Voivode Guncho

Guncho Voyvoda, born Iliya Gospodinov between 1830 and 1832 in Sliven, was a Bulgarian hajduk and a tailor by trade.

In 1867–1868 Guncho Voyvoda and his detachment attempted to join Panayot Hitov's detachment. Their aims, however, did not include an uprising, which ultimately failed. He also failed to join Hadzhi Dimitar and Stefan Karadzha's detachment because it was defeated.

Throughout 1868 Guncho Voyvoda and his detachment awaited the arrival of Hadzhi Dimitar and Stefan Karadzha's detachment. Despite the fierce battles and losses suffered by the famous voivodes' force, Guncho and his small detachment organised a robbery of the Turkish mail travelling from Ruse to Constantinople to divert the Turkish authorities' attention. The attack took place on 13 August 1868 at Dzhendema in the Kotel Balkan Mountains, when news of Hadzhi Dimitar's death had not yet arrived. Guncho and Todor Denev Voyvoda planned to withdraw and spend the winter in Wallachia, but early snow caused the detachment to disperse.

Guncho Voyvoda and his associate Todor Denev-Harbsoglu were killed near the village of Gradets. The detachment's members included Prodan Iliev from Sliven, Doncho Vlaha from Stara Zagora, Hristo Prodanov from Karlovo, Ivan Minchev from Kotel, Georgi and Kosta from the village of Kipilovo, Dobri from Kalofer, Ivan Mokancheto from Hungary, Yani from Bitola and Petar Kehaya from Panagyurishte.