Voivode Stoyan Papazov

Stoyan Papazov, also known as Stoyan Voivode, was a Bulgarian hajduk.

He was born Stoyan Lyutskanov Popov (Papazov) in Sliven to Lyutskan and Penka. In 1858, he began his hajduk career by joining Georgi Trankin’s company. He was later also associated with Panayot Hitov.

In 1863, he stayed in Serbia as a member of Hadzhi Dimitar’s detachment. After that detachment broke up in 1864, Stoyan Papazov hid in the Balkan Mountains.

In the spring of 1865, he formed an independent detachment in the Kotel Balkan Mountains with volunteers brought from Giurgiu, Romania, by Mihail Kurtev. Although few in number, they travelled through the mountains for about a month and a half. Unfortunately, Voivode Stoyan Papazov was killed by one of the detachment’s members, probably Dimitar Obshti.