The first academic monograph examining the economic history of Bulgarians under Ottoman rule was recently presented at the Marin Drinov Hall of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) in Sofia on Thursday. Divided into two volumes, it contains 26 chapters written by 27 authors – young and established scholars, each recognised in their academic field, its editor Ivan Roussev, a corresponding member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS) and a Professor at the University of Economics in Varna.

Speaking at the event, BAS President, corresponding member Evelina Slavcheva, said that the monograph, First Economic History of Bulgarians in the Ottoman Empire, was conceived in 2022 and developed with meticulous dedication, scholarly rigor, and high academic standards. She emphasized that the publication impresses not only with its significant size, two substantial volumes, 26 chapters, and over 1,100 pages, but also with the quality of its content.

According to Slavcheva, each part of the work underwent thorough academic review, while the overall concept and editing reflect a clear mark of professionalism and expertise. She explained that the result is a study that meets contemporary standards in the humanities, yet remains accessible to a wider audience. She highlighted that one of the monograph’s great strengths is its broad appeal, as it can be read with interest by specialists as well as by general readers. She further underscored that the work exemplifies successful collaboration between research institutions, universities, museums, and professional organizations, building bridges between generations of researchers, diverse academic schools, and even across countries.

The editor, Ivan Roussev, explained that the idea behind the monograph was to create something unprecedented. He explained that whenever a new academic publication is produced, the question arises of its place within Bulgarian historiography. While acknowledging the contributions of previous scholars, he highlighted the work of Dr Ivan Sakazov, who in 1929 published the first comprehensive economic history of the Bulgarians in German, a foundational text that, despite contemporary criticism, served as a reference point for subsequent research. Roussev emphasized that their goal was to provide a comprehensive “snapshot” of the development of Bulgarian historiography on economic life under the Ottoman Empire from the 15th to the early 20th century.

Roussev also pointed out that one of the challenges in producing the monograph was its structure. He outlined some of the topics covered, including the waqf system in Bulgarian lands, military estates, grain supplies in the Ottoman Empire, Bulgarian economic thought, Ottoman legal frameworks, public finances, proto-industry, urban economies, currency circulation, among others.