Nice super hard set of old questions that I still can’t remember the answer to. More worringly are the ones I’m forgetting that I thought I did know the answer to. The 100m hurdler is hardly obscure.
Questions
Who is Bulgaria’s second-longest serving Prime Minister to date, deposed following 2021 protests supported by president Rumen Radev? He held the office for three terms and there are photos of him with luminaries Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin.
BOYKO BORISOV
Spending over 30 years serving the Bulgarian military, who was caretaker Prime Minister from May to December 2021? He had a brief spell as defence minister in the subsequent government.
STEFAN YANEV
Co-leader of the ‘We Continue the Change’ party, who spent less than a year as Bulgarian Prime Minister from December 2021 to August 2022?
KIRIL PETKOV
Previously serving in the cabinet of Stefan Yanev, who became caretaker Prime Minister of Bulgaria in 2022 following Kiril Petkov’s short period in charge?
GALAB DONEV
Named for a village in Bulgaria’s Sliven province, which neolithic culture is considered the most important of the Azmak river valley? Part of the Danube civilisation, typically there is a ‘Venus of’ this place, though perhaps not an A-list example.
KARANOVO
In the 11th century, which Byzantine emperor conquered and dismantled the Bulgarian empire? With the surname Porphyrogenitus, he was nicknamed ‘The Bulgar-Slayer’.
BASIL II
Which Bulgarian city gives its name to a necropolis where the oldest known gold jewellery in the world was discovered, and the associated copper age culture that is credited with inventing gold metallurgy?
VARNA
King Teres formed which largest Thracian kingdom, that existed from 480 to 30 BC? Its capital Seuthopolis was destroyed in 250 BC.
ODRYSIAN KINGDOM
Which bishop created the Gothic Bible, the first Germanic language book? With a name meaning ‘little wolf’, he participated in the Arian controversy and developed the Gothic alphabet.
ULFILAS
An equestrian statue can be found in Strelcha of which ruler, who established the First Bulgarian Empire in 681?
ASPARUH
Which Byzantine emperor was defeated and killed at the 811 Battle of Pliska? After the battle Khan Krum encased the emperor’s skull in silver, using it to drink wine.
NICEPHORUS I
Situated in Shuman province, in which city that was capital of the Bulgarian empire from 893 to 972 was cyrillic developed?
PRESLAV
In charge from 893 to 927, under the reign of which son of Boris I was the Golden Age of Bulgarian culture?
SIMEON THE GREAT
Which heresy was founded by a priest during the reign of 10th-century Bulgar tsar Peter I? These dualists did not use the Christian cross or build churches, believing their bodies to be temples.
BOGOMIL HERESY
In 1277 which swineherd initiated a peasant revolt that drove out the Mongols, in the process becoming tsar of Bulgaria? He didn’t last very long, soon after being killed by the Mongols after he had presented himself to them as a dethroned vassal.
IVAYLO
With its capital at Karvuna, which despotate on the Black Sea came briefly into existence when the second Bulgarian empire fragmented? The modern city of Varna is included in its territory.
(DESPOTATE OF) DOBRUJA
Now giving its name to the north-westernmost province of Bulgarian, which tsardom existed along with Tarnovo when the second Bulgarian empire disintegrated?
VIDIN
Which Macedonian hajduk’s rebellion of 1689 was quashed? He died on the Skopje stone bridge following the Second Battle of Kumanovo and that city has an equestrian monument in his memory.
KARPOSH
Which uprising of 1688 was named after a small town in north-west Bulgaria? The town was then deserted for 30 years after the population fled, were killed or became enslaved.
CHIPROVTSI
Signed in 1774 between the Ottoman and Russia empires, which treaty granted many concessions to Russia? This ended the Russo-Turkish War of 1768 to 1774 and marked an important milestone in the decline of the Ottoman empire.
KÜÇÜK KAYNARCA
Also labelled as the Bulgarian Horrors, which uprising of 1876 ultimately contributed to the re-establishment of the Bulgarian State? Writers such as Oscar Wilde, Charles Dickens and Victor Hugo voiced their displeasure at the Turkish behaviour.
APRIL UPRISING
Aided by Bulgarian volunteers known as opalchentsi, which 1877 to 1878 battle secured the Road to Constantinople for the Russians?
SHIPKA PASS
Created by the Treaty of Berlin, which autonomous province existed from 1878 to 1885 before being integrated into Bulgaria?
EASTERN RUMELIA
Sharing its name with a lake on the Greek border, at which battle of 1917 in North Macedonia did the Bulgarians cause the British heavy losses?
DOIRAN
At which battle of 1917 in North Macedonia did the Bulgarians cause the French heavy losses? It was part of the Salonika campaign and is known in France as the Battle of Hill 1248.
