Petko Karavelov

Petko Karavelov (Bulgarian: Петко Каравелов) (24 March 1843 – 24 January 1903) was a leading Bulgarian liberal politician who served as Prime Minister on four occasions.

Born in Koprivshtitsa, his older brother Lyuben initially became more well-known as a writer and leading member of the Bulgarian Revolutionary Central Committee. Petko studied history at Moscow State University and served in the Russian Army during the Russo-Turkish War, 1877–1878. In 1878, the Russians appointed him the deputy governor of Svishtov, before he was elected to the new Assembly for the Liberal Party.

He first served as Prime Minisiter from 1880–1881 and then again in 1884-1886. He joined Stefan Stambolov and others as a member of the Regency Council after the abdication of Alexander of Bulgaria in 1886, serving a brief third spell as Prime Minister in August of that year. His reigns as Prime Minister where characterized by close association with Russia.

As a committed liberal, he became associated with the Democratic Party after the party split. He broke from his former ally Stambolov and was imprisoned 1891-1894, after being accused of instigating the assassination of government Minister Hristo Belchev. He briefly returned in 1901 to lead the first Democratic Party government.