Petko Stoichev Karavelov (; 24 March 1843 – 24 January 1903) was a leading Bulgarian liberal politician who served as Prime Minister on four occasions. Early years Born in Koprivshtitsa, his older brother Lyuben initially became more well known as a writer and leading member of the Bulgarian Revolutionary Central Committee. Initially educated at the Greek language school at Enez, Karavelov was an apprentice weaver until he left for Moscow at the age of 16. There he studied history and philology at Moscow State University before serving as a tutor to a number of prominent families. He also served in the Russian Army during the Russo-Turkish War, 1877–1878. In 1878, the Russians appointed him the deputy governor of Svishtov, before he was elected to the new Assembly for the Liberal Party. Prime Minister Karavelov was first offered the premiership in 1879 when Prince Alexander asked him to head up a coalition administration. Karavelov rejected the offer however, as Alexander required an anti-Russian government that would curb freedoms, both tenets being unacceptable to the Liberals. He first served as Prime Minister from 1880–1881 but was effectively declared persona non grata when Alexander suspended the constitution in 1881. A number of Liberals followed Karavelov into exile although a sizeable group remained in Bulgaria, creating a division in the party. He relocated to Plovdiv, in the semi-autonomous Eastern Rumelia, where he found work as a teacher, before returning to Bulgaria proper in 1884. He also served as a Mayor of Plovdiv during his exile. Karavelov then returned as Prime Minister from 1884 to 1886, overseeing Bulgarian unification and the Serbo-Bulgarian War. It is claimed that in 1885 Karavelov was involved in a Russian-led plot to oust Alexander along with his wife Ekaterina, although it is unknown if the Russian envoys convinced the Karavelovs to become fully involved in the scheme. He joined Stefan Stambolov and others as a member of the Regency Council after the abdication of Alexander of Bulgaria in 1886, serving a brief third spell as Prime Minister in August of that year. His reigns as Prime Minister where characterized by close association with Russia. Karavelov was criticised as a poor public speaker who let his ego determine many of his political decisions, although supporters lauded him as a pragmatist and a statesman with a keen academic mind. Out of favour As a committed liberal, he became associated with the Democratic