MONASTIR
Buried at Rila Monastery, which tsar was dictator from 1918 to 1943? At the outbreak of World War II during his reign Bulgaria initially remained neutral and resisted attempts to get involved in the Holocaust.
BORIS III
During the World War II tenure of which Prime Minister did Bulgaria become the seventh nation to join the Axis Powers?
BOGDAN FILOV
A leader of Communist International from 1935 to 1943, who established a Stalinist state in Bulgaria from 1946 to 1949?
GEORGI DIMITROV
A tributary of the Danube and originating in the Rila Mountains, what is the longest river fully in Bulgaria?
ISKAR
Known by two quite different sounding terms, what are woodland fairies or nymphs called in Slavic folklore? Some of their characteristics may include having long blonde hair, liking to ride horses and dancing in a circle.
VILI OR SAMODIVA
Looking kind of like a strange version of a yeti, what name is given to the elaborately costumed Bulgarian men who scare away evil spirits? They were featured in the Maren Ade film “Toni Erdmann”.
KUKERI
Probably one to think twice about before you agree to join in, what is the ritual fire dance included as a Bulgarian entry on UNESCO’s intangible heritage list, with it involving walking barefoot on burning embers?
NESTINARSTVO
Located on the Via Pontica, a migratory bird route between Europe and Africa, which lake and nature reserve in the north-east of Bulgaria is a World Heritage site?
SREBARNA
Of Cuman origin, which dynasty briefly ruled Bulgaria during its second empire following the fall of the Asen dynasty, with them being replaced themselves by the longer lasting matrilineal House of Sratsimir?
SHISHMAN
His “Epic of the Forgotten” commemorating the Bulgarian fight for freedom against the Ottoman Empire, who is considered to be the ‘Patriarch of Bulgarian literature’?
IVAN VAZOV
Not far from a memorial to the Battle of Shipka Pass, which Bulgarian town within a namesake province gives its name to a ‘humour’ and was the birthplace of the famous artist Christo?
GABROVO
Commonly having three main strings with up to sixteen sympathetic resonating strings underneath, which Bulgarian bowed string instrument has a name that means ‘to hum’ or ‘to buzz’?
GADULKA
Although typically made out of wood it can also be made from water buffalo horn. Which Bulgarian flute is associated with mountain shepherds?
KAVAL
Its colours said to represent the national flag, which salad is considered to be Bulgaria’s national dish?
SHOPSKA
Its ingredients including peppers, aubergines and tomatoes, which sometimes hot vegetable relish can be found in Bulgarian, Serbian and Macedonian cuisine?
LYUTENITSA / LJUTENICA
Holding the women’s 100m hurdles world record for nearly 30 years until it was surpassed by Kendra Harrison and subsequently Tobi Amusan, who was the 1988 Olympic gold medallist in this event from Bulgaria?
YORDANKA DONKOVA
Only holding the world record for a matter of months before it was taken by Czech athlete Helena Fibingerová, which Bulgarian woman triumphed in the Olympic shot put in 1976?
IVANKA KHRISTOVA
Following on from a World Championship victory in 1987, which Bulgarian man won Olympic triple jump gold in 1988?
KHRISTO MARKOV
Successful in the 100m breaststroke, which woman is the only Bulgarian to have won a swimming gold at the Olympics, doing so in Seoul?
TANYA DANGALAKOVA
Coached by 1988 Olympic gold medallist Khristo Markov, which Bulgarian woman won triple jump gold in 2000?
TEREZA MARINOVA
Bulgaria currently have only one winter olympic gold to their name, this coming thanks to which female biathlete in the 1998 individual competition over 15km?
EKATERINA DAFOVSKA
Having among its sets the cities of London, New York and Rome, what is the name of the film studio in Sofia that is used by Hollywood?
NU BOYANA
Filmed at Nu Boyana, what was the 2021 sequel to a 2017 film where Ryan Reynolds played a bodyguard of a hitman, the latter being played by Samuel L. Jackson? Salma Hayek, Antonio Banderas and Richard E. Grant are among the cast.
HITMAN’S WIFE’S BODYGUARD
Which actor played Hellboy in a 2019 re-boot that was filmed at the Bulgarian studio of Nu Boyana?
DAVID HARBOUR
The Nu Boyana film studios in Bulgaria were used for which 2019 third installment in the “Has Fallen” series, unlike the first two not named for a place?
ANGEL HAS FALLEN
Another sequel filmed at Nu Boyana in Bulgaria was which follow-up to the 2011 Jason Statham vehicle “The Mechanic”, with Michelle Yeoh and Jessica Alba doing the rounds with the Derbyshire-born actor?
THE MECHANIC: RESURRECTION
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