Czar Ferdinand I of Bulgaria

Czar Ferdinand I of Bulgaria (1861–1948) was the ruler of Bulgaria from 1887 to 1918, initially as prince and later as czar. He presided over Bulgaria’s independence from the Ottoman Empire and led the country during significant events like the Balkan Wars and World War I. His leadership involved modernizing Bulgaria’s military and infrastructure, but his alliance with Central Powers in WWI contributed to Bulgaria’s defeat and his abdication in 1918. Ferdinand’s reign shaped Bulgaria's national identity and territory, and he is remembered as a key figure in early 20th-century Bulgarian history.