c 2500 BC		Thracian civilisation established in south east of Balkan peninsula.
c 600 BC		Thrace colonised by Greeks.
c 100 BC		Thrace becomes part of Roman Empire.
15 AD		Moesia (northern Bulgaria) becomes part of Roman Empire.
c 500 AD		Slavic tribes begin to settle Thrace and Moesia (modern Bulgaria).
c 600 AD		Nomadic Asiatic Bulgars invade and become ruling elite. They later absorb Slavic language and culture.
680 AD		First Bulgarian Empire under Khan Asparuhk stablished.
864		Christianity introduced.
893		Empire reaches its zenith under Tsar Simeon - controlling Macedonia & Serbia.
969		Russians invade Bulgaria.
976		Byzantine Empire drives Russians from Bulgaria.
1018		Bulgaria becomes part of Byzantine Empire.
1185		Successful revolt against Byzantine rulers. Second Bulgarian Empire established.
1330		Bulgaria defeated by Serbs - made a tributary.
1389		Ottoman Turks invade.
1396		Bulgaria becomes part of Ottoman Empire.
1850s		Revolutionary movement for national independence grows.
1876		Revolt against Ottoman rule - 15,000 killed by Turks in reprisals.
1877		Russia invades Balkans to protect Bulgarian Christians. Start of Russo-Turkish War.
1878		Russo-Turkish War ends after several Turkish defeats. Russia occupies large parts of Ottoman territory.
3 March 1878		Treaty of San Stefano - Turks agree to independence for Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, autonomy for Bulgaria and to cede territory to Russia.
13 July 1878		Treaty of Berlin - European powers re-write Treaty of San Stefano to reduce Russian gains.
1878		Autonomous principalities of Bulgaria and Eastern Rumelia established within the Ottoman Empire.
6 September 1885		Eastern Rumelia (South Bulgaria) incorporated into the autonomous Bulgarian principality.
13 November 1885		Serbo-Bulgarian War begins when Serbia tries to oppose annexation of Rumelia. War ends 13 March 1886 after Serbia defeated.
5 October 1908		Independent Kingdom of Bulgaria established.
March 1912		Alliance beween Serbia and Bulgaria agreed.
June 1912		Alliance between Greece and Bulgaria agreed.
8 October 1912		Montenegro declares war on Ottoman Empire - starting First Balkan War.
18 October 1912		Serbia, Bulgaria and Greece join the First Balkan War. [5 Oct, Julian calendar]
16 December 1912		Armistice in First Balkan War agreed by Ottoman Empire. [3 Dec, Julian calendar]
3 February 1913		First Balkan War resumes after change of government in the Ottoman Empire. [21 Jan, Julian calendar]
26 March 1913		Ottoman fortress of Adrianople falls to Bulgarian forces. [13 Mar, Julian calendar]
19 April 1913		Armistice agreed following victory over the Ottoman Empire.
30 May 1913		Peace Treaty signed following First Balkan War.
1 July 1913		Start of Second Balkan War - led by the country allies from the First Balkan War (Serbia, Greece, Bulgaria) with the aim of ruling Macedonia. [16 June, Julian calendar]
30 July 1913		Armistice ends Second Balkan War.
10 August 1913		Peace treaty signed in Bucharest - the territory of Macedonia was partitioned into three parts among Bulgaria, Serbia and Greece.
24 August 1915		Bulgaria signs a military pact with Germany and Austro-Hungary.
14 October 1915		Bulgaria declares war on Serbia, entering the First World War on the side of Germany. [1 Oct, Julian calendar]
29 September 1918		Bulgaria surrenders to the Allies.
late 1918		Peasant led 'Agrarian' government takes control.
27 November 1919		Bulgaria signs humiliating peace treaty in Neuilly.
June 1923		Bloody military coup deposes Agrarian government.
1934		Government of 'national regeneration' installed by military coup.
1935		Czar Boris establishes quasi-fascist royal dictatorship.
15 September 1939		Bulgaria declares neutrality in World War Two.
7 September 1940		Craiova Agreement - Romania cedes South Dobrudja to Bulgaria.
21 September 1940		Bulgarian Army enters South Dobrudja.
1 March 1941		Bulgaria signs Axis Tripartite Pact.
6 April 1941		German forces invade Greece and Yugoslavia from Bulgarian bases.
24 April 1941		Bulgaria declares war on Greece and Yugoslavia.
late April 1941		Bulgarian military forces occupy Macedonia and Aegean Thrace.
13 December 1941		Bulgaria declares war on Britain and the USA.
26 August 1944		Bulgaria declares itself neutral in WW2 - not recognised by Allies.
30 August 1944		German troops withdraw from Bulgaria.
5 September 1944		USSR declares war on Bulgaria.
6 September 1944		Bulgaria declares war on Germany.
8 September 1944		Soviet troops enter Bulgaria unopposed.
9 September 1944		Armistice signed with USSR.
9 October 1944		Anti-German offensive in Yugoslavia launched.
28 October 1944		Armistice with Britain, USA and USSR signed.
2 December 1944		Anti-German advance into Southern Serbia and Macedonia concluded.
1945		Control of Macedonia transferred to Yugoslavia, of Thrace to Greece and of South Dobruja to Romania
October 1946		Communists 'win' government elections and take control.
15 September 1947		Formal peace treaty with USSR signed
1947		People's Republic of Bulgaria established
10 November 1989		Communist Party leadership replaced by pro-democracy supporters.
February 1991		First non-Communist government elected in Bulgaria.
14 February 1994		Bulgaria joins the NATO Partnership for Peace programme.
mid 2001		Supporters of the former King Simeon of Bulgaria win government elections
November 2002		Bulgaria invited to join NATO.
2 April 2004		Bulgaria joins NATO

Note: Bulgaria switched to the Gregorian calendar when 31 March 1916 was followed by 14 April 1916.