Revolutionary Tsanko Minkov

Tsanko Minkov Dechev was a Bulgarian revolutionary and member of Botev's detachment.

He was born on 1 October 1856 in the village of Turiya. Orphaned, he grew up in poverty. At nineteen, in 1875, he went with fellow villagers to seek work in Giurgiu, where he made roof tiles. In the spring of 1876 he met Hristo Botev, who was recruiting men for his detachment. Tsanko Minkov joined and boarded the steamship Radetzky at Giurgiu. He fought in all the detachment's battles until it dispersed. At Milin Kamak he was wounded in the arm, which remained disabled for the rest of his life. After the detachment dispersed, Tsanko Minkov joined the group of Dimitar Ikonomov and Spas Sokolov. He was captured near Litakovo and taken to Orhanie and then Sofia Prison. On 30 July 1876 he was amnestied. After his release he returned to his village, but Turiya's authorities would not allow him to stay. He later settled in Pavel Banya. Tsanko Minkov was the last surviving member of Botev's detachment to die, on 5 October 1944.