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• History
of Christianization of Europe
• Soviet
Union, Communist influence
• Map
of European ethnic groups
• Map of Fascism
in Europe (1922-75)
• History
of Islamic conquest in Europe
• Religions
& ethnic groups in Russia
--MORE &
NON-ENGLISH--

• Muhammad cartoon crisis in pictures
• Stalin's private summer home
• Ravenna: capital of Gothic empire
• Czar Nicholas II's Ukrainian palace
• European traditional costumes/dress
• Inside the Vatican, house of all wealth
--MORE
& NON-ENGLISH--

• Islamic Mujahidin
vs. Spain & El Cid
• Poland-Lithuania vs. Teutonic Order
• Nevskiy's Russia vs. German Crusaders
• Mussolini vs. Libyan Islamic fighters
• Qadafi: Europe will soon be Islamic
• Ivan the Terrible vs. Muslim Tatars
--MORE
& NON-ENGLISH--

• Inside Albania, Europe's only Muslim culture (with rare pictures)
• History of Jihad in Chechnya & Caucasus vs. Russians
• History of the Muslim Tatars in Russia
• Ethnic & religious history of Serbs, Croats, & Bosnians
• History of Italy: from Roman rule to Germanic barbarian
• The cost & bloodshed of the Serb-Albanian conflict in Kosovo
• Inside Bulgaria, 1st Slavic nation, land of Thracian masters of gold
• Visual history of Yugoslavia
• Inside Muslim Turkey: right for the European Union?
--MORE
& NON-ENGLISH-- |
|
Inside Bulgaria,
the 1st Slavic nation & the land of the Thracian Masters
of Gold
by James Mayfield (Chairman, European Heritage Library)
Print
this Article • About
the Author • Bibliography/Sources
This is an article on the
current cultural, ethnic, historical, religious, social, and
linguistic dimensions of Bulgaria, complete with photos from
my 2007 vacation. It also investigates the issue of Islam
in Europe, the Gypsies, and the mysterious Thracians.
Balgariya -- България

English name: Bulgaria
Local name: Balgariya/България
Population: 7,322,858
Religion: Bulgarian Orthodox 82.6%, Muslim 12.2%, other Christian
1.2%, other 4%
Language: Bulgarian (Bulgarski/Balgarski), with Turkish minority
Ethnic groups: Bulgarian 83.9%, Turk 9.4%, Roma 4.7%, other
2% (including Macedonian, Armenian, Tatar, Circassian)
Average fertility/woman: 1.39 per woman
Migration rate: -3.71 migrant(s)/1,000 population [Bulgarians
are leaving]
Per capita average income: $10,700
Unemployment: officially 9.6%
Population below poverty line: officially 14.1%
Extant populations elsewhere of Albanians: USA, Germany, Greece,
Russia
Source: CIA World Factbook
Bulgaria is one of the more interesting former Soviet puppets
in Eastern Europe, with a complicated and ancient history
of its own as one of the oldest nations on earth. It prides
itself as being the first Slavic nation, as the Slavic race
in Central Russia had split and traveled south into modern
Bulgaria, displacing the previous Greek and Thracian inhabitants
to establish the First Bulgarian Empire in the 7th century
CE. They quickly established themselves as one of the most
powerful empires in southern Europe, annexing much of the
Balkans and adopting the Orthodox faith of their Byzantine
neighbors after rejecting the Catholic Papacy and their preceding
animist traditions. By the 11th century, the Byzantine Greeks
had conquered the Bulgarian state, but within a century the
Bulgarian Slavs had expelled the Greeks and re-established
themselves as the powerful Second Bulgarian Empire. After
a series of conflicts with the increasingly powerful European
empires of the northwest and other Slavic states like Serbia,
the Bulgarian Christians were conquered in the wake of the
Islamic Jihad of the Ottomans by the 14th century, one of
its first victims. The Bulgarians endured centuries of persecution,
economic exploitation, forced conversion, a required blood
tax that forced at least one Bulgarian child per family into
forced conversion and conscription into Istanbul's awesome
janissary armies. Thousands converted in order to avoid persecution
and unlivable Jizyah taxes (which in theory allowed the Christians
to practice the religion that was at the same time persecuted),
and thousands of Turks settled in the Christian land, a legacy
that is visible today with Bulgaria having one of Europe's
largest Muslim populations. Bulgaria became a source of military
and economic strength for what was the world's greatest empire
at the time, under the banner of Islam. By the late 20th century,
however, other Christian Balkan peoples' independence movements
inspired the Bulgarians -- with the help of German, British,
and French military aid -- to wrest themselves free of Islamic
rule, establishing the Kingdom of Bulgaria by 1908 (though
independence was declared much earlier). It engaged in a military
assault on its own Christian Slavic neighbors in the Second
Balkan War only to fail, forfeiting Kosovo and Macedonia to
Serbia for the time. It aided the Germans during World War
I and World War II, where it joined the Fascist Axis against
the Soviet Union. But by 1941, when its Tzar Boris III had
died and the tides of the incredible Soviet might had turned
against the Axis, Bulgaria broke the alliance and forfeited
itself as a vassal to the USSR, later to join the Warsaw Pact
as a Communist puppet. By the collapse of the Soviet Union
in 1991, Bulgaria had re-established itself once again as
a very centralized yet democratic state of today. Bulgaria's
long and tumultuous history, ultraconservative Orthodox Christian
heritage, ancient and unchanged Cyrillic (and Glagolitic)
Slavic alphabet, and hordes of the oldest and most elaborate
gold treasures in the world (both from the Thracian race and
from Bulgarians alike) define Bulgarians with great pride
to this day.

