Ascension to the Throne

July 12, 1887, was a day worth remembering. Ferdinand Maximilian Karl Leopold Maria was crowned at Vrana Palace, becoming the Prince of Bulgaria.

Thanks to Ferdinand's painstaking efforts, the ceremony was far more spectacular than in history, and at the very least, the guests in attendance carried significantly more weight.

Crown Prince Edward of the British Empire, Crown Prince Rudolf of the Austro-Hungarian Empire, the King of Greece, and others came in person to attend the ceremony, signaling the support of the Great Powers.

Ferdinand's goal was achieved; by leveraging external forces, he temporarily intimidated the various factions within Bulgaria, laying the foundation for future reforms.

Bulgaria possessed excellent natural conditions, featuring a diverse terrain of mountains, hills, and plains, with a network of lakes and rivers, the primary ones being the Danube River and the Maritsa River.

At the same time, it was poor in natural resources, with main mineral deposits consisting of coal, lead, zinc, copper, iron, uranium, manganese, chromium, rock salt, and a small amount of oil.

"Overall, it's suitable for a beginner phase. Having been ruled by the Ottoman Empire for a long time and having just gained independence, there are no major aristocrats or big capitalists in the country. Development at the start is quite good, but the potential is limited!" Although Ferdinand had been prepared for this, he still couldn't help but comment.

"Stambolov, do you have any good suggestions regarding personnel appointments?" Ferdinand asked calmly.

Stambolov was a Bulgarian politician and a strong-willed Prime Minister (serving from 1887 to 1894), regarded as the Bismarck of Bulgaria.

He studied at a seminary in Odessa from 1870 to 1872 and participated in the underground revolutionary movement against Turkish rule in Bulgaria during his early years.

He led small-scale anti-Turkish uprisings in 1875 and 1876. After Bulgaria gained autonomy in 1878, he was elected to the newly formed parliament and became its speaker in 1884.

After Prince Alexander I abdicated in 1886, he crushed Russian interference and supported Prince Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg and Gotha as the Prince of Bulgaria.

After the new Prince ascended the throne, he organized the cabinet. During his tenure, he continued to oppose Russia, maintained friendly relations with Turkey, and expanded Bulgaria's sphere of influence in Macedonia.

He used terror tactics to deal with the recurring anti-court conspiracies and mutinies. When Prince Ferdinand I reclaimed royal power, he was forced to resign as Prime Minister (May 31, 1894).

Ferdinand had no intention of replacing him for now; he had only just ascended the throne, and the most important thing was to stabilize the situation. Besides, there were no suitable candidates.

"Your Highness, after careful consideration, this is the list of cabinet members and key government officials. Please take a look." Stambolov said while handing over the documents.

"Hmm, very well, that will do! Let them take office as soon as possible! Convene a cabinet meeting next week; you must present a policy platform. You may leave now; I need to rest." Ferdinand dismissed him with dissatisfaction.

So he wants to be a powerful minister already? He's too impatient! At least keep up appearances and provide a few more candidates! Everything is already decided—he's treating This Seat like a rubber stamp! Ferdinand thought to himself.

"Bulgaria still has advantages for development. First: there are no strong industrial competitors, and the industrial base is quite poor, so we can completely monopolize operations; there is almost no trouble from the government side. Second: I am very wealthy, and there is no such thing as a technology blockade right now, so I can obtain the technology I want!"

"Let the government focus on developing agriculture! Why play with industry? We are still waiting for loans just to pay salaries! Right, and education needs to be developed, but for now, let's just use literacy classes. Spiritually encourage patriotic youth to spread cultural knowledge and offer some rewards; that can save a sum..." Ferdinand was busy making plans.

"Your Highness, the cabinet ministers have arrived and are waiting in the main hall. Shall we begin the meeting?" the attendant reminded him.

"Very well, I'll be there shortly."

"Interrupting for a moment, Mr. Stambolov," Ferdinand began.

"Very well, Your Highness, please speak!" Stambolov said with some dissatisfaction.

"Mr. Stambolov, how was this plan put together? What is the current population of Bulgaria? How many are agricultural workers, and how many are industrial workers? What is the state of education? What is the distribution of domestic resources?" Ferdinand bluntly exposed the problems, giving Stambolov a stern warning and rejecting the hollow plan.

"This~~ Respected Your Highness, Bulgaria currently has 3.1045 million people, most of whom are agricultural. As for education and the distribution of domestic resources, these have not been statistically surveyed. Very well, I admit this plan was made somewhat hastily," Stambolov paused and said.

It seems there are few simple characters among historical figures; he reacted so quickly, Ferdinand thought. But aloud, he said: "Mr. Prime Minister, we must be responsible to the people of Bulgaria. We must understand the actual situation before formulating a policy platform!"

"Regarding the matter of personnel salaries, I approve! Everything else is sent back to be redone. A 'Great Industrial Plan'? Good heavens, I haven't even heard of Bulgaria having any industry. Be specific, do you understand!"

"In terms of population structure, I suggest you prioritize agricultural development first; we must consider the interests of the majority! Also, for education reform, focus on tilting toward the sciences, and we can start by establishing literacy classes. For industrial development, first clarify the resource distribution, then formulate plans tailored to local conditions. I do not want to see another 'Great Industrial Plan' like this one where nothing exists!"

"Apologies, respected Your Highness, we will return and redo it immediately!" Stambolov said with his head bowed.

Stambolov felt dizzy and overwhelmed by Ferdinand; his carefully prepared plan was dismissed as worthless, and he had no way to refute it.

In Ferdinand's view, the current Bulgarian government was similar to the Tongmenghui during the Xinhai era—a group of idealists who were good at empty talk but were complete novices when it came to specific administrative strategies.

"Go on, gentlemen. For the future of Bulgaria, you have worked hard!" Seeing the cabinet led by Stambolov bow their heads, Ferdinand naturally knew when to stop.

"For Bulgaria!" The few who had been dejected just moments ago immediately perked up.

"Strive for Bulgaria!"

Hmm, not bad. Patriotic youth are so easy to fool! Ferdinand muttered to himself, looking at the cabinet members whose average age was under thirty-five.

The Stambolov government would later be evaluated by posterity as a police-terror regime. They gained the support of a portion of the emerging bourgeoisie and stood entirely on the side of the capitalists, vigorously promoting factories and trade.

However, the vast majority of farmers and workers were excluded, making their ruling foundation extremely weak.

Most missionaries and some intellectuals, including a portion of the petty bourgeoisie, opposed the government's radical anti-Russian policy.