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Dual Alliance
Bismarck published the terms of the Dual Alliance. If Russia attacked, Bismarck would support Austria. And if Austria attacked, Austria would fight Russia alone. Neither country was prepared to go to war over Bulgaria. -
The Bulgarian crisis
Eastern Rumelia proclaimed union with Bulgaria, which was contrary to the terms of the Congress of Berlin. The Britain saw the Bulgarian nationalism as a barrier to Russian ambitions in the Balkan and supported this union, even though Russia didn't like it. -
Prince Ferdinand
Prince Ferdinand (german) was offered the throne from the Bulgarian parliament. Austria-Hungary and Russia had conflicts on this decision. And a war was about to break out. -
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The Armenian massacres
Black Sea - 500 miles from Constantinople - About 2 millions of Orthodox Christians were under the control of the Muslim Turks who persecuted the Armenians for their faith. When an uprising occurred, they carried out a series of massacres.
International reaction: Kaiser William II (DE) was trying to cultivate good relations with the sultan because of its economical connection with Turkey which was saved from the consequences by disagreement among the great powers.(Britain strongly criticized). -
Revolt in Crete
Turkey ruled over the island of Crete, which was mostly inhabited by Greeks. The Greeks revolted in May 1896. In 1897 Greece declared war on Turkey and sent troops to the island. Turks defeated the troops and the great powers intervened and Crete was given self-government in 1908. Crete eventually became part of Greece in 1913. -
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The Young Turks
A group of nationalists called the Young Turks attempted to modernize Turkey. Enver Bet led the group to force the Sultan to introduce a liberal constitution and a parliament elected by the people in 1908. The Sultan was replaced by his brother after unsuccessfully attempting a counter-coup in 1909. Austria took advantage and took over full control of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1908, which frustrated the Serbs nationalist. The movement itself did not work and Turkey reverted to its old ways. -
The First Balkan War
Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro and Greece formed the Balkan League in 1912 opposed to renewed Turkish persecution which aimed to drive the Turks out of Europe. The united Balkan states had defeated Turkey in the war in and by 1913 the 'sick man' was gone from Europe. After the great powers intervened, little more than Consyanitonloed remained in Turkish hands. -
The Second Balkan War
Bulgaria was unhappy with the terms of the treaty of London, which then in June 1913 attacked Serbia. The Greeks and Romanians were afraid of Bulgaria and helped the Serbs. The Turks intervened to recover Adrianople. The odds against the Bulgarians were too great and they agreed to end the fighting. The Treaty of Bucharest, signed at the end of this war, meant the loss of large areas of Bulgaria to Serbia, Greece, Romania and Turkey. -
The Treaty of London.
The treaty of London was signed in 1913. Austria demanded that Serbia and Montenegro evacuate the Adriatic coastal areas they held. Which led to the creation of the independent state of Albania. Serbia was now landlocked. Constantinople and the Dardanelles coasts were left to Turkey. But the rest of its European possesions were divided between Serbia, Greece and Bulgaria. -
The Balkans remained unstable
Serbia was doubled in size becoming the leading Slav state in the Balkans. Serbia continued to encourage its fellow Slavs to seek independence. The House of Habsburg and the Austro-Hungarian government were convinced that Serbian nationalism would have to be suppressed or its own multi-racial empire would be destroyed.