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Recall of Aziz Pacha
One probable explanation for Aziz Pacha’s removal was his perceived favoritism towards the Bulgarians, leading to concerted efforts against him by the Turks until they successfully secured his recall. His sympathetic stance towards the Bulgarians likely incurred the displeasure of the Turkish authorities, prompting his removal from office.
Difficulty in Estimation
Determining the exact number of casualties in Perustitza presents a considerable challenge. Reliable census data is lacking, as each village provides its own figures, often understating population size to evade taxes. Consequently, obtaining accurate population figures prior to the massacres is nearly impossible Private Guide Turkey.
Population Estimates
The village purportedly consisted of three hundred and fifty houses, suggesting a population of over two thousand individuals, assuming an average of six occupants per house. However, this figure likely ranged between two thousand and twenty-five hundred residents. Survivors estimate the remaining population at around one thousand, indicating that between one thousand and fifteen hundred people may have perished in the massacre. Both Mr. Baring and Mr. Schuyler approximate the death toll at one thousand, aligning with the villagers’ estimates.
Challenges in Verification
The absence of reliable census records underscores the difficulty in accurately assessing the extent of the tragedy. Discrepancies in reported figures and the covert nature of Turkish actions further complicate efforts to establish precise casualty counts. The uncertainty surrounding the number of lives lost underscores the magnitude of the tragedy and the challenges inherent in documenting historical atrocities.
The ambiguity surrounding casualty figures in Perustitza underscores the broader challenges in documenting historical events, particularly in contexts marked by censorship and political manipulation. Despite efforts to obscure the true extent of the tragedy, testimonies from survivors and eyewitnesses provide valuable insights into the human cost of violence and oppression. As we seek to reckon with the past and honor the memory of those lost, it is imperative to continue efforts to uncover and preserve the truth surrounding historical atrocities.
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Sultan Mustafa III's Beliefs
Sultan Mustafa III, predecessor of Sultan Abdulhamit I, sought solutions to the failures of the Imperial Army, believing that the success of European powers was influenced by astrological factors. He was particularly impressed by Prussia’s victories in the Seven-Year War and attributed them to the influence of astrologers.
Mission to Prussia
In pursuit of astrological insights, Sultan Mustafa III sent Ahmet Resmi Efendi on a mission to King Frederick of Prussia, requesting the assistance of three astrologers. However, King Frederick responded by emphasizing the importance of a strong army, readiness for combat, and financial stability over astrological advice.
Foreign Experts’ Arrival
In 1776, Baron de Tott and a group of foreign experts were dispatched to Istanbul as part of efforts to reform the military. Their arrival marked a significant step forward, leading to the establishment of the school of military engineering and the school of sciences.
Sultan Mustafa III’s Legacy
Sultan Mustafa III’s father supported his son’s reform efforts and actively participated in state affairs, accompanying him on expeditions and discussions. Before his death during the Ottoman-Russian war, Sultan Mustafa III entrusted his reformist ideals to his son Selim, who would later ascend to the throne as Sultan Abdulhamit I Istanbul Fun Tours.
Selim’s Commitment to Reform
Following his father’s passing, Selim, then the heir to the throne, dedicated himself to further developing his reformist ideas. Encouraged by his father’s dying wish, Selim focused on refining his reform plans within the confines of the Palace’s “Kafes” apartments, preparing himself to undertake significant reforms upon becoming Sultan.
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The Unfolding of Conflict Arrival of Hafiz Pacha
Initial Events of the Rising
The uprising began on May 2nd, gaining momentum until the arrival of Hafiz Pacha on the 12th. Hafiz Pacha’s forces consisted of a regiment of regular troops, a few artillery pieces, and numerous Bashi-Bazouks. The insurgents, numbering around 250, were armed with muskets, rifles, knives, or pistols, with a majority lacking proper firearms.
