# Petko Slaveykov

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Bulgarian poet and journalist (1827–1895)

For the village in the municipality of Sevlievo, in Gabrovo Province, see [Petko Slaveykov (village)](/source/Petko_Slaveykov_(village)).

Petko Slaveykov Born (1827-11-17)17 November 1827 Tarnovo, Ottoman Empire Died 1 July 1895(1895-07-01) (aged 67) Sofia, Principality of Bulgaria Resting place Central Sofia Cemetery 42°42′47.5″N 023°20′02.4″E / 42.713194°N 23.334000°E / 42.713194; 23.334000 Occupations Poet, Publicist, Politician Spouse Irina Raykova Children Pencho Slaveykov

**Petko Rachov Slaveykov** ([Bulgarian](/source/Bulgarian_language): Петко Рачов Славейков) (17 November 1827 [OS](/source/Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates) – 1 July 1895 [OS](/source/Old_Style_and_New_Style_dates) ) was a [Bulgarian](/source/Bulgaria) poet, publicist, politician and folklorist.[1]

## Biography

### Early years and educational activity

Slaveykov was born in [Tarnovo](/source/Tarnovo) to the family of the coppersmith Racho. Slaveykov's great-grandfather's roots were in [Yakoruda](/source/Yakoruda), Ottoman Macedonia, but later he moved to [Tryavna](/source/Tryavna). His grandfather settled afterwards in Tarnovo. His mother, Penka, died during the birth but miraculously, he survived. In the village of his mother, [Vishovgrad](/source/Vishovgrad), Petko saw nightingales (*slavey* in Bulgarian), which impressed him so much that he decided to change his family name to *Slaveykov*.

Slaveykov studied consecutively in Tarnovo, [Dryanovo](/source/Dryanovo), [Tryavna](/source/Tryavna) and the [Transfiguration Monastery](/source/Transfiguration_Monastery), and also self-educated himself by reading books in the monastery libraries near Tarnovo. He also read the noted *[Istoriya Slavyanobolgarskaya](/source/Istoriya_Slavyanobolgarskaya)* by [Paisius of Hilendar](/source/Paisius_of_Hilendar), and later studied in [Svishtov](/source/Svishtov) (under [Emanuil Vaskidovich](/source/Emanuil_Vaskidovich)), extended his knowledge of [Greek](/source/Greek_language) and got acquainted with the works of [Western European](/source/Western_Europe) and [Serbian](/source/Serbia) literature.

Slaveykov became a teacher in his home town in 1843, but was expelled for the famous satirical poem *Tarnovo became famous for renowned Greek bishops*, and consecutively taught in various towns, including [Vidin](/source/Vidin), [Vratsa](/source/Vratsa), [Pleven](/source/Pleven), [Berkovitsa](/source/Berkovitsa), [Lyaskovets](/source/Lyaskovets), [Byala](/source/Byala_(Ruse)) and [Elena](/source/Elena_(town)). He taught according to the [Bell-Lancaster method](/source/Bell-Lancaster_method) and meanwhile continued to educate himself. Slaveykov worked as a teacher in the first class school in Elena and named it *Daskalolivnitsata* ("the Teacher Moulder").

### Cultural activity and Istanbul period

Slaveykov engaged in important cultural and educational activity and had collected 2263 folk songs, sayings and proverbs by 1847. [Nikola Mihaylovski](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Nikola_Mihaylovski&action=edit&redlink=1) introduced him to the [Russian](/source/Russia) poets and writers of the time. From 1852, Slaveykov began to publish his first books: *Smesena kitka*, *Pesnopoyka* and *Basnenik*. He wrote the poem *Boyka voyvoda* in 1853 influenced by the revolutionary events surrounding the [Crimean War](/source/Crimean_War) (1853-1856), as well as many revolutionary songs. After the unsuccessful [Uprising of Dyado Nikola](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Uprising_of_Dyado_Nikola&action=edit&redlink=1) in Tarnovo in 1856, Slaveykov concentrated his efforts in the awakening of national consciousness among Bulgarians. As a teacher in [Targovishte](/source/Targovishte) he issued the satirical newspaper *Gayda* and after working in [Varna](/source/Varna%2C_Bulgaria) for some time left for [Istanbul](/source/Istanbul), where he was invited in 1864 to edit a full [Bulgarian translation of the Bible](/source/Bible_translations_into_Bulgarian) (in an east Bulgarian dialect) by the Bulgarian Bible Society. The entire translation was printed in Istanbul in 1871 and was of great importance for the establishment of the east Bulgarian vernacular as the common one.