a Bulgarian home right next to an ancient Roman bath. Notice
the proud Bulgarian flag at center. (click photo to
enlarge)

the rings of Slavic Bulgaria's very own founding fathers.
Bulgaria's recent troubles
-- including corruption, a presence of Russian and KGB mafia
even today, and ethnic conflict between Russians, Slavs, and
Gypsies -- make Bulgaria quite new to tourism, making us some
of the few to have visited. Our ship landed at the lovely
coastal port city of Varna. Expecting to see yet another broken
down "Soviet country", Bulgaria was quite impressive
and upright despite all its hardships over the last century.
Though its waters seemed relatively dirty and unregulated,
the cities were relatively clean and well-maintained, with
few dilapidated and broken down buildings (unlike in Romania
or Albania, separate EHL articles). There is seldom trash
on the street as one would expect from a larger city like
in the United States or Europe. The economy is doing well
with a massive growth and recovery factor from its Soviet
period of decline. There seems to be more graffiti than in
Ukraine, which many of the locals attribute to a higher immigration
and minority population (Turks, Gypsies, etc.) than in extremely-homogeneous
Ukraine. Bulgaria's Varna is one of the few cities experimenting
with the occasional "city art" move, that being
when the city pays local "artists" to spray graffiti-like
images and text on a specific regulated wall. There are few
tourist shops, as little tourism is expected. There are a
seemingly infinite number of restaurants and eateries, many
of them open-air in the center of ancient cobblestone paths
impassable to cars, offering a variety of Slavic, Greek, and
occasionally Turkish foods for a good price. Bulgarian red
wine is renowned across Europe, and is offered in the American
White House, famous for its thick and dry red pallet. Pita-like
bread filled with cheese is a local favorite. English is relatively
common, as taught with compulsion in most schools, as is German,
though very little English text is visible anywhere on the
streets. Most of the Bulgarians in the street appear to be
relatively young by comparison to the remainder of Europe,
roughly 15-40. Not too many infants or very young are commonplace
oddly. Bulgarian women generally dress conservatively and
well, a trait that distinguishes them from most of the Ukrainian,
American, and Russian youths today. In rural Bulgaria, attractive
hills and mountains are adorned with broad fields of thick
grass, bush, and golden wheat. Bulgaria's urban cities are
a growing light in a dark part of Europe, but its rural quarters
are an explosive source of a thriving agricultural economy.
Crops, horticulture, hydroponic gardens, sheep, fowl, and
horses decorate wide and well-maintained roads for miles and
miles until the next growing city. This is no dilapidated
"Eastern Bloc" country like Georgia so rife with
suffering and internal schism in Abkhazia and Ajaria.