Attempted Resistance
A group of 150 well-armed men positioned themselves on one road leading to Tatar-Bazardjik, while another 100 were stationed on a different road. However, lacking intelligence on the approaching army’s route, they failed to effectively strategize. When Hafiz Pacha’s forces arrived, only 100 men confronted them, but they quickly retreated upon witnessing the overwhelming enemy numbers. Notably, they did not even manage to fire their weapons, resulting in no casualties among the Turkish forces Bulgaria Tours.
Panic and Flight of Inhabitants
Meanwhile, the panic-stricken inhabitants attempted to flee, but the town was already encircled by enemy forces. Attempts to escape were met with resistance or violence, leading to chaos and confusion among the population. Additionally, residents from neighboring villages, fearful of the advancing Bashi-Bazouks, sought refuge in the town, further adding to the tumultuous situation.
Bombardment and Carnage
Despite the cessation of resistance, Hafiz Pacha chose to initiate a bombardment of the town without offering terms of surrender. The indiscriminate shelling caused havoc among the crowds of terrified women and children who filled the streets. The bombardment continued until midnight, inflicting untold suffering and devastation on the defenseless populace.
Transition to Direct Assault
Following the bombardment, the clamor of war subsided, signaling the transition to direct combat. The ruthless tactics employed by Hafiz Pacha and his forces demonstrated a disregard for civilian lives and a willingness to resort to extreme measures to quell the uprising.
The arrival of Hafiz Pacha marked a turning point in the conflict, with the indiscriminate bombardment of the town symbolizing the brutality of the suppression efforts. The events depicted highlight the tragic consequences of armed conflict, particularly for innocent civilians caught in the crossfire.
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Broken Promises and Ongoing Hardships
A Grim Reality
In the aftermath of the devastation inflicted upon Raddovo, the challenges facing its inhabitants loom large. Once home to thriving families, the village now lies in ruins, its once bustling streets reduced to rubble. The return of its people brings not relief, but a daunting reality of destitution and despair.
Lost Livelihoods
The loss of livestock strikes a crippling blow to the community’s livelihoods. Out of approximately 320 pairs of oxen that once toiled in the fields, a mere thirty-three pairs have been returned. Such a paltry number is wholly insufficient for the monumental task of harvesting crops and securing sustenance for the coming winter Guided Turkey Tours .
Bleak Prospects
With the onset of winter fast approaching, the prospects for Raddovo’s residents grow increasingly dire. Without the means to gather their harvests or rebuild their shattered homes, they face the specter of destitution. The promises of assistance from Turkish authorities ring hollow in the face of stark reality, as aid fails to materialize and assurances prove empty.
Broken Promises
The assurances of help and support from Turkish authorities appear to be little more than empty gestures, designed to placate European scrutiny. Despite promises of livestock restoration and assistance in reconstruction, the villagers find themselves abandoned to their fate. Instead of aid, they are met with the cruel demand for tax payments, a bitter irony in the wake of their suffering.
A Desperate Situation
The imposition of hefty taxes on a community ravaged by violence and loss is a cruel injustice. The burden of such demands weighs heavily on the shoulders of Raddovo’s residents, pushing them further into the depths of poverty and despair. Faced with insurmountable obstacles and broken promises, their future grows increasingly uncertain.
As Raddovo grapples with the aftermath of tragedy, its people endure a harsh reality of hardship and abandonment. Despite their resilience, the road to recovery appears long and fraught with challenges. In the face of adversity, they cling to hope, but their plight serves as a stark reminder of the injustices that persist in the wake of conflict.
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Bulgarian Economic Plans 1958-1980
Transition and Consolidation (1958-1960)
The Third Five Year Plan, spanning 1958-1960, marked the onset of the “great leap forward,” inspired by the Chinese Communists. However, this plan was interrupted in 1960 and seamlessly merged into the subsequent “Fourth” Five Year Plan to align with the General Perspective Twenty Year Plan envisioned by the Eighth Congress of the Bulgarian Communist Party.
