Under the Yoke is a novel by Ivan Vazov, written in 1893. It depicts the Ottoman oppression of Bulgaria and is the most famous piece of classic Bulgarian literature. Under the Yoke has been translated into more than 30 languages.
The tranquillity in a Bulgarian village under the Ottoman yoke is ostensible. In fact, the people prepare themselves strenuously for an uprising. The educated part of the population desperately wants change. Their enthusiasm is enormous, but the rebellion is beyond their powers. The Turks break down the resistance and shed a lot of blood. The sanguinary uprising is the reason for the Russian-Turkish war[citation needed], in which the Bulgarian volunteers take part as well. Soon thereafter, Bulgaria is free at last.