Mihail Savov
Encyclopedia
Mihail Savov (born on 14 November 1857 in Stara Zagora
, died on 21 July 1928 in Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey
, France
) was a Bulgaria
n general, twice Minister of Defence (1891–1894 and 1903–1907), second in command of the Bulgarian army during the Balkan Wars
.
He was twice dismissed from the army and twice reassigned with the help of Tsar
Ferdinand. Mihail Savov and Ferdinand are considered the main characters responsible for the Second Balkan War
.
) 1859 in Stara Zagora
, at that time under Ottoman
rule. He studied in Haskovo
, Plovdiv
, in the Aprilov National High School
in Gabrovo
and then in the Imperial lyceum Galasaray in Istanbul
(1876).
He graduated the Military School in Sofia in 1879 as Lieutenant
. On 9 July 1881 he was promoted to First Lieutenant
and then continued his education in the Nicolas General Staff Academy
in Saint Petersburg
(1881–1885).
After his return to Bulgaria he was appointed in the Eastern Rumelia
militia. On 9 September 1885 he was promoted to Captain and with Order №4 of Knyaz
Alexander Batenberg
in the same day he was appointed for Adjutant
in the army.
in 1885 he was appointed as head of one of the departments of the Ministry of Defence
and commanded the left flank during the battle of Slivnitsa
. He had contributions for the defeat of the Serbian Morava Division and the successful battle of Pirot
. He was awarded with Order of Bravery
III grade.
In 1886 he participated in the commission for the settlement of the Bulgarian-Ottoman border in the Rhodope Mountains
and served in the headquarters of the Minister of Defence. Between 1886 and 1887 he was assistant of the Defence Minister. On 17 April 1887 he was promoted to Major
and worked in the Department of the General Stuff as officer in the 5th infantry brigade.
In 1887 Mihail Savov was appointed for Fligel Adjutant
of Knyaz Ferdinand. On 16 February he became Minister of Defence in the cabinet of Stefan Stambolov
and on 2 August in the same year was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
. After the fall of Stambolov in 1894 he was dismissed from the army but in 1897 his position was restored and became director of the Military School until 1903. On 1 January 1899 he was promoted to Colonel
.
Between 1903 and 1908 Savov was again Minister of Defence in the third cabinet of Stoyan Danev
, in the second cabinet of Racho Petrov
and in the cabinets of Dimitar Petkov
, Dimitar Stanchov
and Petar Gudev
. On 1 January 1904 he was promoted to Major General
. In 1907 he was charged for corruption and malpractice with the supply of weapons.
On 30 October 1908 he was promoted to Lieutenant General
and left the army for second time.
broke out in 1912 General Savov was restored on service and was appointed on the newly-created position Assistant of the Commander (Tsar Ferdinand). On his orders the Bulgarian army attacked the Ottoman defense lines at Chatalja despite the fact that the Bulgarians were outnumbered, the over-stretched supply-lines and the cholera
epidemic among the soldiers. He also issued the attack against the Serb and Greek armies which flamed the Second Balkan War
in 1913.
On 29 June 1913 he was put in command of the united 4th and 5th Armies and on 14 July 2nd Army was also joined. He was one of the commanders in the battle of Kresna Gorge
. After the war he was again dismissed trialed by the State Court in 1914.
In the next years Mihail Savov lived in France
. After the First World War he became Minister Phenipotentiary in France (1920–1923) and Belgium (1922–1923).
Lieutenant General Mihail Savov died on 21 July 1928 in Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey
in France and was buried on 18 August in Sofia
.
Stara Zagora
Stara Zagora is the sixth largest city in Bulgaria, and a nationally important economic center. Located in Southern Bulgaria, it is the administrative capital of the homonymous Stara Zagora Province...
, died on 21 July 1928 in Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey
Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey
Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.-Geography:It is located some 12 kilometers northwest of the famed perfume center of Grasse on the D6085 highway....
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
) was a Bulgaria
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 general, twice Minister of Defence (1891–1894 and 1903–1907), second in command of the Bulgarian army during the Balkan Wars
Balkan Wars
The Balkan Wars were two conflicts that took place in the Balkans in south-eastern Europe in 1912 and 1913.By the early 20th century, Montenegro, Bulgaria, Greece and Serbia, the countries of the Balkan League, had achieved their independence from the Ottoman Empire, but large parts of their ethnic...
.
