Tsar Ferdinand I

Ferdinand Maximilian Karl Leopold Maria of Saxe-Coburg-Koháry was the son of an Austrian general and the French princess Clémentine of Orléans (1817–1907), one of the wealthiest women of her time.

Initially known for his lavish lifestyle, he was appointed regent by the Bulgarian parliament in 1887. Over the following years, Ferdinand modernized Bulgaria’s administration, military, and infrastructure, though the country was still officially dependent on the Ottoman Empire.

In 1908, he led Bulgaria to independence and assumed the traditional title of Tsar. After Bulgaria’s defeat in the Second Balkan War in 1913, Ferdinand joined the Central Powers in World War I. Despite Bulgaria’s capitulation in 1918, the 'Fox of the Balkans' managed to preserve the monarchy by abdicating in favor of his son Boris III.

He retired to Coburg, where he lived until his death in 1948.