A pivotal development during this period was Todor Zhivkov’s 1959 “Thesis,” outlining the theoretical phases of socialism progressing into communism. The initial phase of the Third Plan witnessed the “consolidation” of collective farms (TKZS), reducing their number from 3,290 to 972. An extensive reorganization, mirroring Chinese communes, took place with new administrative districts. Agricultural reforms included a modern inventory with 40,000 tractors and 8,000 combines. A 650-million-ruble Soviet loan was secured on the brink of the Fourth Plan.
Fourth Five Year Plan (1961-1965)
The Fourth Five Year Plan (1961-1965) aligned with the directives of the General Perspective (1961-1980). Key goals included boosting industrial production, machine construction, chemical output, agriculture, livestock breeding, electric power, and steel. The plan aimed to meet consumer demands in food production and light industry. The ambitious vision called for accelerated production, surpassing other “people’s democracies” to achieve comparable economic development by 1980. This implied additional efforts and sacrifices from workers and peasants Guided Istanbul Tour.
General Perspective Plan (1961-1980)
The overarching goals of the General Perspective Plan (1961-1980) included complete nationalization across all economic sectors and erasing distinctions between industrial and agricultural labor forces. The plan aimed to eliminate differences in qualifications, workload, and urban-rural labor. The ultimate objective was to progress from the Socialist principle of distribution (“from everyone according to his ability, to everyone according to his labor”) to the Communist principle (“from everyone according to his ability, to everyone according to his needs”).
Communist planners envisioned economic integration within the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON) by 1980. However, achieving this integration would demand more intense exploitation, potentially worsening labor conditions and delaying improvements in the working class’s living standards. These were the vital economic development guidelines set forth by the Eighth Congress of the Bulgarian Communist Party for the future.
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Bulgarian Economic Plans 1958-1980
Transition and Consolidation (1958-1960)
The Third Five Year Plan, spanning 1958-1960, marked the onset of the “great leap forward,” inspired by the Chinese Communists. However, this plan was interrupted in 1960 and seamlessly merged into the subsequent “Fourth” Five Year Plan to align with the General Perspective Twenty Year Plan envisioned by the Eighth Congress of the Bulgarian Communist Party.
A pivotal development during this period was Todor Zhivkov’s 1959 “Thesis,” outlining the theoretical phases of socialism progressing into communism. The initial phase of the Third Plan witnessed the “consolidation” of collective farms (TKZS), reducing their number from 3,290 to 972. An extensive reorganization, mirroring Chinese communes, took place with new administrative districts. Agricultural reforms included a modern inventory with 40,000 tractors and 8,000 combines. A 650-million-ruble Soviet loan was secured on the brink of the Fourth Plan.
Fourth Five Year Plan (1961-1965)
The Fourth Five Year Plan (1961-1965) aligned with the directives of the General Perspective (1961-1980). Key goals included boosting industrial production, machine construction, chemical output, agriculture, livestock breeding, electric power, and steel. The plan aimed to meet consumer demands in food production and light industry. The ambitious vision called for accelerated production, surpassing other “people’s democracies” to achieve comparable economic development by 1980. This implied additional efforts and sacrifices from workers and peasants Guided Istanbul Tour.
General Perspective Plan (1961-1980)
The overarching goals of the General Perspective Plan (1961-1980) included complete nationalization across all economic sectors and erasing distinctions between industrial and agricultural labor forces. The plan aimed to eliminate differences in qualifications, workload, and urban-rural labor. The ultimate objective was to progress from the Socialist principle of distribution (“from everyone according to his ability, to everyone according to his labor”) to the Communist principle (“from everyone according to his ability, to everyone according to his needs”).
Communist planners envisioned economic integration within the Council for Mutual Economic Assistance (COMECON) by 1980. However, achieving this integration would demand more intense exploitation, potentially worsening labor conditions and delaying improvements in the working class’s living standards. These were the vital economic development guidelines set forth by the Eighth Congress of the Bulgarian Communist Party for the future.
