Vasil Levski (the nickname of Vasil Ivanov Kunchev, 18 July 1837– 19 February 1873), a Bulgarian revolutionary renowned as the national hero of Bulgaria and styled the Apostle of Freedom. The ideologist and strategist of a revolutionary movement aimed at the Liberation of Bulgaria from Ottoman rule, Levski founded the Internal Revolutionary Organisation, a network of secret regional committees seeking to instigate a nationwide uprising. Born in the sub-Balkan town of Karlovo to middle class parents, Levski became an Orthodox monk before emigrating to join both Bulgarian Legions and several other Bulgarian revolutionary groups. It was abroad that he acquired the nickname Levski, "Lionlike". After working as a teacher in the Bulgarian lands, he proceeded to propagate his revolutionary ideas and developed the concept of his revolutionary organisation. In emigration, Levski helped found the Bulgarian Revolutionary Central Committee, an emigrant revolutionary society. During several tours of Bulgaria, Levski established his wide network of insurrectionary committees. However, he was captured by the Ottoman authorities at an inn near Lovech and executed by hanging in Sofia. Levski looked beyond the act of liberation: he envisioned a "pure and holy" Bulgarian republic of ethnic and religious equality. His concepts have been described as a struggle for human rights inspired by the progressive liberalism of the French Revolution and the Western European society of the time. Levski is commemorated by numerous monuments in Bulgaria and a number of institutions bear his name. In 2007, a nationwide television poll picked him out as the greatest Bulgarian of all time.
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