Ilinden Uprising

The Ilinden Uprising was a 1903 revolt by Bulgarian-related groups against Ottoman rule in Macedonia and Thrace. Organized by the Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization (IMRO), its goal was to gain autonomy or independence for these regions. The uprising involved armed resistance, including attacking Ottoman officials and military targets. Although it was eventually suppressed, it heightened awareness of regional national aspirations and contributed to the broader decline of Ottoman control in the Balkans. The uprising remains a significant event in Bulgarian and Macedonian national histories, symbolizing their fight for self-determination.