1886 Bulgarian coup d'état

Despite the successful unification, the Rusophile circles in the country held Knyaz Alexander Battenberg responsible for the deterioration of relations with Russia.

The Rusophiles had valued Russia's role in supporting the restoration of Bulgaria as a state in the boundaries, promised by the preliminary Treaty of San Stefano.

On the eve of 8 to 9 August 1886 Alexander Battenberg was arrested in his palace in Sofia, forced to sign a decree for his abdication, and expelled from Bulgaria to Russia by boat.

However, the coup was not backed by many Bulgarian officers and politicians, including the chief of the National Assembly, Stefan Stambolov.

A counter-coup, led by Sava Mutkurov, was organized in Plovdiv and the members of the original coup were quickly isolated.