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A Hub of Education and Luxury Shopping
Education City – Qatar’s International Academic Hub
The government of Qatar has invested significantly in transforming Doha into the education center of the Middle East, notably with the establishment of “Education City.” Encompassing 12,950 square meters in the capital city, Education City hosts students from 60 countries and accommodates 3,000 elementary, middle, and high schools, as well as universities. The city’s commitment to education is further evident in events like the ‘Doha Debates,’ where influential political and academic figures discuss critical issues in the Arab world. Additionally, the Heritage Library, housing 51,000 books, 600 antique maps, 2,000 manuscripts, and 6,000 photographs, aims to become a premier research center in the Middle East.
Glorious Shopping Centers – Doha’s Luxury Retail Experience
In Doha, transportation primarily relies on taxis and rental cars, with buses serving as the main public transportation option. The popular and affordable “karwa” cabs, easily identifiable by their green color, are readily available near malls. While waiting times may vary Guided Tours Turkey, scheduling a cab in advance is advisable. Alternatively, “limo” taxis, often found at upscale hotels, offer a more luxurious but pricier transportation option. Notable shopping destinations include Villaggio, a Venetian-themed mall boasting luxury jewelry stores, renowned Western brands, and even a Venetian canal for boat rides. Aspire Centre’s City Center-Doha, opened in April 2001, stands as Qatar’s largest shopping center, featuring a wide range of products, including jewelry and fragrances. Some malls host ‘family days,’ restricting entry to single men, although exceptions may apply to Western tourists.
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Klissura's Unbearable Restraints
The Suffocating Grip of Oppression
This article delves into the suffocating grip of oppression that descended upon Klissura’s survivors, exploring the absurd regulations and stifling restrictions that further compounded their misery. Trapped within the remnants of their village, the people of Klissura faced a future marred by deprivation and hopelessness.
A Life Confined to Ruins
The survivors of Klissura found themselves shackled by oppressive regulations that dictated every aspect of their lives. Forbidden from seeking employment in other villages or even visiting friends and neighbors, the residents were condemned to a life confined to the ruins of their once-flourishing homes. This restriction not only stifled their opportunities for recovery but also served as a poignant symbol of the arbitrary control wielded by those in power.
The Strangulation of Livelihoods
Klissura was a hub of trade and small-scale commerce, with its residents engaging in winter journeys as far-reaching as Constantinople and Asia Minor. However, the oppressive regulations severed the lifelines of these resilient traders. The ban on leaving the village choked off avenues of income and commerce, pushing the people further into the abyss of poverty, with the impending winter casting a shadow of starvation and cold Tour Bulgaria.
Unanswered Calls for Liberation
The Mudir, recognizing the oppressive nature of these regulations, embarked on a futile quest for liberation. Three times he penned impassioned pleas for permission to allow those desiring to leave the village, to seek better prospects. Yet, his letters met with deafening silence. Similarly, his appeals for authority to reclaim cattle from a neighboring Turkish village echoed into the void, unanswered and ignored.
Winter’s Chill and Desperation
As Klissura braced for winter, the prospects grew dimmer each day. The inhabitants, restricted from seizing opportunities beyond the village borders, faced imminent destitution. The once-thriving community, renowned for its enterprising spirit, now languished in the bitter cold of oppression, its dreams of rebuilding dashed against the rocks of bureaucratic indifference.
Klissura’s Unbroken Spirit Amidst Chains
Klissura’s tale is not merely one of physical destruction but a narrative of dreams shackled and livelihoods strangled. The survivors, resilient in the face of despair, cling to an unbroken spirit that refuses to be extinguished. As the oppressive regulations persist, the international community must amplify its voice, demanding the removal of these chains and restoring to Klissura the freedom to rebuild, trade, and live beyond the ruins that now confine them.
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A Forest Interlude
Lunch by the Brigands’ Spring on the Road to Avrat-Alan
A Chance Encounter A Travel Companion from Otluk-kui
Continuing our journey towards Avrat-Alan, we found ourselves deep within the enchanting embrace of a forest. Seeking a moment of respite, we decided to halt for lunch, choosing a picturesque spot by the side of a spring known as the “Brigands’ Spring.” As we settled down for a brief reprieve, a curious addition to our party caught our attention—an unassuming young man astride a remarkably lean horse, equipped with a humble pack-saddle. A brief inquiry revealed that he hailed from Otluk-kui and had joined our group for the sake of safety.