In Istanbul Slaveykov issued the newspapers *[Gayda](/source/Gayda_(newspaper))* (1863-1867) and *[Makedoniya](/source/Makedoniya_(newspaper))* (1866-1872) and the magazines *Ruzhitsa* (1871), *Pchelitsa* (1871), *Chitalishte* (1872-1873), *Zvanchatiy glumcho* (1872), as well as the newspapers *Shutosh* (1873-1874) and *Kosturka* (1874). He established himself as arguably the most famous Bulgarian writer in Istanbul in the time, issued more than 60 books, newspapers and magazines, both original and translated. He took part in the struggle for an autonomous Bulgarian church and later became a teacher in the newly established [Bulgarian Exarchate](/source/Bulgarian_Exarchate). He was arrested for the article *Dvete kasti i vlasti* in the *Makedoniya* newspaper and accused of relations with the [Bulgarian Revolutionary Central Committee](/source/Bulgarian_Revolutionary_Central_Committee) in [Bucharest](/source/Bucharest).

Petko Slaveykov *(right sculpture)* and his son [Pencho](/source/Pencho_Slaveykov) *(left sculpture)* as immortalized on [Slaveykov Square](/source/Slaveykov_Square) in [Sofia](/source/Sofia)

### Revolutionary and political activity

In 1873 Slaveykov wrote the well-known poem *Izvorat na Belonogata* ("The Spring of the White-Legged") and founded the Bulgarian high school in [Odrin](/source/Edirne) in 1874, where he countered the Greek influence over the Bulgarians. Later a teacher in [Stara Zagora](/source/Stara_Zagora), Slaveykov wrote revolutionary poems and was enchained and imprisoned after the [April Uprising](/source/April_Uprising). In the Ottomans' massacre of Stara Zagora, his manuscripts and the 15,000 collected folk sayings were burnt and lost. After his liberation from Ottoman imprisonment by the Russians during the [Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78](/source/Russo-Turkish_War_of_1877-78), he drew closer together with the Russian forces, led the detachment of General [Mikhail Skobelev](/source/Mikhail_Skobelev) through the [Balkan Mountains](/source/Balkan_Mountains), witnessed the [Battle of Shipka](/source/Battle_of_Shipka) and accompanied the army to [San Stefano](/source/Ye%C5%9Filk%C3%B6y) near Istanbul.

After the [Liberation of Bulgaria](/source/Liberation_of_Bulgaria) from Ottoman rule in 1878, Slaveykov struggled for a democratic constitution together with [Petko Karavelov](/source/Petko_Karavelov) as a deputy in the first [Grand National Assembly](/source/National_Assembly_of_Bulgaria), became the [Chairman of the National Assembly of Bulgaria](/source/Chairman_of_the_National_Assembly_of_Bulgaria) in 1880, Minister of the Enlightenment and the Internal Affairs (1880-1881), issued the newspapers *Osten* (1879), *Tselokupna Balgariya* (1879), *Nezavisimost* (1880-1883), *Tarnovska konstitutsiya* (1884), *Istina* (1886), *Sofiyski dnevnik* (1886) and *Pravda* (1888).

Because of his pronouncedly democratic ideas and his participation in the political struggles he was arrested, forbidden to teach and his pension was reduced. Deeply embittered, he died on 1 July 1895 in [Sofia](/source/Sofia).

Slaveykov had a total of eight children, among them the politicians [Ivan Slaveykov](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Ivan_Slaveykov&action=edit&redlink=1) and [Hristo Slaveykov](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Hristo_Slaveykov&action=edit&redlink=1), the publicist [Racho Slaveykov](https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Racho_Slaveykov&action=edit&redlink=1) and the fellow poet [Pencho Slaveykov](/source/Pencho_Slaveykov).

