Petrova Niva (Bulgarian: Петрова нива, "Peter's field") is a historic area in the Strandzha mountains of southeastern Bulgaria where, between 11 and 13 July 1903, a group of Bulgarian Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization (IMARO) delegates announced the outbreak of an anti-Ottoman uprising aimed at liberating southern Thrace from Ottoman rule and proclaimed the Strandzha Republic.[1]

Delegates at the Petrova Niva IMARO congress

The area lies on the land of the village of Stoilovo in Malko Tarnovo municipality, Burgas Province, within the territory of Strandzha Nature Park. It is among the 100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria; a monument to the event was built in the 1950s and a church dedicated to Saint Petka was constructed in 2003 for the congress' centennial anniversary, as well as a museum.

The IMARO congress at Petrova Niva was attended by over 300 people, of whom 47 were official delegates. Most of the delegates came from the region of Malko Tarnovo, though the areas of Edirne and Western Thrace were also represented. The congress mostly discussed the very question of whether to organize an uprising, but discussions ceased as the IMARO leadership had already instigated a revolt in the region of Bitola. Despite the lack of enough armaments and the varying preparedness of the local committees, the delegates agreed to aid the insurgents in Macedonia. The rebellions in Macedonia and Thrace are collectively known as the Ilinden–Preobrazhenie Uprising.

Delegates

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The 47 delegates at the Petrova Niva IMARO congress were:[2]

Name Native place Notes
Mihail Gerdzhikov Plovdiv leader of the entire Odrin (Edirne) region east of the Maritsa
Lazar Madzharov Negovan (Xylopoli, Langadas municipality) leader of the Lozengrad (Kırklareli) region
Stamat Ikonomov Malko Tarnovo Bulgarian Army captain, voivode
Georgi Kondolov Velika voivode
Velko Dumev Voden (Edessa) leader of the Odrin district committee
Vasil Paskov Nevrokop (Gotse Delchev) IMARO Central Committee representative for the Edirne region
Georgi Vassilev (Svilengrad) Svilengrad Edirne district committee member
Hristo Silyanov Istanbul
Mihail Daev Balchik
Nikola Stanchev Kazanlak Edirne district committee member
Krastyu Balgariyata Vratsa Bulgarian Army sergeant, voivode
Dimitar Katerinski Svilengrad Svilengrad district committee leader
Ivan Varnaliev Veles
Hristo Karamandzhukov Chokmanovo leader of the Smolyan region
Kosta Kalkandzhiev Varna
Diko Dzhelebov Malko Tarnovo
Anastas Razboynikov Svilengrad Bunarhisar (Pınarhisar) district committee leader
Spas Tsvetkov Evla
Nikola Kardzhiev Lozengrad
Petar Angelov Haskovo Bulgarian Army sergeant, voivode
Penyu Shivarov Chirpan Bulgarian Army sergeant, voivode
Kiro Dimitrov Uzunov Malak Samokov (Demirköy)
Yordan Georgiev Malko Tarnovo
Georgi Kostadnev Malko Tarnovo
M. Argirov Malko Tarnovo
Nestor Ivanov Odrin
Ivan Kalchev Lozengrad
Dimo Yankov Malko Tarnovo
Stoyan Petrov Malko Tarnovo
Lefter Mechev Malko Tarnovo
Dimitar Halachev Malko Tarnovo
Tseno Kurtev Zlatitsa Bulgarian Army sergeant, voivode
Petko Zidarov Tsiknihor by Malko Tarnovo
Dimitar Tashev Kolibite by Bunarhisar
Georgi Kaloyanov Malko Tarnovo
Stoyan Kamilski Kamilite by Malko Tarnovo
Dimitar Hristakev Raykovo (Smolyan) surgeon's assistant at Burgas, doctor during the uprising
Georgi Tenev Svilengrad local leader at Lyubimets
Hristo Arnaudov Afuza Svilengrad local leader at Chepelare
Lazo Lazov Lozengrad
Yani Popov Karahadar (Karahıdır) by Lozengrad
Yanko Stoyanov Malko Tarnovo
Georgi Todorov Doktora Kratovo local leader at Velika
Yani Voynov Svilengrad
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References

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  1. ^ Йорданов, Асен (2008-08-18). "На Петрова нива падат бариерите на времето" (in Bulgarian). Фактор. Retrieved 2009-05-03.
  2. ^ Караманджуков, Христо (1986). "Конгресът на Петрова нива". Родопа през Илинденско-преображенското въстание (in Bulgarian). София: Издателство на Отечествения фронт. OCLC 159765618.