He was twice dismissed from the army and twice reassigned with the help of Tsar
Tsar
Tsar is a title used to designate certain European Slavic monarchs or supreme rulers. As a system of government in the Tsardom of Russia and Russian Empire, it is known as Tsarist autocracy, or Tsarism...
Ferdinand. Mihail Savov and Ferdinand are considered the main characters responsible for the Second Balkan War
Second Balkan War
The Second Balkan War was a conflict which broke out when Bulgaria, dissatisfied with its share of the spoils of the First Balkan War, attacked its former allies, Serbia and Greece, on 29 June 1913. Bulgaria had a prewar agreement about the division of region of Macedonia...
.
Biography
Mihail Savov was born on 14 November (26 November NSOld Style and New Style dates
Old Style and New Style are used in English language historical studies either to indicate that the start of the Julian year has been adjusted to start on 1 January even though documents written at the time use a different start of year ; or to indicate that a date conforms to the Julian...
) 1859 in Stara Zagora
Stara Zagora
Stara Zagora is the sixth largest city in Bulgaria, and a nationally important economic center. Located in Southern Bulgaria, it is the administrative capital of the homonymous Stara Zagora Province...
, at that time under Ottoman
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...
rule. He studied in Haskovo
Haskovo
Haskovo , is a city, an administrative centre of the homonymous Haskovo Province in southern Bulgaria, not far from the borders with Greece and Turkey. As of February 2011, it has a population of 74,843 inhabitants....
, Plovdiv
Plovdiv
Plovdiv is the second-largest city in Bulgaria after Sofia with a population of 338,153 inhabitants according to Census 2011. Plovdiv's history spans some 6,000 years, with traces of a Neolithic settlement dating to roughly 4000 BC; it is one of the oldest cities in Europe...
, in the Aprilov National High School
Aprilov National High School
The Aprilov National High School in Gabrovo is the first modern secular school in Bulgaria. It was opened on 2 January 1835, when Bulgaria was still part of the Ottoman Empire, with the financial help of Vasil Aprilov, Nikola Palauzov, Vasil Rasheev and other wealthy Bulgarians and was based on...
in Gabrovo
Gabrovo
Gabrovo is a city in central northern Bulgaria, the administrative centre of Gabrovo Province. It is situated at the foot of the central Balkan Mountains, in the valley of the Yantra River, and is known as an international capital of humour and satire , as well as noted for its Bulgarian National...
and then in the Imperial lyceum Galasaray in 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...
(1876).
He graduated the Military School in Sofia in 1879 as Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
. On 9 July 1881 he was promoted to First Lieutenant
First Lieutenant
First lieutenant is a military rank and, in some forces, an appointment.The rank of lieutenant has different meanings in different military formations , but the majority of cases it is common for it to be sub-divided into a senior and junior rank...
and then continued his education in the Nicolas General Staff Academy
General Staff Academy (Imperial Russia)
The General Staff Academy was a Russian military academy, established in 1832 in St.Petersburg. It was first known as the Imperial Military Academy , then in 1855 it was renamed Nicholas General Staff Academy and in 1909 - Imperial Nicholas Military Academy The General Staff Academy was a...
in Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg
Saint Petersburg is a city and a federal subject of Russia located on the Neva River at the head of the Gulf of Finland on the Baltic Sea...
(1881–1885).
After his return to Bulgaria he was appointed in the Eastern Rumelia
Eastern Rumelia
Eastern Rumelia or Eastern Roumelia was an administratively autonomous province in the Ottoman Empire and Principality of Bulgaria from 1878 to 1908. It was under full Bulgarian control from 1885 on, when it willingly united with the tributary Principality of Bulgaria after a bloodless revolution...
militia. On 9 September 1885 he was promoted to Captain and with Order №4 of Knyaz
Knyaz
Kniaz, knyaz or knez is a Slavic title found in most Slavic languages, denoting a royal nobility rank. It is usually translated into English as either Prince or less commonly as Duke....
Alexander Batenberg
Alexander, Prince of Bulgaria
Alexander Joseph, Prince of Bulgaria GCB , known as Alexander of Battenberg, was the first prince of modern Bulgaria, reigning from 29 April 1879 to 7 September 1886.-Early life:...
in the same day he was appointed for Adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
in the army.
