Revolutionary Dimitar Karastoilov

Dimitar Karastoilov was born in Starchishta and was the brother of the revolutionary commander Stoyan Karastoilov.

Persecution of Bulgarians in the Nevrokop region followed the April Uprising. Several men from Starchishta, including Dimitar and Stoyan, left to pick olives but took refuge on Thasos. There they agreed with Todor Palaskarya, his brother Stoyan and Atanas Dzhostov to buy Albanian clothing, arm themselves and take revenge on the Turks. Dimitar began his hajduk activity in 1877, operating around Nevrokop and Drama and in the Cherna Gora Mountains. Their band defeated Yuruk Mahmud's robber gang between Drama and Kavala and opposed Greek influence in the Drama and Nevrokop regions.

During the War of Liberation, Dimitar and Todor Palaskarya operated with the band in the Kresna Gorge and the Melnik and Serres regions.

The band, which also included Georgi Zimbilev, eliminated the brigands Haydut Sulyu and Sheyha. After the Treaty of Berlin, Stoyan and Dimitar broke away from Palaskarya and formed their own band.

Dimitar's life ended tragically: he was killed fighting a Turkish pursuit detachment near Dolno Brodi on 20 May 1878.