Petko Voyvoda

Who was Petko Voyvoda?

Petko Kiryakov Kaloyanov, better known as Captain Petko Voyvoda was a 19th-century Bulgarian hajduk leader and freedom fighter who dedicated his life to the liberation of Bulgaria.

Petko was born in the Bulgarian village of Dogan Hisar, today Aisymi. He married a Greek lady from Maronia in 1860. When a group of Turkish brigands assaulted his wife, he fought and killed them all, including the leader of bashibuzuks Mehmed Kesedji Bey.

Beginning from 1861 Petko began fighting against Ottomans in surrounding areas of Maroneia, Aisymi, Enos етс. He took part in an uprising on Crete in 1866–1869, visited Italy in 1866, meeting Giuseppe Garibaldi who became a close friend. Petko lived in Garibaldi's home for a few months. Garibaldi helped Petko organize the well-known "Garibaldi Battalion" in Cretan Revolt, consisting of 220 Italians and 67 Bulgarians, who heroically fought the Ottomans on Crete. Petko voivoda and the detachments in his command bravely defended the Hellenic cause. For his service, Petko was assigned to military rank of Kapitan.