Bulgaria's rural outskirts are lush and rich (click
photo to enlarge)
Grain fields and wheat speckle the hills and mountains of
Bulgaria. (click photo to enlarge)
As in Romania, Bulgaria's
social and economic problems root in its large Gypsy ("Roma"
or "Sinti") population. Descendant from northern
India centuries ago, the nomadic "Gypsies" traveled
throughout Iran and Mesopotamia before settling along the
Caspian and the Balkans, where they were routinely persecuted
or massacred by nearly every culture they entered. For centuries
the Gypsies have lived as an impoverished and starving people
with a bizarre syncretic religion whose sole source of occupation
other than subsistence farming appears to be theft and offering
collections. As in Romania, it was amazing to learn that these
seemingly racist and denegratory descriptions of this race
were entirely true. They live in unthinkable conditions with
entirely demolished buildings, collapsed walls, infested foods
taken from waste baskets, unclean drinking water, they defecate
in public outside their homes, and they do not bathe nor shave.
All of them either seem fatally ill or deformed. Five or so
kilometers from town, Gypsy "villages" that are
akin to a starving slum are regulated, segregated, and offered
economic recovery (akin to a type of welfare or subsidy).
Horses, carriages, plows, and frail cows are to the Gypsies
what Audis and Saabs are to the Slavic natives. Some of them
attempt to enter public life or employment but generally fail
miserably and return to economic assistance. Whereas in Romania
they are considered to be leeches and thieves in public Slavic
Romanian life, in Bulgaria they appear to be a marginalized
and segregated race of the morbidly poor. In both countries,
their sympathetic asking for handouts, with decrepit hands
extended holding basins for coin donations, are deemed entirely
a false act of theft and swindling. They account for the largest
rate of theft and crime by proportion in the nation. Several
of the locals and passengers of the cruise ship were robbed
by the Gypsies when they had their wallets open to make a
purchase at a local shop. It is far worse in Romania. They
even stand outside churches to inspire Christian compassion
to offer them money (or even let their guards down to be open
to theft), which is entirely a false ploy because of the fact
that the Gypsies embrace a unique religion descendant from
India blended with the nations they infiltrate. In some cases,
local businesses actually hire Gypsies to panhandle in order
to gain extra income for the firm, or even to stand outside
another business to steer away clientelle from thieves. The
slang word "Jip" (to cheat or steal) derives from
the word Gypsy. Few of the locals donate to them, in fact
many push them away or spit at them, pleading for tourists
not to fund their perceived heist. This ethnic group faced
genocide during World War II by Axis Hungary, Romania, Bulgaria,
and Germany, and later by the Soviets as well. The ethnosocial
conflict remains strong to this day.

a Gypsy in downtown Varna with no shirt wheeling a cart of
stolen and collected goods. (click photo to enlarge)

a segregated Gypsy village. Horses, sewage, and trash flood
the streets to a backdrop of collapsed homes. (click
photo to enlarge)

