Easing European territories left over from ancient Rome(Rumelia), from the Ottomans to the native Christians was a delicate process. This was a great occupation for the great powers in the late 19th century. Hence an area known by all as Northern Thrace would go by this weird concocted name on it’s way to Bulgaria. So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your Turkish coffee and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
They were sure giving the Ottoman’s their due on this stamp. The area was about 70 percent Bulgarian and 20% Muslim. The stamp with all it’s Ottoman razzmatazz showed their was still some distance to travel toward union with Bulgaria. Some thought they had gone too far already. In this period a Muslim area broke away as the Republic of Tamrash.
Todays stamp is issue A4, a one Piaster stamp issued by the Ottoman self governing Vilayet of Eastern Rumelia in 1881. It was part of a five stamp issue in various denominations. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth $5.75 unused.
The Russians beat the Ottomans in a war in the 1870s. A great power conclave in Berlin hammered out the Treaty as to what happened next. The area we are talking about was known as Northern Thrace. The British came up with the name Rumelia to remind the Ottomans that it wasn’t traditional Turk land. That does not mean there were not a lot of Turks streaming out to an Asia Minor they hardly knew. The deal was that the area would become self governing under a Bulgarian appointed by the Ottoman Sublime Porte who would then be owed a fee paid to Constantinople. What could go wrong with the involvement of a Sublime Porte, him being so sublime and all? Turns out he appointed an Ottoman of Bulgarian heritage Alexander Bogoridi that was acceptable to all. Except for those in the breakaway area of Tamrash, but everyone can’t win.
Two Visions, Bulgarian and Turkish, of what was going on at the time. Both True?
The rather warlike Bulgarians then got in a war with Serbia that went well. They renamed Eastern Rumelia as the Oblast of Southern Bulgaria. The Berlin treaty was sort of adhered to by paying that sublime Turk guy to name the Prince of Bulgaria as the new head of Eastern Rumelia. This place sure goes in a lot of directions. Turks no doubt were thrilled to have the Republic of Tamrash returned to them. The area either boomed or fell apart economically depending on whose historians you read.
Well my drink is empty and I would be happy to share another Turkish coffee with an Ottoman Sublime Porte. Bet he has some stories to tell. Come again tomorrow for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting.