Dobri Zhelyazkov
Encyclopedia
Dobri Zhelyazkov Fetisov (1800–1865) was the first Bulgaria
n factory-owner and industrialist, the founder of the first textile factory in Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire
.
Born in Sliven
, Zhelyazkov studied at the Greek
school in his native town. Upon finishing, he tried several handicrafts until he discovered his talent in homespun tailoring. In the 1820s Zhelyazkov introduced an improved wool-carding
machine in his work, drawing down upon himself the anger of his competitors, who complained to the authorities. However, this did not stop Zhelyazkov.
In 1826, Zhelyazkov co-founded the Secret Brotherhood (Тайно братство, Tayno bratstvo) together with Dr Ivan Seliminski. The organization, initially a social one, would develop into a political society. Following the outbreak of the Russo-Turkish War of 1828–1829, Zhelyazkov took part in the organization of an uprising in the region of Sliven. However, after the signing of the Treaty of Adrianople
in 1829, Zhelyazkov was forced to flee to Russia
in 1830. He settled in Crimea
, marrying another emigrant, Mariyka Yanakieva, and became a wool and cloth merchant, touring the country and observing textile production.
In 1834, Zhelyazkov returned to Sliven with his family and settled in his wife's house. There he constructed a production building (2.20 × 4.80 m, 3.80 m high), where he fitted loom
s, carding and spinning machines constructed by local smiths to designs brought from Russia. Zhelyazkov hired workers (including two Germans
from Moravia
) and began to produce homespun, frieze and broad cloth. While this once again angered his competitors, he also earned a number of admirers among the local citizens.
To look for support for his work, Zhelyazkov went to Istanbul
and met the Sultan Mahmud II
, a known reformer. Mahmud was impressed by Zhelyazkov's production and, in 1835, signed a contract with him officially establishing the Sliven textile factory. A sultan's firman gave Zhelyazkov a number of rights, including the right to supply cloth for the Ottoman Army and administration. In the same time, the Ottoman government was obliged to provide Zhelyazkov with machines and another building, while Zhelyazkov's obligations included supplying wool, furnishing the factory, hiring and paying to workers and selling the produced cloth for the price of 22 groschen
per arshin. Zhelyazkov's work is regarded as a historical achievement initiating the encouragement of local industry in the empire.
The first to describe Zhelyazkov's factory was Ami Boué
in 1837. In 1842, an expansion began, with another production building being constructed: one of the largest in Bulgaria during the period. In 1845, the factory became state property, and in 1853 Zhelyazkov's competitors libelled him and arranged his elimination from its administration. Zhelyazkov was sent to İzmit
in Anatolia
, where he was supposed to set up another factory. Zhelyazkov returned to Sliven in 1856 and, despite his long legal efforts to regain his rights over the Sliven factory, he died ill and in poverty in 1865.
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
n factory-owner and industrialist, the founder of the first textile factory in Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman EmpireIt was usually referred to as the "Ottoman Empire", the "Turkish Empire", the "Ottoman Caliphate" or more commonly "Turkey" by its contemporaries...
.
Born in Sliven
Sliven
Sliven is the eighth-largest city in Bulgaria and the administrative and industrial centre of Sliven Province and municipality. It is a relatively large town with 89,848 inhabitants, as of February 2011....
, Zhelyazkov studied at the Greek
Greeks
The Greeks, also known as the Hellenes , are a nation and ethnic group native to Greece, Cyprus and neighboring regions. They also form a significant diaspora, with Greek communities established around the world....
school in his native town. Upon finishing, he tried several handicrafts until he discovered his talent in homespun tailoring. In the 1820s Zhelyazkov introduced an improved wool-carding
Carding
Carding is a mechanical process that breaks up locks and unorganised clumps of fibre and then aligns the individual fibres so that they are more or less parallel with each other. The word is derived from the Latin carduus meaning teasel, as dried vegetable teasels were first used to comb the raw wool...
machine in his work, drawing down upon himself the anger of his competitors, who complained to the authorities. However, this did not stop Zhelyazkov.
