Bulgaria has a long and fascinating history that reaches back into antiquity. Bulgarians are proud of their history, and you will make rapid progress toward earning their respect if you are knowledgeable about it.Slavic tribes settled in the Balkan Peninsula in the sixth and seventh centuries, followed a century later by the Proto- Bulgars, who conquered the Slavic tribes and founded the first Bulgarian kingdom in 681. The kingdom reached the height of its power in the ninth century and included most of the Balkan Peninsula. The royal capital at Turnovo was seized by the Turks in 1393, beginning nearly 500 years of Ottoman domination. During this period, Bulgaria's indigenous customs and values were preserved in monasteries and isolated mountain villages. In the 19th century, a strong national revival occurred, and the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-78 resulted in the restoration of self-government to Bulgaria.Ferdinand of Saxe-Coburg-Gotha became Bulgaria's first monarch in 1887. He was forced to abdicate after World War I, and the throne passed to his son, Boris III. With the support of the army, Boris III imposed a dictatorship on the country in 1934. His death in 1943 left the country without a strong leader. In September 1944, the Soviet Union declared war on Bulgaria and quickly occupied its territory. In the aftermath of that war, Bulgarian communists seized power and abolished the monarchy, establishing the People's Republic of Bulgaria in 1946.The communists initiated a planned economy based on the Soviet model, which collectivized agriculture and permitted rapid industrialization. After more than 44 years under this system, popular unrest and political turmoil culminated in the collapse of communism in 1990. Since then, Bulgaria's transition to a democratic government and market economy has not been without difficulties. Following weeks of popular protest and strikes after hyperinflation and the collapse of the banking system in 1996 and 1997, the ruling Socialist Party stepped down, and unprecedented general elections were held. The new government initiated difficult but necessary reforms that helped bring a level of economic and political stability.