Revolutionary Ilarion Dragostinov

Ilarion Dragostinov (1852–1876) was a Bulgarian revolutionary and participant in the April Uprising. He was born in the village of Arbanasi in 1852, into the family of the wealthy merchant Ivan Dragostinov, and attended the Greek primary school, where he learnt Greek, French, Turkish, Romanian, German and Italian. He showed curiosity and a disposition towards learning.

After graduating from the Main Five-Class Boys' School in Tarnovo in 1868, Dragostinov became close to young men who shared patriotic feelings. In 1868 he became part of the Ruse Revolutionary Committee, and in 1871 he was a founder of the Giurgiu Revolutionary Committee.

His activities also included helping associates cross the Danube secretly, and he crossed the river himself to carry out organisational work. With determination to struggle and a sense of duty, Dragostinov undertook preparations for a revolution in Bulgaria.

In March 1876 he crossed to Svishtov and continued to Shumen, where an attempt was made to restore the local revolutionary committee. Adverse circumstances forced him to leave for Wallachia.

In April 1876 he went to Bulgaria, participated in preparations for the uprising and became a member of the Shumen Local Revolutionary Committee. He was sent to Bucharest as a representative of the Giurgiu Revolutionary Committee. In May 1876, finding himself surrounded by the Turks, Dragostinov made his final attempt to escape, but died fighting on 10 May 1876 near the Vratnik Pass.