King Ferdinand I of Bulgaria

King Ferdinand I of Bulgaria, who ruled from 1887 to 1918, was a significant figure in the country's history. He was instrumental in Bulgaria’s emergence as a modern nation-state and sought to expand its territory through wars. A member of the Saxe-Coburg and Gotha dynasty, Ferdinand played a key role in the Balkan Wars and World War I. However, following military defeats and growing domestic unrest, he abdicated in 1918 in favor of his son, Boris III. Ferdinand's reign was marked by both modernization efforts and the challenges of nationalism and conflict in the region.