site.btaMarch 26, 1913: Bulgarian Army Captures Ottoman Fortress of Adrianople

On March 26, 1913, during the First Balkan War, the Bulgarian Second Army, supported by two Serbian divisions, captured the Ottoman fortress of Adrianople (now Edirne).

It was one of the most resilient fortresses in Europe. The Maritsa, Tundzha, and Arda rivers served as additional obstacles to the engineering structures built according to a German fortification design.

The operation was conducted under the command of Lieutenant General Nikola Ivanov. The siege of the fortress began in October 1912, at the start of the Balkan War, and by mid-November, it was surrounded. The Maritsa, Tundzha, and Arda rivers divided the encirclement ring into four flanks: Eastern, Southern, Western, and Northwest. The main forces were concentrated in the Eastern flank under the command of General Georgi Vazov. After a successful attack on March 25, 1913, the decisive breakthrough in the Eastern flank followed a surprise night action. As a result, on March 26, the fortress capitulated, and Shukri Pasha along with the entire garrison surrenders.

The Adrianople operation introduced several innovations in Bulgarian military art, including combat aviation, assault teams and fire belts.

The capture of Adrianople was the decisive blow against the Ottoman Empire, leading to the end of the Balkan War. The siege and assault cost a total of 18,282 killed, wounded, and missing. On April 12, an armistice was signed, and on May 30, 1913, the Treaty of London was signed.

This victory significantly boosted Bulgarian morale and solidified their influence in the Balkans.

The Bulgarian Telegraph Agency reported in its bulletin the attack and capture of the Adrianople fortress.