Western Thrace Montenegro) fought against the Ottoman Empire and annexed most of its European territory, including Thrace. Western Thrace was occupied by Bulgarian troops who defeated the Ottoman army. On November 15, 1912 on the right bank of the river Maritza Macedonian-Adrianopolitan Volunteer Corps captured the Turkish corps of Yaver Paha, which defends the Eastern Rhodopes and Western Thrace from invading Bulgarians. The victors quickly fell into dispute on how to divide the newly conquered lands, resulting in the Second Balkan War. In August 1913 Bulgaria was defeated, but gained Western Thrace under the terms of the Treaty of Bucharest. In the
Thrace Foundation June 2009, a large team from the Thrace Foundation and Russia’s State Museum of Eastern Art presented an exhibition titled "The Salvaged Treasures of Ancient Thrace" in Moscow, which featured elements from the Vassil Bojkov Collection. The exhibition was part of "Тhe Year of Bulgaria in Russia" initiative and was held under the patronage of Russia’s and Bulgaria’s Ministries of Culture. This exhibition was the first public event of the new Bulgarian Union of Private Collectors. The organisation was established in March 2010, with Professor Valeri Stefanov as its chair. Sofia’s National Gallery of Foreign Art unveiled the exhibition on