## Works

English [Wikisource](/source/Wikisource) has original works by or about:

**[Petko Rachov Slaveykov](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/en:Author:Petko_Rachov_Slaveykov)**

Both in his original and imitative works Slaveykov further developed the Bulgarian language. He wrote patriotic songs and poems, and love and landscape lyric poetry under the influence of Russian poets [Aleksandr Pushkin](/source/Aleksandr_Pushkin), [Afanasy Fet](/source/Afanasy_Fet) and [Nikolay Karamzin](/source/Nikolay_Karamzin). Parts of his historical patriotic poems likely influenced by Paisius' *Istoriya Slavyanobolgarskaya* have been preserved: *Krumiada*, *Kralev Marko*, *Samuilka*, *[Gergana](/source/Gergana_(poem))*. He issued two collections of folk songs, in 1860 and 1868, and restored the collected proverbs, numbering 17,000. Besides being a poet, writer and journalist, Slaveykov also left his mark on the [Bulgarian literature](/source/Bulgarian_literature) as a translator, philologist, folklorist, the originator of Bulgarian children's literature and author of textbooks. He also worked in the spheres of geography, history and biography. He printed *Balgarski pritchi, poslovitsi i harakterni dumi*, researched the Bulgarian customs, ritual system, demonology and psychology, and wrote under many [pseudonyms](/source/Pseudonym).

## Honour

Petko R. Slaveykov's Grave in Sofia Central Cemetery ([42°42′47.5″N 023°20′02.4″E / 42.713194°N 23.334000°E / 42.713194; 23.334000](https://geohack.toolforge.org/geohack.php?pagename=Petko_Slaveykov&params=42_42_47.5_N_023_20_02.4_E_type:landmark))

[Slaveykov Peak](/source/Slaveykov_Peak) in [Imeon Range](/source/Imeon_Range) on [Smith Island](/source/Smith_Island_(South_Shetland_Islands)) in the [South Shetland Islands](/source/South_Shetland_Islands), [Antarctica](/source/Antarctica) is named for Petko Slaveykov.

## Notes

1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** [Bourchier, James David](/source/James_David_Bourchier) (1911). ["Bulgaria/Language"](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Bulgaria/Language). In [Chisholm, Hugh](/source/Hugh_Chisholm) (ed.). *[Encyclopædia Britannica](/source/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica_Eleventh_Edition)*. Vol. 04 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 784–786, see page 786:- "and Petko Slaveikoff (died 1895), whose poems, patriotic, satirical and erotic, moulded the modern poetical language and exercised a great influence over the people".

## Further reading

- [Black, Cyril E.](/source/Cyril_Edwin_Black) (1943). [*The Establishment of Constitutional Government in Bulgaria*](https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.275948). Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press. pp. [33](https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.275948/page/n42), 46, 69, 83, 86–87, 94–98, 123, 129, 131, 134, 181, 186, 208, 218, 249, 254. Retrieved January 11, 2020 – via Internet Archive.

## External links

- [Bourchier, James David](/source/James_David_Bourchier) (1911). ["Bulgaria/Language"](https://en.wikisource.org/wiki/1911_Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica/Bulgaria/Language). In [Chisholm, Hugh](/source/Hugh_Chisholm) (ed.). *[Encyclopædia Britannica](/source/Encyclop%C3%A6dia_Britannica_Eleventh_Edition)*. Vol. 04 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 784–786, see quote in "Notes" section above from page 786.

- Minchin, James George Cotton (1886). [*The Growth of Freedom in the Balkan Peninsula: Notes of a Traveller in Montenegro, Bosnia, Servia, Bulgaria, and Greece*](https://archive.org/stream/growthfreedomin01mincgoog#page/n354). London: John Murray. pp. 332–339. Retrieved 22 September 2018 – via Internet Archive.

- ["Petko Slaveykov"](http://www.slovo.bg/showbio.php3?ID=277). *Biographical sketch* (in Bulgarian). Slovoto. Retrieved 2006-08-02.

- [Gabrovsko-to Uchilishte i Negovy-tie Pŭrvi Popechiteli, (The Gabrovo School and Its First Trustees)](http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.rbc/bulgarian.06956.1) From the [Early Bulgarian Imprint Collection](https://www.loc.gov/rr/rarebook/coll/066.html) at the [Library of Congress](/source/Library_of_Congress)

- [Smietka na dusheprikashtiky-tie V.E. Aprilova podadena N.N. Aprilovu, (Accounts of the executors of V.E. Aprilov submitted to N.N. Aprilov eng)](http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.rbc/bulgarian.06958.1) From the [Early Bulgarian Imprint Collection](https://www.loc.gov/rr/rarebook/coll/066.html) at the [Library of Congress](/source/Library_of_Congress)

Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF GND FAST WorldCat National United States France BnF data Czech Republic Netherlands Norway Poland Belgium Croatia Academics CiNii Artists MusicBrainz People Trove Deutsche Biographie DDB Other IdRef Open Library 2 3

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