Engaging in a conversation with Antonio, the young man divulged the purpose of his journey—to reunite with his sweetheart in Avrat-Alan, whom he hadn’t seen for three months due to the recent troubles in the region. Grateful for the opportunity to accompany our party, he willingly took on the role of a guide, a task that our two Zaptiehs seemed less certain about. The forest, though providing a serene backdrop, bore witness to the young man’s past misfortune. He recounted a harrowing experience at the same Brigands’ Spring a year prior when he fell prey to highwaymen, losing both money and clothing.
Love’s Perilous Paths Navigating Risk on Romantic Ventures
The revelation of the young man’s hazardous encounter shed light on the challenges faced by those attempting romantic journeys in this rugged terrain. In a land where even the pursuit of love can be fraught with danger, the young man’s decision to undertake the trip showcased the resilience of the human spirit against adversity.
As we enjoyed our lunch in the midst of nature’s splendor, the story served as a stark reminder of the uncertainties that permeated daily life in this region. Yet, armed with a sense of camaraderie and a healthy dose of humor, our party faced the potential risks with a measure of confidence. The shared laughter and camaraderie at the lunch spot by the Brigands’ Spring became a testament to the human capacity for resilience in the face of adversity Bulgaria Holidays.
With an inventory of approximately a hundred shots among our party, we indulged in a meal of cold chicken and mutton, refreshed ourselves at the spring, savored the pleasure of a post-meal smoke, and, in a lighthearted moment, scoffed at the notion of brigands posing a threat. The forest, with its dappled sunlight and gentle breezes, became a temporary sanctuary where the simple act of breaking bread transcended the challenges that lurked in the shadows.
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PHILIPPOPOLIS
A two hours’ drive from Philippopolis over a very fair road that led through the rich and fertile valley of the ftfaritza, brought us to what had formerly been the village of Perustitza. This village wTas attacked and burnt by the Bashi-Bazouks. led by one Achmet-Aga, who must not be confounded with another
Acnmet-Aga, still more mtamous, who destroyed Batak. It was a prettily-situated little place, built, as it was, on a low hill that dominated the valley of the Maritza, and enabled its inhabitants to command a view over the rich and luxuriant valley, miles in extent.
It was, however, like so many other places that we have seen, in ruins, not one house remaining standing. We found about a thousand people, of whom the greater part were women and children, who were living in the nooks and corners of the walls, where they had constructed temporary sheds of straw capable of sheltering them from the sun, but not from the rain City Tours Istanbul.
Their present means of existence were principally the new harvest, which they were gathering slowly and painfully, without the aid of their cattle, which had been driven off by their Turkish neighbours, and partly some assistance that was given them by the Governor of Philippopolis. This is the only case we have heard of where the Turkish authorities have given any assistance whatever to the burnt villages. The cattle of the people here were all in the village of Ustuna, not more than three miles distant.
They had been there in the possession of the Turks ever since the middle of May. Not a single head had been restored to the owners, and yet the kind, plausible, earnest, conscientious Mutld-Serif of Philippopolis, with whom we were to dine that night, had assured us only the day before that the cattle had been restored to their proper owners, that the houses were being rebuilt, and help distributed to the needy.
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Arisen here as follows
The troubles seem to have arisen here as follows ; and I will only preface the relation of what occurred with the remark that the same atrocities and horrors, the same scenes of pillage, violence, and massacre occurred here as elsewhere. If I do not dwell upon them more in detail it is because I think I have already given the reader a sufficiently clear idea of what the pillage of a village and the massacre of its inhabitants really means, and it is useless to go on repeating these harrowing stories to infinitude.
