On his deathbed, after stabbed by the Czar’s assassins, a former prime minister exclaims, “The people will forgive me everything, except bringing him here.” So slip on your smoking jacket, fill your pipe, take your first sip of your adult beverage, and sit back in your most comfortable chair. Welcome to todays offering from The Philatelist.
I must say I am fond of the visuals of todays stamp. A German descended King takes on the regalia of a Russian Czar to try to fit in a new Balkan country. You just know there will be pointless wars and plots and personal decadence, when you dig in.
The stamp today is issue A23, a 5 Stotinki stamp issued by the Kingdom of Bulgaria on February 14th, 1911. The stamp displays Czar Ferdinand I of Bulgaria. It was part of a 12 stamp issue in various denominations. According to the Scott catalog, the stamp is worth 25 cents used.
Bulgaria emerged as a kingdom from the falling back Ottoman Empire. A Germanic royal was picked to lessen the influence of Russia in the area. The Bulgarian people were Slavic and Orthodox Christian. Ferdinand I was Catholic. Stefan Stambolov, was appointed the young King’s regent and government minister. The Russians had attempted a coup on the previous King and Stambolov wanted to limit Russian interference.
Czar Ferdinand had an ambition to create a new Byzantium ruled by him that would consolidate gains at the expense of the retreating Ottomans. However, he was in the Balkans and was not able to keep a united front with Serbia and Greece. Through Macedonians he attacked his former allies and though successful in expanding and economically developing Bulgaria, his crusade for a new Byzantium was not to be.
He was also quarrelling with his former Regent and now Prime Minister Stambolov. Stambolov resigned after an assassination attempt and got his revenge by telling a German newspaper about Ferdinand’s lifestyle. The married King was bisexual, having affairs with numerous commoner women who he fathered illegitimate heirs whom he supported financially. As he got older he interest turned to men and chased after many valets and young army officers. He also made frequent trips to the island of Capri in Italy. Capri at the time was a notorious destination for gay trysts. Ferdinand survived the scandal but eventually had to abdicate after choosing wrong in World War I. The Czar’s lifestyle wasn’t all controversial, he was also a noted botanist and yes, philatelist.
Stambolov had to pay for his disloyalty. Despite wearing a bullet proof vest and carrying a gun in retirement, Stambolov was attacked and stabbed in the face, killing him. Czar Ferdinand is believed behind the plot. Stambolov is considered the father of modern Bulgaria.
After the King abdicated in 1918, he moved to Germany and lived in fine style for another 30 years. Below are his thoughts later in life. “Kings in exile are more philosophic under reverses than ordinary individuals; but our philosophy is primarily the result of tradition and breeding, and do not forget that pride is an important item in the making of a monarch. We are disciplined from the day of our birth and taught the avoidance of all outward signs of emotion. The skeleton sits forever with us at the feast. It may mean murder, it may mean abdication, but it serves always to remind us of the unexpected. Therefore we are prepared and nothing comes in the nature of a catastrophe. The main thing in life is to support any condition of bodily or spiritual exile with dignity. If one sups with sorrow, one need not invite the world to see you eat.”
Well my drink is empty and I think I will refrain from making any judgements about the Czar, too dangerous. Come again for another story that can be learned from stamp collecting. First published in 2018.