Stoyan Mihaylovski
Encyclopedia
Stoyan Nikolov Mihaylovski was a Bulgarian
writer and social figure.
family in Elena
as the son of Nikola Mihaylovski and the nephew of religious leader Stoyan Mihaylovski, better known as Ilarion Makariopolski
. Having began his education in Tarnovo
in 1865–1868, he finished the Galatasaray High School in the Ottoman
capital Istanbul
in 1872. At Galatasaray, Mihaylovski was a classmate of Konstantin Velichkov
. From 1872 to 1874, Mihaylovski was a teacher in Dojran
, Macedonia
; in 1875, he travelled to France to study law
at the University of Aix in Aix-en-Provence
.
After the Liberation of Bulgaria
in 1878, Mihaylovski worked as a lawyer and judge in the Principality of Bulgaria
. From 1878 to 1879 he was member of the Svishtov
legal council. In 1880, he was editor-in-chief of the Plovdiv
-based Popular Voice newspaper; in the same year, he headed a department of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
.
In 1883, Mihaylovski graduated in law in France and was appointed chief secretary of the Ministry of Justice, a post he held until 1884. In 1887, he was member of the Rousse
court of appeal and in 1889 he worked as a teacher of French at the Rousse men's high school. From 1892 to 1894 and from 1897 to 1899, he was extracurricular teacher of French at the Faculty of Law and Faculty of History and Philology of Sofia University
respectively. From 1895 to 1899, he was reader of literary history at the same university. In 1882, he was admitted to the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
as a correspondent member; he was promoted to full member in 1898.
From 1901 to 1903, Mihaylovski presided the Supreme Macedonian–Adrianopolitan Committee, a Sofia
-based organization seeking the autonomy of Macedonia and Thrace
. He was member of the National Assembly of Bulgaria
in 1886–1887, 1894–1896 and 1903–1908. Following a public scandal in 1904, he was suspended for an article criticizing Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria. In 1905, he retired from his active social activities. Mihaylovski died in Sofia in 1927.
s, epigram
s, maxim
s, parodies, poems and dramas. His fables, such as Eagle and Snail, Owl and Firefly, Axe and Pickaxe, are among Bulgarian literature
's classics. A leading motive in his entire body of work is the perpetual unattainability of freedom and the triumph of mediocrity and oppression.
Mihaylovski is popular for authoring the anthem of Bulgarian culture and education, the song Cyril and Methodius (better with its first stanza, March Ahead, O Revived People), written in Rousse in 1882 and published in the Thought magazine. The music to the anthem was composed by Lyubomir Pipkov in 1901 on the eve of 24 May, the feast day of Bulgarian culture.
Bulgarians
The Bulgarians are a South Slavic nation and ethnic group native to Bulgaria and neighbouring regions. Emigration has resulted in immigrant communities in a number of other countries.-History and ethnogenesis:...
writer and social figure.
Biography
Mihaylovski was born to a prominent Bulgarian National RevivalBulgarian National Revival
The Bulgarian National Revival , sometimes called the Bulgarian Renaissance, was a period of socio-economic development and national integration among Bulgarian people under Ottoman rule...
family in Elena
Elena, Bulgaria
Elena is a Bulgarian town in the central Stara Planina mountain in Veliko Tarnovo Province, located 42 km away to southeast from the city of Veliko Tarnovo. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Elena Municipality. The area is a popular mountain resort also known for the typical...
as the son of Nikola Mihaylovski and the nephew of religious leader Stoyan Mihaylovski, better known as Ilarion Makariopolski
Ilarion Makariopolski
Ilarion Makariopolski , born Stoyan Stoyanov Mihaylovski was a 19th-century Bulgarian cleric and one of the leaders of the struggle for an autonomous Bulgarian church....
. Having began his education in Tarnovo
Veliko Tarnovo
Veliko Tarnovo is a city in north central Bulgaria and the administrative centre of Veliko Tarnovo Province. Often referred to as the "City of the Tsars", Veliko Tarnovo is located on the Yantra River and is famous as the historical capital of the Second Bulgarian Empire, attracting many tourists...
in 1865–1868, he finished the Galatasaray High School in the 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...
capital 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...
in 1872. At Galatasaray, Mihaylovski was a classmate of Konstantin Velichkov
Konstantin Velichkov
Konstantin Velichkov was a Bulgarian writer and public figure.-Biography:He was born in the town of Pazardzhik....
. From 1872 to 1874, Mihaylovski was a teacher in Dojran
Dojran
Dojran was a city located on the western shore of Dojran Lake in the south-eastern part of the Republic of Macedonia. Today, it is collective name for two villages that exist on the territory of the ruined city: Nov Dojran and Star Dojran, which contains both old ruins and recent construction,...
, Macedonia
Macedonia (region)
Macedonia is a geographical and historical region of the Balkan peninsula in southeastern Europe. Its boundaries have changed considerably over time, but nowadays the region is considered to include parts of five Balkan countries: Greece, the Republic of Macedonia, Bulgaria, Albania, Serbia, as...
; in 1875, he travelled to France to study law
Law
Law is a system of rules and guidelines which are enforced through social institutions to govern behavior, wherever possible. It shapes politics, economics and society in numerous ways and serves as a social mediator of relations between people. Contract law regulates everything from buying a bus...
at the University of Aix in Aix-en-Provence
Aix-en-Provence
Aix , or Aix-en-Provence to distinguish it from other cities built over hot springs, is a city-commune in southern France, some north of Marseille. It is in the region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, in the département of Bouches-du-Rhône, of which it is a subprefecture. The population of Aix is...
.
After the Liberation of Bulgaria
Liberation of Bulgaria
In Bulgarian historiography, the term Liberation of Bulgaria is used to denote the events of the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78 that led to the re-establishment of Bulgarian state with the Treaty of San Stefano of March 3, 1878, after the complete conquest of the Second Bulgarian Empire, which...
in 1878, Mihaylovski worked as a lawyer and judge in the Principality of Bulgaria
Principality of Bulgaria
The Principality of Bulgaria was a self-governing entity created as a vassal of the Ottoman Empire by the Treaty of Berlin in 1878. The preliminary treaty of San Stefano between the Russian Empire and the Porte , on March 3, had originally proposed a significantly larger Bulgarian territory: its...
. From 1878 to 1879 he was member of the Svishtov
Svishtov
Svishtov is a town in northern Bulgaria, located in Veliko Tarnovo Province on the right bank of the Danube river opposite the Romanian town of Zimnicea. It is the administrative centre of the homonymous Svishtov Municipality...
legal council. In 1880, he was editor-in-chief of the 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...
-based Popular Voice newspaper; in the same year, he headed a department of the Bulgarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Bulgaria)
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Bulgaria is the ministry charged with overseeing the foreign relations of Bulgaria. It has been in existence since shortly after the Liberation of Bulgaria, with the first minister stepping into office on 17 July 1879...
.
In 1883, Mihaylovski graduated in law in France and was appointed chief secretary of the Ministry of Justice, a post he held until 1884. In 1887, he was member of the Rousse
Rousse
Ruse is the fifth-largest city in Bulgaria. Ruse is situated in the northeastern part of the country, on the right bank of the Danube, opposite the Romanian city of Giurgiu, from the capital Sofia and from the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast...
court of appeal and in 1889 he worked as a teacher of French at the Rousse men's high school. From 1892 to 1894 and from 1897 to 1899, he was extracurricular teacher of French at the Faculty of Law and Faculty of History and Philology of Sofia University
Sofia University
The St. Clement of Ohrid University of Sofia or Sofia University is the oldest higher education institution in Bulgaria, founded on 1 October 1888...
respectively. From 1895 to 1899, he was reader of literary history at the same university. In 1882, he was admitted to the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
Bulgarian Academy of Sciences
The Bulgarian Academy of Sciences is the National Academy of Bulgaria, established in 1869. The Academy is autonomous and has a Society of Academicians, Correspondent Members and Foreign Members...
as a correspondent member; he was promoted to full member in 1898.
From 1901 to 1903, Mihaylovski presided the Supreme Macedonian–Adrianopolitan Committee, a 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...
-based organization seeking the autonomy of Macedonia and Thrace
Thrace
Thrace is a historical and geographic area in southeast Europe. As a geographical concept, Thrace designates a region bounded by the Balkan Mountains on the north, Rhodope Mountains and the Aegean Sea on the south, and by the Black Sea and the Sea of Marmara on the east...
. He was member of the National Assembly of Bulgaria
National Assembly of Bulgaria
The National Assembly of Bulgaria is the unicameral parliament and body of the legislative of the Republic of Bulgaria.The National Assembly of Bulgaria was established in 1879 with the Constitution of Bulgaria.-Ordinary National Assembly:...
in 1886–1887, 1894–1896 and 1903–1908. Following a public scandal in 1904, he was suspended for an article criticizing Prince Ferdinand of Bulgaria. In 1905, he retired from his active social activities. Mihaylovski died in Sofia in 1927.
Works
Mihaylovski's literary activity dates back to 1872 and the Istanbul-based Chitalishte magazine. His works fall into a variety of genres and spans fableFable
A fable is a succinct fictional story, in prose or verse, that features animals, mythical creatures, plants, inanimate objects or forces of nature which are anthropomorphized , and that illustrates a moral lesson , which may at the end be expressed explicitly in a pithy maxim.A fable differs from...
s, epigram
Epigram
An epigram is a brief, interesting, usually memorable and sometimes surprising statement. Derived from the epigramma "inscription" from ἐπιγράφειν epigraphein "to write on inscribe", this literary device has been employed for over two millennia....
s, maxim
Maxim (philosophy)
A maxim is a ground rule or subjective principle of action; in that sense, a maxim is a thought that can motivate individuals.- Deontological ethics :...
s, parodies, poems and dramas. His fables, such as Eagle and Snail, Owl and Firefly, Axe and Pickaxe, are among Bulgarian literature
Bulgarian literature
Bulgarian literature is literature written by Bulgarians or residents of Bulgaria, or written in the Bulgarian language; usually the latter is the defining feature...
's classics. A leading motive in his entire body of work is the perpetual unattainability of freedom and the triumph of mediocrity and oppression.
Mihaylovski is popular for authoring the anthem of Bulgarian culture and education, the song Cyril and Methodius (better with its first stanza, March Ahead, O Revived People), written in Rousse in 1882 and published in the Thought magazine. The music to the anthem was composed by Lyubomir Pipkov in 1901 on the eve of 24 May, the feast day of Bulgarian culture.