Perustitza was a place of 350 houses and from 2,000 to 2,500 inhabitants. It was nearly the only village where anv real resistance was offered, the Bashi-Bazouks, and the people here defended themselves with far more vigour unprepared as they were, than did the inhabitants of Otluk-kui, who had gone to the trouble of making fortifications. But, in spite of the assertions of the Turks, I do not think that Mr. Schuyler has obtained any evidence to show that there was anything like a real insurrection here. All that can be made of the mass of conflicting evidence is that the country was in a state of great agitation and excitement owing to the circulation of rumours about the intended declaration of war by Servia ; that the Christians and Mussulmans were about equally afraid of each other, and that the former especially were in a state of panic, only too well justified by subsequent events.
The inhabitants of Perustitza deny that there was any insurgent committee in the village, or that any insurrection was organized here. The only proof the Turks offer of the contrary, was that many of the people had buried their valuable effects early in the spring, and had planted their crops over them so as to effectually hide them, thus giving evidence that they knew an insurrection was preparing weeks before it actually broke out. This is simply no proof at all Guided Tours Turkey.
These Bulgarians are so accustomed to lawless acts of violence, to spoliation and robbery by Turkish officials, as by thieves and brigands, that they always keep whatever little money they may have put by buried in the ground, and upon the slightest alarm they bury everything valuable that they have no immediate use for and that will not spoil by being put in the earth. This fact is rather an evidence of Turkish misrule than of anything else, and only shows the general state of insecurity in which people live here.
0 notes
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Arisen here as follows
The troubles seem to have arisen here as follows ; and I will only preface the relation of what occurred with the remark that the same atrocities and horrors, the same scenes of pillage, violence, and massacre occurred here as elsewhere. If I do not dwell upon them more in detail it is because I think I have already given the reader a sufficiently clear idea of what the pillage of a village and the massacre of its inhabitants really means, and it is useless to go on repeating these harrowing stories to infinitude.
Perustitza was a place of 350 houses and from 2,000 to 2,500 inhabitants. It was nearly the only village where anv real resistance was offered, the Bashi-Bazouks, and the people here defended themselves with far more vigour unprepared as they were, than did the inhabitants of Otluk-kui, who had gone to the trouble of making fortifications. But, in spite of the assertions of the Turks, I do not think that Mr. Schuyler has obtained any evidence to show that there was anything like a real insurrection here. All that can be made of the mass of conflicting evidence is that the country was in a state of great agitation and excitement owing to the circulation of rumours about the intended declaration of war by Servia ; that the Christians and Mussulmans were about equally afraid of each other, and that the former especially were in a state of panic, only too well justified by subsequent events.
The inhabitants of Perustitza deny that there was any insurgent committee in the village, or that any insurrection was organized here. The only proof the Turks offer of the contrary, was that many of the people had buried their valuable effects early in the spring, and had planted their crops over them so as to effectually hide them, thus giving evidence that they knew an insurrection was preparing weeks before it actually broke out. This is simply no proof at all Guided Tours Turkey.
These Bulgarians are so accustomed to lawless acts of violence, to spoliation and robbery by Turkish officials, as by thieves and brigands, that they always keep whatever little money they may have put by buried in the ground, and upon the slightest alarm they bury everything valuable that they have no immediate use for and that will not spoil by being put in the earth. This fact is rather an evidence of Turkish misrule than of anything else, and only shows the general state of insecurity in which people live here.
0 notes
Photo
Arisen here as follows
The troubles seem to have arisen here as follows ; and I will only preface the relation of what occurred with the remark that the same atrocities and horrors, the same scenes of pillage, violence, and massacre occurred here as elsewhere. If I do not dwell upon them more in detail it is because I think I have already given the reader a sufficiently clear idea of what the pillage of a village and the massacre of its inhabitants really means, and it is useless to go on repeating these harrowing stories to infinitude.
