Marin Drinov

Who was Marin Drinov?

Marin Stoyanov Drinov was a Bulgarian historian and philologist from the National Revival period who lived and worked in Russia through most of his life. He was one of the originators of Bulgarian historiography and a founding member of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, as well as its first chairman.

Drinov was born in Panagyurishte in 1838. He left for Russia in 1858 to continue his education. He studied history and philology in Kiev and at the Moscow State University, travelled and worked in Austria and Italy between 1865 and 1871. In 1869, he became one of the co founders and an active member of the Bulgarian Literary Society. Drinov achieved a master's degree and became a reader of Slavistics at Kharkiv University, beginning to work as a regular professor in the end of 1876.

During the period of Russian government of Bulgaria Drinov was Minister of Popular Enlightenment and Spiritual Affairs.