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Nikola Mihov

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(Redirected from Nikola Mikhov) Regent of Bulgaria
RegentNikola Mihov
Никола Михов
Mihov in 1939
Regent of Bulgaria
In office
11 September 1943 – 9 September 1944Serving with Prince Kiril and Bogdan Filov
MonarchSimeon II
Prime MinisterPetar Gabrovski (acting)Dobri BozhilovIvan BagrianovKonstantin Muraviev
Preceded byRegency established
Succeeded byTodor Pavlov
Venelin Ganev
Tsvetko Boboshevski
Minister of War
In office
11 April 1942 – 14 September 1943
MonarchsBoris III
Simeon II
Prime MinisterBogdan Filov
Preceded byTeodosi Daskalov
Succeeded byRusi Rusev
Personal details
Born(1891-12-11)11 December 1891
Veliko Tarnovo, Bulgaria
Died1 February 1945(1945-02-01) (aged 53)
Sofia, Bulgaria
Military service
Allegiance Kingdom of Bulgaria
Branch/service Bulgarian Land Forces
Years of service1912–45
RankLieutenant general
Commands3rd Division
5th Army
1st Army
Battles/wars

Nikola Mihaylov Mihov (Bulgarian: Никола Михайлов Михов, 11 December 1891 – 1 February 1945) was a Bulgarian lieutenant general of artillery who served as one of the three Regents of Bulgaria for the underage Simeon II (1943–44).

Biography

Meeting between Nikola Mihov, Adolf Hitler, Wilhelm Keitel (centre right) and Alfred Jodl (far right) in 1943

Nikola Mihov was born on 11 December 1891, in Veliko Tarnovo, in the then-Principality of Bulgaria. He graduated from the Sofia Military School in 1911. Mihov commanded an artillery battery during the Balkan Wars, taking part in the siege of Odrin. From April 1915 he was an assistant of the artillery inspector at the Military School. During World War I, Mihov commanded a battery in the 15th Artillery Regiment and took part in the capture of the Tutrakan fortress, defended by Romanian troops. In 1917, he led the 1st horsed artillery unit.

In 1922–29, Mihov was an artillery instructor at the Military School, an officer of the 4th Artillery Regiment, an adjutant in the artillery department of the War Ministry, and commander of a unit in the Sofia defense area. In 1929–32, he was the chief of a section of the Artillery Inspectorate. In 1932–33, he was the chief of the Engineering Inspectorate. Mihov commanded that the 7th Artillery Division in 1933–35. Since 1935 he was the head of the training department of the Artillery Inspectorate. Also around that time, Mihov was the editor of the publication Artillery Review. In 1936, Mihov became the assistant of the commander of the 3rd Division. Later that year he became its commander. He served as the head of the military school from 17 February 1937 until 19 April 1941.

In April–August 1941 he commanded the 5th Army, which took part in the invasion and occupation of Macedonia. In 1941–42, Mihov commanded the 1st Army, with its headquarters being in Sofia. From 11 April 1942 until 14 September 1943 he was the Minister of War in the second government of Bogdan Filov, a supporter of his politics.

On 9 September 1943, he became one of the three members of the Regent Council, which led Bulgaria after the death of Tsar Boris III and the coronation of the young Simeon II. One year later, after pro-Soviet forces rose to power in Bulgaria, Mihov was arrested by Bulgarian communists. On 1 February 1945, Mihov was sentenced to death by the so-called People's court and shot on the same day.

Mihov was pardoned by the Supreme Court of Bulgaria on 26 August 1996. His diary, which he wrote while being the regent of Bulgaria, was published in 2004. It covers the period from 19 September 1943 to 7 September 1944 – just a day before the anti-fascist coup.

Ranks

Awards

 Kingdom of Bulgaria

 Nazi Germany

Sources

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