Serbo-Bulgarian War
During the Serbo-Bulgarian WarSerbo-Bulgarian War
The Serbo-Bulgarian War was a war between Serbia and Bulgaria that erupted on 14 November 1885 and lasted until 28 November the same year. Final peace was signed on 19 February 1886 in Bucharest...
in 1885 he was appointed as head of one of the departments of the Ministry of Defence
Ministry of Defence (Bulgaria)
The Ministry of Defence of Bulgaria is the ministry charged with regulating the Military of Bulgaria.Since August 2005 , Minister of Defence was Veselin Bliznakov of the National Movement Simeon II, with Deputy Ministers Ivan Ivanov, Radoslav Bozadzhiev, Simeon Nikolov, Sonya Yankulova and Spas...
and commanded the left flank during the battle of Slivnitsa
Battle of Slivnitsa
Called by historians the "Battle of the captains vs the generals," referring to the young Bulgarian army, whose highest rank went up to a captain, the Battle of Slivnitsa was a decisive factor in the victory of the Bulgarian army over the Serbians on November 17–19, 1885 in the...
. He had contributions for the defeat of the Serbian Morava Division and the successful battle of Pirot
Battle of Pirot
The Battle of Pirot was a battle between the Bulgarian Western Corps and the Serbian Nishava Army during the Serbo-Bulgarian War. The battle took place on 14 and 15 November 1885 and ended with a Bulgarian victory.-Prelude:...
. He was awarded with Order of Bravery
Order of Bravery
The Order of Bravery is a Bulgarian order during the Kingdom of Bulgaria and the Republic of Bulgaria. It is the most esteemed Bulgarian order and the second highest in the Kingdom of Bulgaria and forth highest in the Republic of Bulgaria...
III grade.
In 1886 he participated in the commission for the settlement of the Bulgarian-Ottoman border in the Rhodope Mountains
Rhodope Mountains
The Rhodopes are a mountain range in Southeastern Europe, with over 83% of its area in southern Bulgaria and the remainder in Greece. Its highest peak, Golyam Perelik , is the seventh highest Bulgarian mountain...
and served in the headquarters of the Minister of Defence. Between 1886 and 1887 he was assistant of the Defence Minister. On 17 April 1887 he was promoted to Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
and worked in the Department of the General Stuff as officer in the 5th infantry brigade.
In 1887 Mihail Savov was appointed for Fligel Adjutant
Adjutant
Adjutant is a military rank or appointment. In some armies, including most English-speaking ones, it is an officer who assists a more senior officer, while in other armies, especially Francophone ones, it is an NCO , normally corresponding roughly to a Staff Sergeant or Warrant Officer.An Adjutant...
of Knyaz Ferdinand. On 16 February he became Minister of Defence in the cabinet of Stefan Stambolov
Stefan Stambolov
Stefan Nikolov Stambolov was a Bulgarian politician, who served as Prime Minister and regent. He is considered one of the most important and popular "Founders of Modern Bulgaria", and is sometimes referred to as "the Bulgarian Bismarck".- Early years :Stambolov was born in Veliko Tarnovo...
and on 2 August in the same year was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant colonel
Lieutenant colonel is a rank of commissioned officer in the armies and most marine forces and some air forces of the world, typically ranking above a major and below a colonel. The rank of lieutenant colonel is often shortened to simply "colonel" in conversation and in unofficial correspondence...
. After the fall of Stambolov in 1894 he was dismissed from the army but in 1897 his position was restored and became director of the Military School until 1903. On 1 January 1899 he was promoted to Colonel
Colonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
.
Between 1903 and 1908 Savov was again Minister of Defence in the third cabinet of Stoyan Danev
Stoyan Danev
Stoyan Petrov Danev was a leading Bulgarian liberal politician and twice Prime Minister.A legal graduate of both the University of Heidelberg and the University of Paris, Danev served in a number of Ministerial roles, including Foreign Minister, and became known as a strong supporter of Imperial...
, in the second cabinet of Racho Petrov
Racho Petrov
Racho Petrov Stoyanov was a leading Bulgarian general and politician.A talented soldier, Petrov was appointed to be Chief of General Staff at the age of 24 and was Minister of Defence at 27....
and in the cabinets of Dimitar Petkov
Dimitar Petkov
Dimitar Nikolov Petkov was a leading member of the Bulgarian People's Liberal Party and the country's Prime Minister from November 5, 1906 until he was assassinated in Sofia the following year....
