Petrova Niva (, "Peter's field") is a historic area in the Strandzha mountains of southeastern Bulgaria where, between 11 and 13 July 1903, a group of Bulgarian Internal Macedonian-Adrianople Revolutionary Organization (IMARO) delegates announced the outbreak of an anti-Ottoman uprising aimed at liberating southern Thrace from Ottoman rule and proclaimed the Strandzha Republic.
The area lies on the land of the village of Stoilovo in Malko Tarnovo municipality, Burgas Province, within the territory of Strandzha Nature Park. It is among the 100 Tourist Sites of Bulgaria; a monument to the event was built in the 1950s and a church dedicated to Saint Petka was constructed in 2003 for the congress' centennial anniversary, as well as a museum.
The IMARO congress at Petrova Niva was attended by over 300 people, of whom 47 were official delegates. Most of the delegates came from the region of Malko Tarnovo, though the areas of Edirne and Western Thrace were also represented. The congress mostly discussed the very question of whether to organize an uprising, but discussions ceased as the IMARO leadership had already instigated a revolt in the region of Bitola. Despite the lack of enough armaments and the varying preparedness of the local committees, the delegates agreed to aid the insurgents in Macedonia. The rebellions in Macedonia and Thrace are collectively known as the Ilinden–Preobrazhenie Uprising.
Delegates The 47 delegates at the Petrova Niva IMARO congress were:
Name Native place Notes Mihail Gerdzhikov Plovdiv leader of the entire Odrin (Edirne) region east of the Maritsa Lazar Madzharov Negovan (Xylopoli, Langadas municipality) leader of the Lozengrad (Kırklareli) region Stamat Ikonomov Malko Tarnovo Bulgarian Army captain, voivode Georgi Kondolov Velika voivode Velko Dumev Voden (Edessa) leader of the Odrin district committee Vasil Paskov Nevrokop (Gotse Delchev) IMARO Central Committee representative for the Edirne region Georgi Vassilev (Svilengrad) Svilengrad Edirne district committee member Hristo Silyanov Istanbul Mihail Daev Balchik Nikola Stanchev Kazanlak Edirne district committee member Krastyu Balgariyata Vratsa Bulgarian Army sergeant, voivode Dimitar Katerinski Svilengrad Svilengrad district committee leader Ivan Varnaliev Veles Hristo Karamandzhukov Chokmanovo leader of the Smolyan region Kosta Kalkandzhiev Varna Diko Dzhelebov Malko Tarnovo Anastas Razboynikov Svilengrad Bunarhisar (Pınarhisar) district committee leader Spas TsvetkovEvla Nikola Kardzhiev Lozengrad Petar Angelov Haskovo Bulgarian Army sergeant, voivode Penyu Shivarov Chirpan Bulgarian Army sergeant, voivode Kiro Dimitrov Uzunov Malak Samokov (Demirköy) Yordan Georgiev Malko Tarnovo Georgi Kostadnev Malko Tarnovo M. Argirov Malko Tarnovo Nestor IvanovOdrin Ivan Kalchev Lozengrad Dimo Yankov Malko Tarnovo Stoyan Petrov Malko Tarnovo Lefter Mechev Malko Tarnovo Dimitar Halachev Malko Tarnovo Tseno Kurtev Zlatitsa Bulgarian Army sergeant, voivode Petko Zidarov Tsiknihor by Malko Tarnovo Dimitar Tashev Kolibite by Bunarhisar Georgi Kaloyanov Malko Tarnovo Stoyan Kamilski Kamilite by Malko Tarnovo Dimitar Hristakev Raykovo (Smolyan) surgeon's assistant at Burgas, doctor during the uprising Georgi Tenev Svilengrad local leader at Lyubimets Hristo Arnaudov Afuza Svilengrad local leader at Chepelare Lazo Lazov Lozengrad Yani Popov Karahadar (Karahıdır) by Lozengrad Yanko Stoyanov Malko Tarnovo Georgi Todorov Doktora Kratovo local leader at Velika Yani Voynov Svilengrad
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