Danail Nikolaev | |
|---|---|
 Bulgarian Officer and Politician | |
| Born | 30 December 1852 |
| Died | 29 August 1942 (1942-08-30) (aged 89) Bankya, Bulgaria |
| Military career | |
| Rank | infantry general |
Danail Tsonev Nikolaev (Bulgarian:Данаил Цонев Николаев; 30 December 1852 – 29 August 1942) was aBulgarianofficer and Minister of War on the eve of theBalkan Wars. He was the first person to attain the highest rank in theBulgarian military, General of the infantry. He was also known as"the patriarch of the Bulgarian military".
Danail Nikolaev was born inBolgrad,Russian Empire (nowUkraine) to aBessarabian Bulgarian family, who were refugees fromTarnovo.[1] In 1871 he graduated from theBolgrad Gymnasium and joined the Volunteer company of 54thMinsk regiment. On 19 September 1873 he joined the Infantry school inOdessa as acadet, graduating in 1875. Nikolaev returned to his regiment inChişinău as an acting cadet on 20 July. Realizing thatSerbia was preparing for war with theOttoman Empire, he requested resignation from military service to join the war on 14 June 1876. His request was reviewed by division commanderGeneral Dragomirov, who furloughed him instead. As a volunteer he took part inSerbo-Turkish War in the battles ofBabina glava,Mirovitsa andGamzi grad. He was awardedOrder of Prince Danilo I and other decorations.[2]
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