History of North Macedonia
This history will begin in the 7th century, when the Bulgarians, led by the sons of Khan Kubrat, transferred their "Great Bulgaria" from the lands between the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea, to the territories of Mysia, Thrace and Macedonia. This is the history of Bulgaria, this is also the history of Northern Macedonia.
A part of the Bulgarians, together with Kotrag, formed Volga-Cama Bulgaria, which lasted until the 10th century. Kuber with another part, settled in the lands of Macedonia, and Asparuh brought his Bulgarians north of the delta of the river. Danube. Later they moved into Mysia, expanded southwards and formed the Bulgarian state, which included Thrace and Macedonia. From this moment on, in North Macedonia, the formation of a Bulgarian nationality with a Bulgarian national consciousness began. And during the Byzantine rule, and during the construction of the Second Bulgarian State, and during the enslavement by the Ottoman Empire, this nationality was still such. Bulgaria fought many battles over the years, lost territories and expanded, and the Bulgarians of Kuber and their lands were always the target of someone's territorial appetites. In the Middle Ages Macedonia almost failed to settle permanently within well-defined boundaries, but nevertheless retained its Bulgarian consciousness and aspiration to "return" to Bulgaria. No other state was able to hold it. Macedonia does not accept foreign power and culture. Bulgaria liberates it whenever it can. The population of Macedonia has been transferred from state to state, from ruler to ruler, from boyar to boyar, and has experienced anything but losing its Bulgarian national consciousness. The history of Northern Macedonia continues to be the history of the Bulgarians.
And so we come to the Congress of Berlin, when Bulgaria is once again fragmented because the great powers do not want the creation in the Balkan Peninsula of a strong state, let alone one that is extremely loyal to Russia. Macedonia remained outside the borders of the Principality of Bulgaria and, together with Belomorian Thrace and Adrianople, was returned to Turkey. Under the fear of a Turkish attack, and under the pressure of the rising public opinion for the settlement of the Macedonian question by force, the Government of Bulgaria entered into an agreement with Serbia and Greece on February 19, 1912, for a joint action against Turkey. Bulgaria concluded bilateral treaties with Serbia and Greece, which, however, after the first military successes, caused serious territorial controversies. They made themselves at home in the localities thus conquered, in spite of the treaty of alliance concluded with Bulgaria, set up their own authorities, and opened a struggle against the Bulgarian posts placed there. They do not want the freedom of Macedonia, they want to take it. For the Serbs the alliance was only a means of conquering Macedonia. The Bulgarian population was subjected to persecutions aimed at forcing them to renounce their nationality. The first reports of Serbian violence in Macedonia seemed incredible to Bulgarian society, which could not believe it, but the facts began to become more and more abundant and undeniable. Every day there were reports of violence, murder and dishonor against the Bulgarians in Macedonia. Thus began the Inter-Allied War, after which Bulgaria was forced to cede most of Macedonia to its former allies, Southern Dobrudja to Romania, and the Ottoman Empire regained Eastern Thrace. Serbia began to "prove the existence of a Serbian population in Macedonia". The population in the conquered lands was subjected to ethnic cleansing and hundreds of thousands of Bulgarians were forced to leave their homes in Macedonia and Thrace. Even the most ordinary Bulgarian books were forbidden to enter this country, the Christian population was forbidden to baptize newborns with names other than those on a list placed in every church, which were obviously Serbian. In Serbia believed, with the help of Russia and by using such means they will succeed in changing the Bulgarian population into Serbian, that they will efface its history and its past.
Sources:
Balkan National Egoism and Macedonia - Dafinka Mincheva
The present situation in Macedonia under Serbian and Greek rule and the Society of Nations - Prof. Dr. Iv. Georgiov, 1925, Sofia
More information to be found under: North Macedonia and North Macedonian language.
