(June 27, 1850 – September 22, 1921)

“The Patriarch of Bulgarian literature"

Vazov came from a family in which traditional values were highly regarded. His father, Mincho Vazov, was a merchant.An open-minded person, he combined a conservative, patriarchal spirit withsympathy for the Enlightenment and the national revival.

Vazov's mother,Saba, was an intelligent, generousand charming woman. Vazov’s parents, Saba and Mincho Vazov, both had a lot of influence on the young poet.

He got married to Atina Bolyarskaon 4 November 1890.

After finishing primary school in Sopot, Mincho sent his son to Kalofer, appointing him an assistant teacher. Having done his final exams in Kalofer, the young teacher returned to Sopot to help in his father's grocery. The next year his father sent him to Plovdiv to Naiden Gerov's school. There Vazov made his first steps as a poet. He returned to Sopot and then went to Oltenița in Romania to study trade despite his lack of interest in it. He was impressed with literature.

Works Vazov was probably influenced by Botev, who was

the ideological leader of the Bulgarian revolutionary movement. He started writing his famous poems with Botev and some other Bulgarian emigrants in Romania. In 1876 he published his first work, ,,Priaporetz and Gusla” , followed by "Bulgaria's Sorrows" in 1877. Bulgaria regained its independence in 1878 as a result of the Russo-Turkish War and Vazov wrote the famous Epic of the Forgotten.

Other famous worksNew Country Under the YokeThe Empress of Kazalar Songs of Macedonia It Will Not Perish What Is A Poet's Soul Like

Език свещен на моите деди език на мъки, стонове вековни,

език на тая, дето ни роди за радост не - за ядове отровни.

Език прекрасен, кой те не руга и кой те пощади от хули гадки? Вслушал ли се е някой досега

в мелодьята на твойте звуци сладки?

Разбра ли някой колко хубост, мощ се крий в речта ти гъвкава, звънлива -

от руйни тонове какъв разкош, какъв размах и изразитост жива?

Не, ти падна под общия позор, охулен, опетнен със думи кални:

и чуждите, и нашите, във хор, отрекоха те, о, език страдални!

Не си можал да въплътиш във теб създаньята на творческата мисъл!

И не за песен геният ти слеп - за груб брътвеж те само бил орисал!

Тъй слушам сè, откак съм на света! Сè туй ругателство ужасно, модно,

сè тоя отзив, низка клевета, що слетя всичко мило нам и родно.

Ох, аз ще взема черния ти срам и той ще стане мойто вдъхновенье,

и в светли звукове ще те предам на бъдещото бодро поколенье;

ох, аз ще те обриша от калта и в твоя чистий бляск ще те покажа,

и с удара на твойта красота аз хулниците твои ще накажа.

When Vazov was 15, he fell off a racing horse,

was unconscious for a long time, and then became blind for about a year.

Vazov's 1893 novel “Under the Yoke” , which depicts the Ottoman oppression of Bulgaria, is the most famous piece of classic Bulgarian literature and has been translated into over 30 languages.

Vazov‘ s patriotic views forced him to flee from Bulgaria many times.

He was 71 years, 2 months and 13 days old when he died.

The great Bulgarian writer Ivan Vazov suddenly died on 22 September 1921 in Sofia, with postmortem examination of the body revealing severe pathological abnormalities in the cardiovascular system.

Vazov's grave in the center of Sofia. In the background is St. Sofia Church. The tomb is a syenite stone from the Vitosha mountains where Vazov loved to walk.

I will remember

for his patriotism and love to the Bulgarians. He is one of our

national poets and we can say

more than a poet ! He is the man,

who used the poetry to explain Bulgarian soul.