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Ottoman rule in Bulgaria marked an episode of continuous struggle under the autocratic reign of the Sultan. A significant episode of Bulgaria history, the Ottoman regime started in the 1340s. The capture of Sofia in 1385 initiated the Ottoman rule in Bulgaria. Resistance against the Ottomans continued till 1453 but were proved futile.
The Ottoman rule in Bulgaria witnessed the abolition of the Bulgarian statehood. The centralized Ottoman empire crushed the power of the landholders weakening the resistance. The main aim of the Ottoman rule in Bulgaria was to utilize the natural resources of the country to gain their foothold in the West.
The church of Bulgaria was completely reorganized and became a diocese under the Byzantine Patriarchate at Constantinople which was directly under the power of the Sultan. The Ottoman regime in Bulgaria also witnessed conversions of Bulgarians from Christianity to Islam in order to gain benefits from the empire. Mass conversions were also carried out.
Bulgarian culture survived in the remote villages of the country during the Ottoman rule in Bulgaria. The aspects of the indigenous Bulgarian culture like the religion, language, traditions and customs were retained by the villages of Bulgaria.
Ottoman rule in Bulgaria reached its climax in the 1600s. However, the following century saw the decline of the Ottoman empire in Bulgaria due to the extensive problems that cropped up in the vast empire. The Ottoman rule in Bulgaria ultimately ended in the 19th century.
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