Battle of Slivnitsa
Slivnitsa, about 30 km north-west of Sofia, Bulgaria
What happened
The Bulgarian army under Prince Alexander I fought the Serbian army of King Milan I. In 1885 Bulgaria united with the province of Eastern Rumelia, and Serbia declared war. The Bulgarian army held a prepared ridge position at Slivnitsa and beat off Serbian attacks for two days. On the third day a Bulgarian counter-attack pushed the Serbians back on both sides.
Why it matters
Why it matters: It secured Bulgaria's union with Eastern Rumelia. It was the decisive battle of the Serbo-Bulgarian War.
What came next
Bulgaria won again at Pirot, and Austria and Russia stepped in to arrange a ceasefire. The Treaty of Bucharest in 1886 confirmed the union.
Did you know?
Historians call it the battle of 'captains against generals', because Russia had withdrawn its officers and the young Bulgarian army's highest-ranking officers were captains.
Timeline
- 13 November 1885Serbia declares war on Bulgaria.
- 17-19 November 1885Bulgaria wins at Slivnitsa.
- 27 November 1885Bulgaria wins at Pirot.
- 28 November 1885A ceasefire is agreed.
- 1886The Treaty of Bucharest is signed.