Petko Karavelov

Petko Stoychev Karavelov (; 24 March 1843 – 24 January 1903) was a leading Bulgarian liberal politician who served as prime minister on four occasions.

Early years Born in Koprivshtitsa, Initially educated at the Greek language school at Enez, Karavelov was an apprentice weaver until he left for Moscow at the age of 16.

Prime minister Karavelov was first offered the premiership in 1879 when Prince Alexander asked him to head up a coalition administration. Karavelov rejected the offer however, as Alexander required an anti-Russian government that would curb freedoms, both tenets being unacceptable to the Liberals. He first served as prime minister from 1880–1881 but was effectively declared persona non grata when Alexander suspended the constitution in 1881. A number of Liberals followed Karavelov into exile although a sizeable group remained in Bulgaria, creating a division in the party. He relocated to Plovdiv, in the semi-autonomous Eastern Rumelia, where he found work as a teacher, before returning to Bulgaria proper in 1884. He joined Stefan Stambolov and others as a member of the Regency Council after the abdication of Alexander of Bulgaria in 1886, serving a brief third spell as prime minister in August of that year.

Later years Karavelov was a founder of the Democratic Party around the turn of the century. By this point he was recognised as the "grand old man" of democratic liberalism in Bulgaria and was the centre of a wide circle of influential followers in the nation's capital Sofia. He briefly returned in 1901 to lead the party's first government.

Karavelov is buried alongside his wife in the grounds of the Sveti Sedmochislenitsi Church, Sofia with their grave being the only one in the church (which has no cemetery). He was father of Lora Karavelova, who was married to Peyo Yavorov. She committed suicide in 1913 during an argument with her husband which led to Yavorov being tried for, and acquitted of, her murder.