Perustitza was a place of 350 houses and from 2,000 to 2,500 inhabitants. It was nearly the only village where anv real resistance was offered, the Bashi-Bazouks, and the people here defended themselves with far more vigour unprepared as they were, than did the inhabitants of Otluk-kui, who had gone to the trouble of making fortifications. But, in spite of the assertions of the Turks, I do not think that Mr. Schuyler has obtained any evidence to show that there was anything like a real insurrection here. All that can be made of the mass of conflicting evidence is that the country was in a state of great agitation and excitement owing to the circulation of rumours about the intended declaration of war by Servia ; that the Christians and Mussulmans were about equally afraid of each other, and that the former especially were in a state of panic, only too well justified by subsequent events.
The inhabitants of Perustitza deny that there was any insurgent committee in the village, or that any insurrection was organized here. The only proof the Turks offer of the contrary, was that many of the people had buried their valuable effects early in the spring, and had planted their crops over them so as to effectually hide them, thus giving evidence that they knew an insurrection was preparing weeks before it actually broke out. This is simply no proof at all Guided Tours Turkey.
These Bulgarians are so accustomed to lawless acts of violence, to spoliation and robbery by Turkish officials, as by thieves and brigands, that they always keep whatever little money they may have put by buried in the ground, and upon the slightest alarm they bury everything valuable that they have no immediate use for and that will not spoil by being put in the earth. This fact is rather an evidence of Turkish misrule than of anything else, and only shows the general state of insecurity in which people live here.
0 notes
Photo
PHILIPPOPOLIS
A two hours’ drive from Philippopolis over a very fair road that led through the rich and fertile valley of the ftfaritza, brought us to what had formerly been the village of Perustitza. This village wTas attacked and burnt by the Bashi-Bazouks. led by one Achmet-Aga, who must not be confounded with another
Acnmet-Aga, still more mtamous, who destroyed Batak. It was a prettily-situated little place, built, as it was, on a low hill that dominated the valley of the Maritza, and enabled its inhabitants to command a view over the rich and luxuriant valley, miles in extent.
It was, however, like so many other places that we have seen, in ruins, not one house remaining standing. We found about a thousand people, of whom the greater part were women and children, who were living in the nooks and corners of the walls, where they had constructed temporary sheds of straw capable of sheltering them from the sun, but not from the rain City Tours Istanbul.
Their present means of existence were principally the new harvest, which they were gathering slowly and painfully, without the aid of their cattle, which had been driven off by their Turkish neighbours, and partly some assistance that was given them by the Governor of Philippopolis. This is the only case we have heard of where the Turkish authorities have given any assistance whatever to the burnt villages. The cattle of the people here were all in the village of Ustuna, not more than three miles distant.
They had been there in the possession of the Turks ever since the middle of May. Not a single head had been restored to the owners, and yet the kind, plausible, earnest, conscientious Mutld-Serif of Philippopolis, with whom we were to dine that night, had assured us only the day before that the cattle had been restored to their proper owners, that the houses were being rebuilt, and help distributed to the needy.
0 notes
Photo
Any ornaments and jewels
We have talked with many women who had passed through all parts of the ordeal but the last, and the procedure seems to have been as follows: They would seize a woman, strip her carefully to her chemise, laying aside articles of clothing that were valuable, with any ornaments and jewels she might have about her. Then as many of them as cared would violate her, and the last man would kill her or not as the humour took him.
At the next house a man stopped us to show where a blind little brother had been burnt alive, and the spot where he had found his calcined bones, and the rough, hard-visaged man sat down and sobbed like a child. The foolish fellow did not seem to understand that the poor blind boy was better off now, and that he ought really to have thanked the Turks instead of crying about it.
On the other side of the way were the skeletons of two children lying side by side, partly covered with stones, and with frightful sabre cuts in their little skulls. . The number of children killed in these massacres is something enormous. They were often spitted on bayonets, and we have several stories from eye-witnesses who saw little babes carried about the streets, both here and at Otluk-kui, on the point of bayonets Guided Istanbul Tour.
