Faces on Money--20 Leva

The 20 Leva bill is quite possibly the most common bank note in Bulgaria.  If you go to an ATM to get some cash, you will probably receive these blue notes from the machine.  On the front of the 20 Leva note, you will find a picture of Stefan Stambolov.

As I did a bit of research on Stambolov, it seemed fitting that such a strong willed and controversial politician should end up on the front of the 20 denomination note.  His character made me think a bit about Andrew Jackson who is on the front of the US 20 dollar bill.  Just as America’s first Democratic president is often considered to have been too strong in many of his political decisions (most notably in his cruel treatment of the Cherokee people), so Stambolov is considered by some to be what Encyclopedia Britannica called a “despotic prime minister.”

However, while Jackson’s motives seem to be racial in nature, Stambolov’s motives could legitimately be seen as nationalistic.  Though perhaps a rough leader, it is hard to argue that he was anything but pro-Bulgarian.

Stambolov was born in the city of Turnovo, and very early on he joined the underground movement against the oppressive Ottoman government.  After Bulgaria gained independence in 1878, he seemed to have growing concerns that Russia was attempting to turn Bulgaria into a Czarist protectorate.

Bulgaria had just spent 500 years under the thumb of a mighty empire.  Stambolov did not want to see it happen again.  Not surprisingly, his political stance was unpopular with Russia, yet Stambolov’s will was strong, and Bulgaria would remain independent under King Ferdinand who Stambolov was instrumental in electing to the throne.

Stambolov served as prime minister for nearly 6 years.  During this time Stambolov took some somewhat extreme measures to keep the pro-Russian forces in Bulgaria at bay as well as keep King Ferdinand in check.

Eventually he was pushed out of office.  Yet despite no longer being in power, his enemies remained.  On July 15, 1895 Stambolov was involved brutal shootout with assassins in Sofia that eventually ended with Stamolov being stabbed in the head with a sword.  He succumbed to his injuries on July 18^th.

A bust of Stambolov with a crack in his head stands in a park in downtown Sofia.  He was a strong willed man at a key time in Bulgarian history.  Like most strong leaders, he had many enemies.  Eventually the enemies succeeded in defeating him, but they did not succeed in stripping Bulgaria of her newly gained independence.