a closer view of Gypsy homes. Notice the collapsed roofs and
doorless buildings. (click photo to enlarge)
Bulgaria is rife with some
of archeology's greatest mysteries and treasures dating back
to the time of the Iranian pre-Zoroastrian states and the
Hittites. Varna is full of massive state-owned archeological
museums with the most impressive coffers of gold, burial remains,
gems, and rare metals in the world. Aside from a plethora
of Roman baths, ducts, temples, and burial chambers all over
Bulgaria (all made in stone and brick), there are other simple
findings that eclipse it tenfold. Buried skeletons -- with
women buried in the fetal position and men laying on their
backs -- are collected here from Bulgaria, Romania, and Thrace
(between today's Turkey and Bulgaria) covered in refined and
smithed gold, gold leaf jewels, rings, earrings, and intricate
artwork including a hand-carved angel with near-microscopic
detail. They are attributed in majority not to Greek tribes
of Homer's time nor to the Romans or Etruscans, but to a bizarre
culture or race called the Thracians. Their
origins are entirely shrouded in mystery and theory. A venture
to Bulgaria was a fascinating opportunity for me to study
the mysterious ancient race that perplexes European historians
over the ethnic history of the current Romanians, Bulgarians,
and Greeks to this day, all dating from 800BCE and even as
early as 3500BCE. The fact that this race and its technology
disappeared suddenly is more perplexing. Many historians debate
their racial origin as anything from an advanced Greek tribe,
even ancient Atlantis, to an abstract and theorized "Indo-European"
group, to the Phoenecians of Lebanon, and to Iranian or Anatolian
civilizations. The few burial, cultural, and religious characteristics
that we can absorb from skeletons instead of buildings and
temples does not link them to any of these groups. It seems
appropriate by my theory that they are at least loosely connected
-- ethnically, historically, and technologically -- to the
only major magnificent race at that time: the culturally Iranian/Mesopotamian
states of the Hittites, the Lydians, and especially the Scythians
whose immigration westward led to their settlement in the
eastern Balkans, where the Romans later annihilated their
statehood and presence in the Dacian Wars. Later, the Slavs
entered the region, establishing today's Romanian states and
Bulgaria. No conclusion has been made to universal submission
in Bulgaria or otherwise. There is no greater outlet to study
this European historical gate to the east than in the Slavic
Bulgaria which replaced its predecessors. The history of the
Thracians as an Iranian people causes dispute even among Bulgarians.
Some Bulgarians consider their ethnicity a purely Slavic one,
others an Iranian culture, and others a blend of both. There
is a presence of Iranian influence in Bulgarian today as a
language, but this can easily be attributed to the centuries
of Islamic Turkish rule, as much of the Turkish language before
1923 drew from Farsi. Bulgarians and Romanians, despite living
in the Slavic world, have generally tanner skin and darker
hair than many other Slavic cultures. This leads some to believe
that the Bulgarians are culturally Slavic but ethnically Iranian
(or another group). Some organizations have approached this
puzzling dispute by adopting pan-Turkism because of theories
that Bulgarians may also descend from the Turkic Huns. No
answer is certain. Whatever genetic role the Thracians play
in today's Bulgarians, these ancient Iranian masters of gold
empower the Slavic Bulgarians of today with pride in their
ancient history and the glory of their homeland.

a Thracian male skeleton complete with incredible ancient
gems and gold. (click photo to enlarge)

Thracian earrings, gems, pins, jewelry, etc. 800BCE-3000BCE.

Thracian jewelry on par with today's finest.

more Thracian intricate treasures. Notice an Eastern Swastika,
a link to eastern ethnic roots.

a huge Roman bath wall right in the middle of town.