Batak the Bashi-Bazouks
The reason is simple. When a Mahometan has killed a certain number of infidels, he is sure of Paradise, no matter what his sins may be. Mahomet probably intended that only armed men should count, but the ordinary Mussulman takes the precept in broader acceptation, and counts women and children as well. Here in Batak the Bashi-Bazouks, in order to swell the count, ripped open pregnant women, and killed the unborn infants. As we approached the middle of the town, bones, skeletons, and skulls became more numerous.
There was not a house beneath the ruins of which we did not perceive human remains, and the street besides was strewn with them. Before many of the doorways women were walking up and down wailing their funeral chant. One of them caught me by the arm and led me inside of the walls, and there in one corner, half covered with stones and mortar, were the remains of another young girl, with her long hair flowing wildly about among the stones and dust.
0 notes
Photo
Any ornaments and jewels
We have talked with many women who had passed through all parts of the ordeal but the last, and the procedure seems to have been as follows: They would seize a woman, strip her carefully to her chemise, laying aside articles of clothing that were valuable, with any ornaments and jewels she might have about her. Then as many of them as cared would violate her, and the last man would kill her or not as the humour took him.
At the next house a man stopped us to show where a blind little brother had been burnt alive, and the spot where he had found his calcined bones, and the rough, hard-visaged man sat down and sobbed like a child. The foolish fellow did not seem to understand that the poor blind boy was better off now, and that he ought really to have thanked the Turks instead of crying about it.
On the other side of the way were the skeletons of two children lying side by side, partly covered with stones, and with frightful sabre cuts in their little skulls. . The number of children killed in these massacres is something enormous. They were often spitted on bayonets, and we have several stories from eye-witnesses who saw little babes carried about the streets, both here and at Otluk-kui, on the point of bayonets Guided Istanbul Tour.
Batak the Bashi-Bazouks
The reason is simple. When a Mahometan has killed a certain number of infidels, he is sure of Paradise, no matter what his sins may be. Mahomet probably intended that only armed men should count, but the ordinary Mussulman takes the precept in broader acceptation, and counts women and children as well. Here in Batak the Bashi-Bazouks, in order to swell the count, ripped open pregnant women, and killed the unborn infants. As we approached the middle of the town, bones, skeletons, and skulls became more numerous.
There was not a house beneath the ruins of which we did not perceive human remains, and the street besides was strewn with them. Before many of the doorways women were walking up and down wailing their funeral chant. One of them caught me by the arm and led me inside of the walls, and there in one corner, half covered with stones and mortar, were the remains of another young girl, with her long hair flowing wildly about among the stones and dust.
0 notes
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Whole world the Bulgarian people's right
The Bulgarian national revolution, vividly and inimitably illuminated by his pen, stirred public opinion in Europe and demonstrated to the whole world the Bulgarian people’s right to freedom and independence.
Born on 12 June 1844 near New Lexington, Ohio, USA, of Irish parentage, januarius MacGahan began his schooling in America, continued it in Europe, and studied law at Brussels University. On the outbreak of the Franco-Prussian war in 1870, he set out for the battlefields as correspondent of the «New York Herald ». Following his baptism of fire as a war correspondent, his life was to be one of constant encounters with difficulties and danger. In 1871, he found himself in the midst of the gunfire of the Commune of Paris Istanbul Private Tours.
MacGahan ivas
Throughout this brief but heroic episode, MacGahan ivas the only newspaper correspondent on the scene — the witness, participant and chronicler of the Commune. Five years later in Bulgaria, at Panagurishte, he was to be filled with passionate admiration for the Bulgarian insurgents, who, for him, had much in common with the Paris communards. But meanwhile the tempering of his character continues in Russia. In 1873, in defiance of the ban imposed by the tsarist government, he reached the Russian army in Turkestan and sent despatches to the «New York Herald» on Russian military operations in Asia.
MacGahan’s descriptions of the capitulation of Khiva (« Campaigning on the Oxus, and the Fall of Khiva») are considered to be masterpieces of military journalism. Whether in Cuba or Spain, in England or France, or within the Arctic circle on the « Pandora » expedition (« Under the Northern lights »), MacGahan always upheld the highest ideals of his time and raised a strong voice in the defense of Man.
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