseivanov • Filov • Bozhilov • Bagryanov • Muraviev • Georgiev People's Republic of Bulgaria G. Dimitrov • Kolarov • Chervenkov • Yugov • Zhivkov • Todorov • Filipov • Atanasov • Lukanov Republic of Bulgaria Popov • F. Dimitrov • Berov • Indzhova • Videnov • Sofiyansky • Kostov • Saxe-Coburg • Stanishev • Borisov • Raikov • Oresharsky • Bliznashki • Borisov Portal:Politics - Bulgaria
Trade war with Byzantium and attack by the Hungarians (893–895)
Immediately after Simeon's coronation, Bulgarian-Byzantine relations began to become complicated. The Byzantine Emperor Leo VI the Philosopher moved the trade of Bulgarian merchants from Constantinople to Thessaloniki and increased customs duties[23]. Simeon I's attempts to solve the problem peacefully were unsuccessful[32][33]. The emperor relied on the inexperience of the new ruler of Bulgaria, but was mistaken.
Simeon's army defeats the Byzantines, led by Krinit
In the fall of 894, Simeon I invaded Eastern Thrace (in the Middle Ages this region was called Macedonia) and defeated the Byzantine army in a battle in the vicinity of Adrianople[34]. The Roman commander Krinit was killed, and the imperial guard, consisting of Khazars, was captured. The Bulgarian prince ordered the noses of the guards to be cut off and released to the emperor[23][35]. These events were later called by Bulgarian historians "the first trade war in medieval Europe"[35].
Leo VI resorted to the traditional method of Byzantine diplomacy: setting the enemy against his enemy. With generous handouts, he convinced the Hungarians to attack the Bulgarians[36][37]. At the same time, the famous commander Nikephoros Phocas the Elder (840-900) was recalled from Italy and in the spring of 895 led the Byzantine army [38].
Hungarian attack on Bulgaria
Simeon immediately set out on a campaign against Nicephorus, but the Romans offered peace and began negotiations[39]. Not trusting the Byzantines, Simeon I threw the imperial envoy Leo Chirosfactus into prison, left most of his army in the south against Byzantium, and himself went north to fight the Hungarians[40]. This campaign started unsuccessfully for the Bulgarians and the prince himself had to seek refuge in the Dristr fortress. As a result, Simeon concluded a truce with Byzantium in order to focus on the war with the Hungarians[41][42][23].
