Konstantin Stoilov was born on September 23, 1853 in a wealthy family from Plovdiv. He studies in the famous Robert College in Istanbul and graduates as Bachelor of Arts /1871/. Later he studies law in Heidelberg and Paris. In 1877 he received his PhD in Heidelberg University. During his studentship he joined the Masonic Lodge "Apollo" and was a member for the rest of his life.
For a while he lives in Prague where he meets prof. Konstantin Jireček. After signing the treaty of San Stefano (February 19 / March 3, 1878) Stoilov returned to Bulgaria. In his homeland Dr. K. Stoilov worked as a lawyer and was appointed to the Plovdiv Appellate Court. His professional qualities were highly appreciated and after half a year he was elected as Chairman of the Sofia provincial court. He took participation in the work of the Constituent Assembly in 1879 and was one of the secretaries.
As a prominent leader of the Conservatives he became an active member of the drafting of the constitution. He was included in the delegation, which served to Prince Alexander I Battenberg (1879-1886) the act on his election as Bulgarian monarch. Conservative views and European culture of Dr. Konstantin Stoilov appealed to Alexander I. Therefore the prince appointed him as his private secretary and later as head of the political office of the palace.In this capacity he accompanied Bulgarian ruler during his visits to Vienna, Berlin, London, Paris, Rome and Istanbul.
Dr. Konstantin Stoilov was confident supporter of the strong monarchical authority and met with approval performed by Prince Alexander I coup (April 27, 1881). He fully supported the established by Alexander I absolute power and the suspending of the Constitution. He was appointed successively as a minister of Foreign Affairs and Religious Affairs in the government without Prime Minister (01-30 July 1881) and in the goverment, which was headed by the Russian general Leonid Sobolev (January 14th - March 3, 1883).
After the Constitution was restored Stoilov was elected as a Minister of Justice /September 7, 1883 – January 1, 1884/ in the government of Dragan Cankov. On August 9, 1886 Alexander I was compelled to sign his abdication. Konstantin Stoilov opposed to these extreme pro-Russian actions and supported the countercoup.
The third Great National Assembly of Bulgaria appointed Konstantin Stoilov as a member of the delegation that negotiated to attract Ferdinand Saxe-Coburg and Gotha on the Bulgarian throne. In 1886 – 1887 Stoilov is a Minister of Foreign Affairs and Religious Affairs in the government of Petko Karavelov / August 12 – 16 1886/; Minister if Justice in the government of Dr. Vasil Radoslavov /August 26, 1886 – June 28 1886/; and for a while – Prime Minister /June 28 – August 20, 1887/. Stoilov is also a Minister of Justice in the Government of Stefan Stambolov but due to disagreements with Prime Minister on December 12, 1888 he is resigned and became one of the leaders of the legal opposition.
After the removal of Stefan Stambolov from power (19 May 1894) Prince Ferdinand I assigned Dr. Konstantin Stoilov to form the new government and he remained Prime Minister until January 18, 1899. Stoilov established the People`s Party, which was among the leading political parties in Bulgaria in next decades.
During the rule of Dr. Stoilov political life in the country is normalized. An amnesty law is voted. The economic recovery in Bulgaria continues. A law for patronage of Bulgarian industry is voted. Modern taxation is introduced. Large funds are set aside for the construction of the railway network in the country. The biggest foreign policy success of the government of Dr. K. Stoilov is the restoration of diplomatic relations with Russia and recognition of Bulgarian prince of the Great Powers.
Since 1881 Konstantin Stoilov is a member of the Bulgarian Book Society /today Bulgarian Academy of Science/.
On January 31, 1888 he marries Hristina Tupchileshtova. They have five children – Stoil, Hristo, Petko, Boris, Mariyka.
After leaving the government, Dr. K. Stoilov indulges in opposition activities. Huge responsibility, tension and negative emotions associated with the political struggles and governance commitments in the last two decades of the nineteenth century seriously shaken his health. His condition sharply deteriorated in early 1901. After a short illness he died of pneumonia in Sofia on March 23, 1901.
In Sofia History museum are kept belongings of Dr. Konstantin Stoilov. In hall "State and Municipal Institutions" are exposed his desk and the library of his home cabinet, made of wood, and his two typewriters in Cyrillic and Latin. In hall "Homes and Clothing of Citizens of Sofia" are presented furnishings from his home.
