Boris III

Boris III (January 1894 - August 1943) was born on January 30, 1894, in Sofia, Bulgaria. His father was Ferdinand I, and his mother was Princess Marie Louise of Bourbon-Parma. Although his parents were Catholic, he was raised Orthodox for political reasons.

After graduating from the Sofia Military School at a young age, Boris participated in the Balkan Wars and served as a liaison officer in the Bulgarian Army’s General Staff during World War I on the Macedonian Front. He was promoted to colonel in 1916 and general in 1918.

On October 4, 1918, following the abdication of his father, Ferdinand I, Boris III became the King of Bulgaria. During his reign, he married Princess Giovanna of Italy in 1930, strengthening relations between Bulgaria and Italy. In 1934, a military coup took place in Bulgaria, but Boris soon regained control, appointing Georgi Kyoseivanov as prime minister in 1935 and effectively establishing an absolute monarchy.

During World War II, Bulgaria joined the Axis Powers in March 1941, allowing German troops to pass through its territory. However, Boris resisted pressure to declare war on the Soviet Union, striving to maintain Bulgaria’s independence.

On August 28, 1943, shortly after meeting with Adolf Hitler, Boris III died suddenly upon his return to Sofia. The official cause of death was reported as heart failure, but speculation about possible poisoning persists.