Hajduk Tseko Petkov

Tseko Petkov Peshev, known as Tseko Dalgoshevski and Dyado Tseko Voyvoda, was a Bulgarian hajduk and national revolutionary, a fighter for Bulgaria's liberation from Ottoman rule.

Tseko Petkov was born on 10 March 1807 in the village of Dalgoshevtsi, now Zamfir, into Petko Peshev's family. As a young man he sheltered the hajduk voivodes operating in north-western Bulgaria: Savo Voyvoda from Golintsi, Tocho Voyvoda and Ivan Kulin from Medkovets. After Turkish attacks on two of his sisters, Valkana and Gena, Tseko Petkov became a hajduk in Ivan Kulin's detachment. On Kulin's advice, Tseko formed his own detachment of nine men.

In 1836 he participated in Mancho's Revolt in the Berkovitsa district. After the uprising was suppressed, Tseko returned to his native Lom district. In 1841 he participated in the Brăila revolts in Vladislav Tadić's detachment and subsequently in the Second Brăila Revolt under Georgi Rakovski's leadership. After the revolt failed, Tseko Petkov fled to Russia with his former detachment fighter Dimitar Panov.

After returning to the Lom district, Tseko Petkov was elected village headman in Momin Brod and played an active part in preparing the uprising in north-western Bulgaria in 1850: electing an insurgent committee, forming rebel detachments and drawing up an operational plan. In May 1850 he took command of a force of 150–200 insurgents around Momin Brod and Dalgoshevtsi, but it was defeated by Turkish forces. The survivors joined Ivan Kulin's force, which was also defeated.

After the uprising failed, Tseko Petkov organised several peaceful demonstrations in Vidin but was arrested. He spent three years in chains in Vidin Fortress, subjected to torture. In 1853 he was released following the Russian diplomatic mission's intervention and emigrated to Wallachia. He volunteered in the Crimean War, defending Sevastopol.

During the Russo-Turkish War (1877 – 1878), Tseko Petkov served as voivode of a Bulgarian volunteer detachment. He distinguished himself during the Troyan Detachment's crossing of the Balkan Mountains.

Tseko Petkov died on 12 November 1895 in the village of Bratsigovo, where he was buried.