- Ilyo Voyvoda
Infobox Person
name = Ilyo Voyvoda
caption = Portrait of Iliya Markov Popgeorgiev
birth_date = birth date|1805|5|28|mf=y
birth_place =Berovo ,Ottoman Empire (present-dayRepublic of Macedonia )
dead=dead
death_date = death date and age|1898|4|17|1805|5|28|mf=y
death_place =Kyustendil ,Kingdom of Bulgaria )Iliya Markov Popgeorgiev, better known as Ilyo Voyvoda or Dedo Iljo Maleshevski, was a Bulgarian [A certificate, issued by the Field Quarters of the Russian Army in the field, decorating the Bulgarian voyvoda Iliya Markov (Grandfather Ilyo) with a Russian medal. December 4th, 1878 [http://www.kroraina.com/knigi/en/ban/ls1.html#15] ] ["A number of Bulgarian volunteers took part in the 1877-1878 war...their voivods were: Ilyo Markov, D Trifonov, G. Pulevski..." a document of a Russian officer in the 1877-1878 Russo-Turkish war (1904) Болгарское ополчение и земское воиску (in Russian), p.56-59. ] [Панайот Хитов, "Моето пътуване по Стара планина и животопис на някои български стари и нови войводи", II изд., с. 85-87(English: Panayot Hitov, "My journey along Stara planina and biographies of some Bulgarian old and new voivods" p. 85-87) [Коте Попстоянов "Тридесет години назад. Исторически записки по първото македонско въстание през 1876 г." (English: Kote Popstoyanov, "Thirty years ago. Chronicles of the first macedonian uprising in 1876")] revolutionary from the region of Macedonia, who is considered a national hero in both
Bulgaria and theRepublic of Macedonia . He was born on28 May 1822 inBerovo , today in theRepublic of Macedonia , in the poor farmer family of Marko Popgeorgiev. He was aKomitadji with "chetas" inRhodopi ,Rila andPirin . Later he worked as a keeper in theRila monastery . In 1861 he participated in theBulgarian Legion inBelgrade . He was the father-in-law ofDimitar Pop Georgiev - Berovski .Russo-Turkish War (1877–1878) Ilyo used every chance to make a contribution in any war against the Ottoman Empire. During the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 he operated with a band near
Lovech . His band joined the Western divisions of generalJoseph Vladimirovich Gourko and participated in the liberation ofSofia ,Radomir andKyustendil . Illyo was one of the Bulgarian representatives at the signing of theTreaty of San Stefano which marked the restoration of Bulgaria in its ethnic borders. It was there he was awarded a medal for bravery. [Petrinska, M., Illyo Voivoda zhitie-bitie, Sofia, 1988, Narodna Mladezh, p. 76]The joy from the liberation was short-lived though, as the
Treaty of Berlin (1878) soon partitioned the newly liberated country. Bulgaria was divided into three parts: the Principality of Bulgaria, the autonomous province of Eastern Rumelia and Macedonia given back to the Ottomans. The discontent among the people erupted in theKresna-Razlog Uprising (1878 - 1879) in which Illyo took active participation.Serbo-Bulgarian War Illyo Voivoda and his band took part in
Serbo-Bulgarian War despite the advancing age of the leader. As part of theRadomir squad they participated in the battles ofBreznik ,Slivnitsa andVranje among others.Legacy
He fought in battles all his life, and died from old age at the end of the 19th century in
Kyustendil . He is a near-mythical figure of the region and has been the subject of many folk songs. Ilyo Voyvoda is considered an ethnic Macedonian by historians from theRepublic of Macedonia . Some of his personal belonging are kept in the monastery “St Archangel Michael” which serves as the city museum ofBerovo [cite web|url=http://www.zivonasledstvo.org.mk/project.asp?p=28|title=Living Heritage|date=2007-09-11|accessdate=2007-09-11] .References
External links
* [http://www.archives.government.bg/tda/docs/akt_smurt_ku.jpgDeath certificate of Ilyo Voyvoda] bg icon
* [http://www.kyustendilmuseum.primasoft.bg/bg/mod.php?mod=calendar&op=show_event&event_id=32 29 January 1878 The liberation of the town of Kyustendil] bg icon
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