Hristo Silyanov

Who was Hristo Silyanov?

Hristo Silyanov - was a Bulgarian revolutionary, historian and memoirist. He was among the activists of the Bulgarian Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Committees and in his memoirs uniquely described the history of the organization in its early period.

Silyanov was born in a rich family in Constantinople. His father was a Bulgarian from Ohrid in Macedonia, and his mother was Greek. He studied in Istanbul and Thessaloniki, but graduated from the Bulgarian school in Bitola. Later Silyanov worked as the Bulgarian Exarchate's teacher in various towns in Ottoman Macedonia. After his participation in [the Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization, he joined the cheta from Marko Lerinski. As result of a severe illness in 1902, Silyanov moved to Sofia for treatment and from there criticized sharply the decision made by IMARO's Central Committee in Thessaloniki concerning the Ilinden–Preobrazhenie Uprising. However, in 1903 he was elected secretary of the Preobrazhenie Uprising committee in a session near Malko Tarnovo. During the Uprising he was a member of Michail Gerdjikov's cheta and participated in the battles in Strandzha for the taking of Vasiliko and Ahtopol.