BALKAN CRISIS, 1875-1878

Has it all
Revolution against the Turks Emergence of another Balkan people, the Bulgarians War between Russia and the Ottoman Empire Ottoman reform Great Power conference to sort it all out

Revolution in Herzegovina, 1875

Long-range Causes
Southern part of todays Bosnia-Herzegovina Croats, Muslims, and Serbs Bosniaks = landlords
Opposed Ottoman reforms and had responded to them by making dues on their Christian peasants more onerous Arms especially from Montenegro

Map of Bosnia

Mostar Bridge

Herzegovina: Immediate causes

1874 General crop failure mid-1875 Good will visit by Emperor Francis Joseph of Austria to Dalmatia, the Austrian province just across the border Peasants in Herzegovina rose up Spread to Bosnia

Francis Joseph, ruled Austria/Hungary 1848-1916

Revolution in Bulgaria
Inspired by Bosnia-Herzegovina Bulgarian national consciousness

Usual pattern Small Bulgarian merchant class called the Chorbadji

Began by supplying Ottoman army Invested in trade Sponsored secular schools in Bulgaria

Bulgaria

Economic development
Opening of Danube really helped Rural bourgeoisie emerged

Revolutionary movement
Drive for political autonomy
George S. Rakovsky Bulgarian Legion

George Rakovsky (1821-1867)

Map of Bulgaria

Bulgaria

Autonomy for the Bulgarian Church

Top posts held by Greeks Lower clergy (Bulgarian) threatened to become Uniates Russia put pressure on the Sultan and the Greek Patriarch to make concessions 1870 Bulgarian Exarchate 1872 Patriarch of Constantinople excommunicated Bulgarian church leaders

Bulgaria

Pan-Slavism
Sponsored by Russia Moscow Slavonic Benevolent Committee, which brought Bulgarian students to Russia These students became attracted to revolution

Bulgaria
May 1876 Bulgarian revolution Turks had to rely on militia (the BashiBazouks mostly Circassians and Tartars) to deal with the Bulgarian revolution The Horrors Observed by western reporters

Bulgaria
September

6, 1876 William Gladstone published The Bulgarian Horrors and the Question of the East Turks must be driven from the province they have desolated and profaned

Serbia got involved

Prince Milan Obrenovich had ambitions to expand Serbia Official Russian policy: Dont get involved Unofficial Russian policy

Nicholas Ignatiev, Russian ambassador in Constantinople A. N. Kartsov, Russian consul in Belgrade

Milan Obrenovich, ruled 18681889

Nicholas Ignatiev, 1832-1908

Serbia (war with Turkey)

June 30, 1876 Serbia declared war on the Ottoman Empire July 2, Montenegro declared war on the Ottoman Empire In command of the Serbian army was General Michael Chernyaev, a Russian By September 1 the Serbian army was effectively destroyed October 31 Armistice forced by Russia

Michael Chernyaev, 1828-1898

Constantinople
1876 Things were terrible Internal upheaval War with Serbia Russian saber rattling Bad press abroad Benjamin Disraelis foreign policy

Ottoman Reform
Pushed by Disraeli December 1876 Constantinople Conference: Purpose Recommend reforms to the Ottomans Diffuse criticism at home Deny the Russians a pretext to attack

Ottoman Reform
The Turks were already working on reform Midhat Pasha, 1822-1883 May 1876 Removed Abdul-Aziz Installed Abdul Hamid II December 23, 1876 Midhat Pasha issued a new constitution for Turkey

Midhat Pasha, 1822-1883

Abdul Aziz (ruled 1861-1876) and Abdul Hamid II (ruled 1876-1909)

Ottoman Reform

New Constitution
Parliament elected by broad suffrage Freedom of the press, religion, and individual Equality of taxation

January 20, 1877 Constantinople Conference disbanded Abdul Hamid dismissed Midhat Pasha and exiled him Abdul Hamid never abolished the constitution, just paid no attention to it

Russo-Tukrish War
April

24, 1877 Russia declared war Got hung up at Fortress of Plevna December 10, 1877 took Plevna End of January 1878 camped outside Constantinople January 31 Treaty of San Stefano

Map

Treaty of San Stefano

March 3, 1878 Recognized Romania, Serbia, and Montenegro as independent states Creation of Bulgaria

Autonomous Christian government and national militia Boundaries included all of todays Bulgaria, Macedonia to Albania, and a long seacoast

Map of Treaty of San Stefano

Congress of Berlin, June 13-July 13, 1878

Otto

von Bismarck, the honest broker Task was to reduce the size of Bulgaria and give everyone a little something to take away

Otto von Bismarck

Cartoon Balkan Troubles

Treaty of Berlin
Autonomous Bulgaria Austrian occupation of Bosnia-Herzegovina Independent Serbia, Montenegro,and Romania Russian annexation of southern Bessarabia British occupation of Cyprus French occupation of Tunis

Bulgaria 1878

Map Bosnia

Map overall treaty

Abdul Hamid II, ruled1876-1909

Reforms Schools University of Istanbul Railroads and Telegraphs (1900 beginning of the Hejaz Railway to connect Damascus with Mecca but never completed) 1889 Committee of Union and Progress (CUP) 1908 Young Turk Revolt 1908 Austrian annexation of Bosnia-Herzegovina

Prelude to World War I

Italo-Turkish War, 1911-12

Tripoli

First Balkan War, 1912

Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Greece against the Ottoman Empire Treaty of London, May 30, 1913

Prelude to World War I

Second Balkan War, 1913

Bulgarian army attacked Serbia and Greece, June 29, 1913 Romania and the Ottoman Empire joined Serbia and Greece against Bulgaria Ended August 1913

Prelude to World War I

Results of Events, 1908-1913

Serbia:
Conquered mythical heartland of Kosovo and much of Macedonia Great confidence and pride Bosnia next?

Bulgaria: Thirsting for revenge against Serbia Ottoman Empire: More reform needed, especially in military matters, where Germans could help Austria: Angry at Serbias victories, that nest of vipers.