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Congress of Berlin
Independent Bulgaria, Macedonia given to Turkey. Eastern Rumelia, with a Christian governor, given to Turkey. Austria occupied and administered Bosnia but could not annex. Independent Romania, Serbia and Montenegro. Cyprus-Britain and South Bessarabia-Russia and Tunis-France. Balkan nationalism was ignored and Serbs in Bosnia were frustrated. Russia saw it as a diplomatic defeat. -
Dual Alliance
Germany would support Austria if Russia attacked and Austria would support Germany. If Austria/Germany is the aggressor, other remains neutral. -
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Bulgarian Crisis
Bulgaria resented Russian interference. Eastern Rumelia proclaimed union with Bulgaria in 1885. This was against the Berlin Congress and the Russians were annoyed. Britain supported the union because it was a barrier to Russian ambitions in the Balkans. Russia was forced to accept the situation. 1886, throne of Bulgaria is offered to Ferdinand. Russia opposed, Austria supported. Dual Alliance of 1879 prevented war. Tensions relaxed for a time. -
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Armenian Massacre (Hamidian)
Armenia - 2 million Orthodox Christians were ruled by Sultan Abdul Hamid (Turk). He persecuted them for their faith. When an uprising occurred in 1894, the Turks massacred them which continued till 1896. Germany wanted economic links with Turkey so the Kaiser did not speak out against the massacres. British called Abdul "Damned and Unreformed" but he ignored their protest. Turkey was saved from united action due to disagreement between the European powers. -
Revolt in Crete
Crete consisted of Greeks but ruled by Turks. Greeks revolted in May 1896. In 1897, Greece declared war on Turkey and sent their troops to Crete. They were defeated but the great powers intervened and Crete was given self government in 1908. It joined Greece in 1913. -
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Young Turks
Ardent nationalists who wanted to modernise Turkey, wanted liberal constitution and parliament elected by people. Forced Sultan to introduce reforms in 1908, unsuccessful countercoup in 1909. Replaced by his brother. Austria took advantage of this to control Bosnia in 1908. Serbs angry, Russia supported Serbs, Germany supported Austria. The promises that Young Turks made were false and Turkey went back to old ways. Balkan nationals were driven into unity because of common hardship. -
The First Balkan War
Renewed Turkish persecution - Balkan League in 1912 by Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro,Greece. Aimed to drive Turks out of Europe and started war. United Balkans had remarkable success and by 1913, Turkey was gone from Europe. Only Constantinople remained for Turkey after the Great Powers intervened. -
Treaty of London
Austria demanded that Serbia & Montenegro evacuate Adriatic coastal areas. Creation of new independent state - Albania. Serbia was now a landlocked country. Constantinople and Dardanelles given to Turkey, remaining divided between Serbia, Greece and Bulgaria. -
The Second Balkan War
War broke out between members of Balkan League. Bulgaria was unhappy with Treaty of London. In June 1913, attacked Serbia. Greeks and Romanians helped Serbs (afraid of Bulgaria). Turks intervened to recover Adrianople. Bulgaria would lose so they agreed to end fighting. At the end of this war, Treaty of Bucharest was signed. It meant loss of Bulgarian areas to Serbia, Greece, Romania and Turkey. -
High Tensions with Serbia
Balkans were unstable. Serbia had doubled in size and proud of position as leading Slav state in the Balkans. Continued to encourage fellow Slavs to seek independence. House of Habsburg and Austro-Hungarian govt. wanted to suppress Serbian nationalism to save their own multi-racial empire. -
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End of Eastern Question
Eastern Question and Balkan Nationalism sparked WW1. In the war, Turkey and Bulgaria took the side of the Triple Alliance while Serbia, Romania and Greece supported the Entente. Treaty of Lausanne, agreed between Allies and Turkey, was signed in 1923. Turkey gave up all claims to the former European territories of the Ottoman Empire.