Tophane Agreement

The Tophane Agreement was a treaty between the Principality of Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire signed on 5 April [O.S.

[1][2] The agreement was named after the Istanbul neighborhood Tophane, located in Beyoğlu district, where the treaty was signed.

Signed by the Ottoman Grand Vizier Mehmed Kamil Pasha and the Bulgarian foreign minister Iliya Tsanov, as well the ambassadors of the Great Powers, the agreement recognized the Prince of Bulgaria (Alexander of Battenberg at the time) as Governor-General of the autonomous Ottoman Province Eastern Rumelia.

In this way, the de facto Unification of Bulgaria which had taken place on 18 September [O.S.

[3] Bulgaria later regained the lands lost in this treaty following victory in the First Balkan War (1912–13).

Territory of Bulgaria after signature of the Tophane agreement. Eastern Rumelia ( ) is unified with the Principality of Bulgaria ( ), while the Kardzhali District and Valley of Vacha river (Tamrash Republic) ( ), returned to Ottoman Empire