Nikola Ivanov Ivanov | |
|---|---|
| Никола Иванов Иванов | |
 | |
 20th Minister of Army of thePrincipality of Bulgaria | |
| In office 29 November 1896 – 30 January 1899 | |
| Monarch | Ferdinand I |
| Prime Minister | Konstantin Stoilov |
| Preceded by | Racho Petrov |
| Succeeded by | Stefan Paprikov |
Chief of the General Staff of the Bulgarian Land Army | |
| In office 10 May 1894 – 29 November 1896 | |
| Monarch | Ferdinand I |
| Prime Minister | Stefan Stambolov Konstantin Stoilov |
| Minister of Army | Racho Petrov |
| Preceded by | Racho Petrov (as Chief of the Ward of Stroevo) |
| Succeeded by | Stefan Paprikov (as Headquarter of the Bulgarian Army) |
| Personal details | |
| Born | (1861-03-02)2 March 1861 |
| Died | 10 September 1940(1940-09-10) (aged 79) |
| Awards | See below |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance |  Kingdom of Bulgaria |
| Branch/service | Bulgarian Army |
| Years of service | 1879–1913 |
| Rank | General of the Infantry |
| Commands |
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| Battles/wars | |
Nikola Ivanov Ivanov (Bulgarian:Никола Иванов Иванов) (2 March 1861,Kalofer – 10 September 1940,Sofia) was aBulgarian general and aminister of defence of thePrincipality of Bulgaria.
One of the first graduate of theGeneral Staff Military Academy of St Petersburg, he fought as a volunteer during theRusso-Turkish War (1877–1878). Ivanov then became chief of the Headquarters of the Bulgarian Army between 10 May 1894 and 29 November 1896 then minister of war between 29 November 1896 and 30 January 1899. During theFirst Balkan War, Ivanov lead the Bulgarian Second Army throughout the successfulSiege of Adrianople. On 4 July his army was defeated at theBattle of Kilkis–Lachanas during theSecond Balkan War, a month later his troops succeeded in halting the oncomingGreek army at theBattle of Kresna Gorge as the catastrophic Second Balkan War came to an end.[1]
Nikola Ivanov Ivanov was born on 2 March 1861 inKalofer. He studied in theAprilov National High School inGabrovo and then in the Imperial lyceum Galasaray inIstanbul (1875–1877). He participated in theRusso-Turkish War (1877-1878) as a volunteer. After the war he stayed for a short time inPlovdiv before going to the Military School inSofia in 1878 which he graduated in the next year. On 22 May 1879 he was promoted tolieutenant. In the same year he was appointed in theEastern Rumelia militia as a junior officer and served in 1st and 2nd Plovdiv Company. On 9 February 1881 he was promoted tofirst lieutenant.
He participated in theUnification of Bulgaria. On 9 September 1885 he was promoted tocaptain and with Order No. 4 was appointed for commander of the Tarnovo-Seymen Detachment on the same day.
During theSerbo-Bulgarian War in 1885 he worked for the chief of the Central Column of the Western Detachment. He participated in theBattle of Pirot on 14–15 November.
After the war in 1886 he was appointed asFligel Adjutant ofKnyazAlexander Batenberg and after that as Chief of the Building-Inspection department on the Ministry of Defense. On 1 April 1887 he was promoted tomajor. In 1888 he was commander of the 10th Infantry Regiment, in 1889 he waschief of staff of the 4th Brigade and in 1890 of the 4th Cavalry Regiment. On 2 August he was promoted tolieutenant colonel. After that he was assistant to the Chief of the Headquarters of the Army (1891–1894) and then Chief of the Headquarters (1894–1896). On 2 August 1895 he was promoted tocolonel. Between 17 November and 29 November 1896 he was temporarily in charge of the Ministry of Defense.
Nikola Ivanov was a Minister of Defense in the Government ofKonstantin Stoilov (1896–1899), commanded the4th Preslav Infantry Division (1899–1903) and the2nd Thracian Infantry Division (1903–1907). On 15 November 1900 he was promoted tomajor general. From 1907 he was appointed as head of the 2nd Military inspection region.
To celebrate the 25th anniversary of his arrival in Bulgaria,TsarFerdinand promoted six major generals tolieutenant general on 2 August 1912, and Ivanov was one of them. This was the first time in theThird Bulgarian Kingdom when that rank was given to active officers.[2]
During theFirst Balkan War, Nikola Ivanov commanded the2nd Army between September 1912 and July 1913. He was in charge of the siege andcapture of Adrianople.
During theSecond Balkan War in 1913, the outnumbered 2nd Army led fierce battles against the whole Greek army and had to retreat after theBattle of Kilkis-Lahanas and later stopped and surrounded the Greeks in theBattle of Kresna Gorge. Ivanov was substituted in the command of the 2nd Army in July 1913 and on 7 August after the cease-fire he resigned from the army.
During theFirst World War, he remained in the reserve. At that time he acted as a public figure and publicist. He was elected for chairman of the club of the reserve officers in Sofia. On 6 May 1936 he was promoted to General of the Infantry.
General Nikola Ivanov died on 10 September 1940 in Sofia.
| Political offices | ||
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| Preceded by | Minister of War 1896–1899 | Succeeded by |
| Military offices | ||
| Preceded by | Chief of the General Staff 1894–1896 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
| Other | |
