In the years 1186-1398, there was a second state of the Bulgarians, after which its territory became part of the Ottoman Empire.

On March 3, 1878, after Turkey's defeat in the war with Russia, a peace treaty was signed in San Stefano, which provided for the creation of Greater Bulgaria, which would include, in addition to Bulgaria, Thrace and Macedonia without Thessaloniki. Due to this fact, March 3, the day of the end of the centuries-long Turkish occupation of Bulgarian lands, is the country's national holiday.