In 1826, Zhelyazkov co-founded the Secret Brotherhood (Тайно братство, Tayno bratstvo) together with Dr Ivan Seliminski. The organization, initially a social one, would develop into a political society. Following the outbreak of the Russo-Turkish War of 1828–1829, Zhelyazkov took part in the organization of an uprising in the region of Sliven. However, after the signing of the Treaty of Adrianople
Treaty of Adrianople
The Peace Treaty of Adrianople concluded the Russo-Turkish War, 1828-1829 between Russia and the Ottoman Empire. It was signed on September 14, 1829 in Adrianople by Russia's Count Alexey Fyodorovich Orlov and by Turkey's Abdul Kadyr-bey...
in 1829, Zhelyazkov was forced to flee to Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
in 1830. He settled in Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
, marrying another emigrant, Mariyka Yanakieva, and became a wool and cloth merchant, touring the country and observing textile production.
Loom
A loom is a device used to weave cloth. The basic purpose of any loom is to hold the warp threads under tension to facilitate the interweaving of the weft threads...
s, carding and spinning machines constructed by local smiths to designs brought from Russia. Zhelyazkov hired workers (including two Germans
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
from Moravia
Moravia
Moravia is a historical region in Central Europe in the east of the Czech Republic, and one of the former Czech lands, together with Bohemia and Silesia. It takes its name from the Morava River which rises in the northwest of the region...
) and began to produce homespun, frieze and broad cloth. While this once again angered his competitors, he also earned a number of admirers among the local citizens.
To look for support for his work, Zhelyazkov went to Istanbul
Istanbul
Istanbul , historically known as Byzantium and Constantinople , is the largest city of Turkey. Istanbul metropolitan province had 13.26 million people living in it as of December, 2010, which is 18% of Turkey's population and the 3rd largest metropolitan area in Europe after London and...
and met the Sultan Mahmud II
Mahmud II
Mahmud II was the 30th Sultan of the Ottoman Empire from 1808 until his death in 1839. He was born in the Topkapi Palace, Istanbul, the son of Sultan Abdulhamid I...
, a known reformer. Mahmud was impressed by Zhelyazkov's production and, in 1835, signed a contract with him officially establishing the Sliven textile factory. A sultan's firman gave Zhelyazkov a number of rights, including the right to supply cloth for the Ottoman Army and administration. In the same time, the Ottoman government was obliged to provide Zhelyazkov with machines and another building, while Zhelyazkov's obligations included supplying wool, furnishing the factory, hiring and paying to workers and selling the produced cloth for the price of 22 groschen
Groschen
Groschen was the name for a coin used in various German-speaking states as well as some non-German-speaking countries of Central Europe , the Danubian principalities...
per arshin. Zhelyazkov's work is regarded as a historical achievement initiating the encouragement of local industry in the empire.
The first to describe Zhelyazkov's factory was Ami Boué
Ami Boué
Ami Boué , Austrian geologist, was born at Hamburg, and received his early education there and in Geneva and Paris....
in 1837. In 1842, an expansion began, with another production building being constructed: one of the largest in Bulgaria during the period. In 1845, the factory became state property, and in 1853 Zhelyazkov's competitors libelled him and arranged his elimination from its administration. Zhelyazkov was sent to İzmit
Izmit
İzmit is a city in Turkey, administrative center of Kocaeli Province as well as the Kocaeli Metropolitan Municipality. It is located at the Gulf of İzmit in the Sea of Marmara, about east of Istanbul, on the northwestern part of Anatolia. The city center has a population of 294.875...
in Anatolia
Anatolia
Anatolia is a geographic and historical term denoting the westernmost protrusion of Asia, comprising the majority of the Republic of Turkey...
, where he was supposed to set up another factory. Zhelyazkov returned to Sliven in 1856 and, despite his long legal efforts to regain his rights over the Sliven factory, he died ill and in poverty in 1865.