, Dimitar Stanchov
Dimitar Stanchov
Dimitar Yanev Stanchov, sometimes transliterated as Stancioff, was a Bulgarian diplomat and politician who served as acting Prime Minister from 12–16 March 1907 following the assassination of Dimitar Petkov...
and Petar Gudev
Petar Gudev
Petar Todorov Gudev was a leading Bulgarian liberal politician, who served as Prime Minister....
. On 1 January 1904 he was promoted to Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
. In 1907 he was charged for corruption and malpractice with the supply of weapons.
On 30 October 1908 he was promoted to Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General
Lieutenant General is a military rank used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages where the title of Lieutenant General was held by the second in command on the battlefield, who was normally subordinate to a Captain General....
and left the army for second time.
Balkan Wars
After the First Balkan WarFirst Balkan War
The First Balkan War, which lasted from October 1912 to May 1913, pitted the Balkan League against the Ottoman Empire. The combined armies of the Balkan states overcame the numerically inferior and strategically disadvantaged Ottoman armies and achieved rapid success...
broke out in 1912 General Savov was restored on service and was appointed on the newly-created position Assistant of the Commander (Tsar Ferdinand). On his orders the Bulgarian army attacked the Ottoman defense lines at Chatalja despite the fact that the Bulgarians were outnumbered, the over-stretched supply-lines and the cholera
Cholera
Cholera is an infection of the small intestine that is caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae. The main symptoms are profuse watery diarrhea and vomiting. Transmission occurs primarily by drinking or eating water or food that has been contaminated by the diarrhea of an infected person or the feces...
epidemic among the soldiers. He also issued the attack against the Serb and Greek armies which flamed the Second Balkan War
Second Balkan War
The Second Balkan War was a conflict which broke out when Bulgaria, dissatisfied with its share of the spoils of the First Balkan War, attacked its former allies, Serbia and Greece, on 29 June 1913. Bulgaria had a prewar agreement about the division of region of Macedonia...
in 1913.
On 29 June 1913 he was put in command of the united 4th and 5th Armies and on 14 July 2nd Army was also joined. He was one of the commanders in the battle of Kresna Gorge
Battle of Kresna Gorge
The Battle of Kresna Gorge was fought in 1913 between the Greeks and the Bulgarians during the Second Balkan War.After the Serbian front became static, and seeing that the Bulgarian Army in his front had already suffered defeat, King Constantine ordered the Greek Army to march further into...
. After the war he was again dismissed trialed by the State Court in 1914.
In the next years Mihail Savov lived in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. After the First World War he became Minister Phenipotentiary in France (1920–1923) and Belgium (1922–1923).
Lieutenant General Mihail Savov died on 21 July 1928 in Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey
Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey
Saint-Vallier-de-Thiey is a commune in the Alpes-Maritimes department in southeastern France.-Geography:It is located some 12 kilometers northwest of the famed perfume center of Grasse on the D6085 highway....
in France and was buried on 18 August in Sofia
Sofia
Sofia is the capital and largest city of Bulgaria and the 12th largest city in the European Union with a population of 1.27 million people. It is located in western Bulgaria, at the foot of Mount Vitosha and approximately at the centre of the Balkan Peninsula.Prehistoric settlements were excavated...
.
Awards
- Order of BraveryOrder of BraveryThe Order of Bravery is a Bulgarian order during the Kingdom of Bulgaria and the Republic of Bulgaria. It is the most esteemed Bulgarian order and the second highest in the Kingdom of Bulgaria and forth highest in the Republic of Bulgaria...
, II grade; III grade - Order of St AlexanderOrder of St AlexanderThe Order of St Alexander was the second highest Bulgarian order during the Kingdom of Bulgaria. It was established by Knyaz Alexander I and named after his patron saint .-History:...
, I and II grade with brilliants - Order of Military MeritOrder of Military Merit (Bulgaria)The Order of Military Merit is a Bulgarian order during the Kingdom of Bulgaria and the Republic of Bulgaria. In is the third highest order in the Republic of Bulgaria along with the Order of Civil Merit and the Order of the Madara Rider.-History:...
, I grade
Sources
- Недев, С., Командването на българската войска през войните за национално обединение, София, 1993, Военноиздателски комплекс „Св. Георги Победоносец“, стр. 56
- Димитров, И., Съединението 1885 - енциклопедичен справочник, София, 1985, Държавно издателство „д-р Петър Берон“, стр. 182