Rayna Knyaginya
1856–1917 (age 61)
Biography
Rayna Knyaginya, born in 1856, earned her place in Bulgarian memory as the courageous teacher who sewed and carried the flag of the April Uprising in 1876, symbolizing the nation's desire for liberty. After the suppression of the revolt she returned to teaching, carrying the same spirit of devotion into classrooms where she encouraged young Bulgarians to cherish their language and heritage.
Though the years that followed were marked by personal hardship and the loss of her husband, she continued to serve as an educator and a living reminder of the uprising's ideals, and she spent her final years in Sofia, where she was laid to rest with honor at the Central Sofia Cemetery.