a heated pipe system all the way back in Roman times.
The role of religion is central
to Bulgarian history, heritage, and culture 1500 years ago
and today, enduring past nearly five decades of atheistic
Communist rule. 82.6% of the citizens profess conservative
Orthodoxy, with some 12.2% professing Islam (mostly due to
Turkish settlers and those forced to convert during centuries
of Ottoman rule). Bulgaria has some of the Slavic world's
most glorious Orthodox cathedrals, which tower atop the cities
with a bright cross with the traditional Orthodox diagonal
planks to discern from the excommunicated Catholic faith.
The conservative churches of Orthodoxy require men to cover
their legs and shoulders, and women to wear veils or headscarves
upon entrance like in Islam. Beautiful gold leaf-finished
onion domes link Bulgaria with its ethnic Russian roots in
its ancient homeland. Inside, the traditional roots of the
Slavs are epitomized with pride: the Glagolitic alphabet which
preceded Slavic Cyrillic of today's Bulgaria, Ukraine, and
Russia wrap around the church resounding Biblical verses much
like in mosques with Arabic. Fantastic mosaics and frescos
of the holy saints wrap around the room glowing with gold
for several centuries. Few chairs are present generally. Unlike
in Catholicism, Orthodox faith is far more independent, and
Bulgarians can be seen flocking to church throughout the week
at all hours of the day to pray. Prayer faces the saints,
with candle in hand or hand against an icon of a saint, just
as Muslims pray to Makkah. There is seldom a charge for lighting
candles to pray, unlike in Catholic churches. Confession is
done in public for all to see and hear; an Orthodox Christian
bows before a metropolitan or pope, who promptly places a
holy tie-like cloth over their heads, after which the two
pray together aloud. Weddings are held several times a week,
as Bulgaria's long and ultraconservative religious history
are directly connected to its elaborate marriage rituals.
Bulgarian traditional religious Slavic chant singers are celebrated
throughout the nation. Bulgaria places a critical deal of
pride as well in its unique and elaborate sewing, weaving,
and traditional dress costumes that are rich in blacks and
reds to distinguish them from their other Slavic brother cultures
of Ukraine, Serbia, and Poland. Most Bulgarians still pay
a type of marriage or dowry to one another upon marriage,
including monetary moneys, jewelry, and traditional dress
to be worn at the church wedding. Their Slavic race, long
history, somewhat unique culture, traditions, and conservative
faith define Bulgarian heritage then and now. Even today,
when skepticism of Biblical claims are commonplace, religion
acts as a tool to justify Bulgaria's right to independent
statehood. So too, it is reported that some 50% of recent
births in the last few years are out of wedlock (a tenet rejected
by the church), with many claiming that elaborate weddings,
parties, dowry, and planning are too difficult, though most
eventually become wed via the Orthodox church. This is less
a problem than appears, as Bulgaria has such a low birthrate
(one of the very lowest on earth) that few are born at all
this way in totality.

a celebrated Orthodox saint.

Saints are central to Bulgarian heritage. (click photo
to enlarge)

the central arch of a Bulgarian Orthodox cathedral. (click
photo to enlarge)

a cathedral's decorated ceiling. (click photo to enlarge)

a dark corner of the cathedral. (click photo to enlarge)

the exterior of a cathedral. Notice the golden onion dome
at top.
The role of Islam in Bulgarian
history and today is complicated and in many ways unique.
Universally Orthodox before the victory of the Turkish Jihad
in the 14th century, the combination of mass forced conversion,
persecution, unlivable taxes, and second-class conditions
cause Bulgaria to be one of the few white nations under Turkish
rule where large-scale conversion of the natives to Islam
occurred -- primarily by force, otherwise by best socioeconomic
interest during foreign rule. Only Kosovo (today in Serbia),
Albania, Bosnia, and what was later Macedonia surpass Bulgaria
with populations of white European Muslim converts during
Turkish Islamic rule. Today, some 12.2% of citizens in Bulgaria
profess Islam (primarily Sunni). Unlike in nearly all of Europe,
where the Muslims are immigrants who exploited post-war liberalism
imported by the victors, in Bulgaria roughly half of these
are native Bulgarians. The remainder are ethnic Turkish Muslims
(Sunni, Sufi, or Darvish) who settled either during Ottoman
rule or during post-war guest labor immigration. The Bulgarian
government throughout the 29st century and after World War
II expelled the Turks and Muslims on several occasion back
to Turkey. Today, as in all of Europe, there is a firm ethnosocial
conflict between the Europeans and the settling Turks and
Muslims. Bulgaria is no different due to its close geographic
proximity to the very capital of the Islamic world for some
500 years in Anatolia. There are, however, few mosques due
to a strong reprisal against the occupying powers by the native
Christians. There are, predictably, few synagogues as well.
Bulgaria is a lovely experience and an exclusive opportunity
to study the Thracians, the earliest of the Slavic states,
the proud Orthodox faith, and the influence resultant of centuries
of Islamic Jihad in an ancient Christian European nation.
________________________________________
ABOUT
THE AUTHOR:
James Mayfield is the owner
and Chairman of the European Heritage Library. I am working
for a doctorate in history, with a specific emphasis on Islamic
and European histories. I am well versed in all world cultures,
ethnicities, religions, languages, politics, and historical
evolution in relation to and against each other.
BIBLIOGRAPHY/SOURCES
USED:
CIA World Factbook for the
map and statistics information.
Personal observation.
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