Research Article

THE SITUATION OF BULGARIAN ARMED BANDS IN MACEDONIA BETWEEN AUTOCRACY AND CONSTITUTIONALISM ACCORDING TO BRITISH DOCUMENTS

Volume: 15 Number: 1 July 16, 2026
TR EN

THE SITUATION OF BULGARIAN ARMED BANDS IN MACEDONIA BETWEEN AUTOCRACY AND CONSTITUTIONALISM ACCORDING TO BRITISH DOCUMENTS

Abstract

The nationalist movements that emerged in the 19th century accelerated the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Rebellions fuelled by nationalist ideology and the new states established as a result of these rebellions reduced Ottoman rule in the Balkans. The regions under Ottoman rule experienced conflicts stemming from diverse ethnic groups. The Greeks, Bulgarians, and Serbs sought to implement expansion plans in the Ottoman Balkans, shaped by national structures formed in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Within this landscape, the anarchic environment known as the ‘Macedonian Question’ developed around the geographical area encompassing the provinces of Salonica, Monastir, and Kosovo. Macedonia's association with violence stems from the bloody conflicts initiated by armed bands established by local groups in the region. Supported by the expansion plans of the new small nation-states in the region, these armed bands clashed both among themselves and with law enforcement forces in Macedonia. While each of these armed bands is a distinct subject of study, this article focuses on the situation of the Bulgarian armed bands. Along with general assessments, the focus will be on the transition from the pre-constitutional period, when the conflict was most intense, to the emergence of ‘freedom’ with the advent of the constitutional monarchy. Reports from British diplomatic and military representatives in the region, sometimes sent daily and at other intervals, will serve as the primary source for the study.

Keywords

References

  1. 1. Archival Sources:
  2. National Archives of the United Kingdom (NAUK) - Foreign Office (FO)
  3. NAUK, FO, 421/212, No. 53.
  4. NAUK, FO, 421/222, No. 132.
  5. NAUK, FO, 421/240, No 12; 34; 63; 180; 184.
  6. NAUK, FO, 421/241, No 37; 67; 215; 218.
  7. NAUK, FO, 421/242, No 45; 26; 59; 140; 166.
  8. NAUK, FO, 421/243, No. 43; 87; 121; 138; 146; 153; 172; 181; 184; 185; 193; 194; 200; 201; 203; 229; 230; 235, 268; 274; 227; 307; 308; 354; 393.

Details

Primary Language

English

Subjects

Historical Studies (Other)

Journal Section

Research Article

Publication Date

July 16, 2026

Submission Date

January 1, 2026

Acceptance Date

February 15, 2026

Published in Issue

Year 2026 Volume: 15 Number: 1

APA
Tağ, M. (2026). THE SITUATION OF BULGARIAN ARMED BANDS IN MACEDONIA BETWEEN AUTOCRACY AND CONSTITUTIONALISM ACCORDING TO BRITISH DOCUMENTS. Balkan Araştırma Enstitüsü Dergisi, 15(1), 263-294. https://doi.org/10.30903/baed.1853257
AMA
1.Tağ M. THE SITUATION OF BULGARIAN ARMED BANDS IN MACEDONIA BETWEEN AUTOCRACY AND CONSTITUTIONALISM ACCORDING TO BRITISH DOCUMENTS. Balkan Araştırma Enstitüsü Dergisi. 2026;15(1):263-294. doi:10.30903/baed.1853257
Chicago
Tağ, Muhammed. 2026. “THE SITUATION OF BULGARIAN ARMED BANDS IN MACEDONIA BETWEEN AUTOCRACY AND CONSTITUTIONALISM ACCORDING TO BRITISH DOCUMENTS”. Balkan Araştırma Enstitüsü Dergisi 15 (1): 263-94. https://doi.org/10.30903/baed.1853257.
EndNote
Tağ M (July 1, 2026) THE SITUATION OF BULGARIAN ARMED BANDS IN MACEDONIA BETWEEN AUTOCRACY AND CONSTITUTIONALISM ACCORDING TO BRITISH DOCUMENTS. Balkan Araştırma Enstitüsü Dergisi 15 1 263–294.
IEEE
[1]M. Tağ, “THE SITUATION OF BULGARIAN ARMED BANDS IN MACEDONIA BETWEEN AUTOCRACY AND CONSTITUTIONALISM ACCORDING TO BRITISH DOCUMENTS”, Balkan Araştırma Enstitüsü Dergisi, vol. 15, no. 1, pp. 263–294, July 2026, doi: 10.30903/baed.1853257.
ISNAD
Tağ, Muhammed. “THE SITUATION OF BULGARIAN ARMED BANDS IN MACEDONIA BETWEEN AUTOCRACY AND CONSTITUTIONALISM ACCORDING TO BRITISH DOCUMENTS”. Balkan Araştırma Enstitüsü Dergisi 15/1 (July 1, 2026): 263-294. https://doi.org/10.30903/baed.1853257.
JAMA
1.Tağ M. THE SITUATION OF BULGARIAN ARMED BANDS IN MACEDONIA BETWEEN AUTOCRACY AND CONSTITUTIONALISM ACCORDING TO BRITISH DOCUMENTS. Balkan Araştırma Enstitüsü Dergisi. 2026;15:263–294.
MLA
Tağ, Muhammed. “THE SITUATION OF BULGARIAN ARMED BANDS IN MACEDONIA BETWEEN AUTOCRACY AND CONSTITUTIONALISM ACCORDING TO BRITISH DOCUMENTS”. Balkan Araştırma Enstitüsü Dergisi, vol. 15, no. 1, July 2026, pp. 263-94, doi:10.30903/baed.1853257.
Vancouver
1.Muhammed Tağ. THE SITUATION OF BULGARIAN ARMED BANDS IN MACEDONIA BETWEEN AUTOCRACY AND CONSTITUTIONALISM ACCORDING TO BRITISH DOCUMENTS. Balkan Araştırma Enstitüsü Dergisi. 2026 Jul. 1;15(1):263-94. doi:10.30903/baed.1853257

 

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