Tension in the Balkans

Where is the Balkans?

The Eastern Question All the eastern Mediterranean and south-east Europe in the 18th century had belonged to the Turkish Ottoman Empire. Little by little, people from the Balkan countries shook off Turkish rule.

Sometimes these countries became independent, BUT The Eastern Question Sometimes these countries became independent, BUT sometimes they became part of the Austrian Empire or sometimes they became part of the Russian Empire. Turkey was having all the countries it owned divided up by its neighbouring countries.

Big Power Ambitions in the Balkans By 1870, Greece and Rumania had managed to gain independence from the Turks. In 1878, Bismarck, the German Chancellor, held a meeting of all the Main countries in Europe. It was decided that Serbia, could be independent. Bulgaria would become a state, but still ruled by the Turkish Ottoman Empire. Bosnia would become a state, but ruled by Austria. Russia gained some of Rumania. All the main countries got something, for instance Britain gained Cyprus.

The Balkans 1878 The Balkans 1871

The people living in the Balkans did not achieve any of their aims and remained annoyed and angry towards the Turks and the other main countries in Europe.

By the beginning of the 20th century, the Ottoman (Turkish) Empire was beginning to break up. Sensing the chance to get independence, nationalism swept through the Balkans.

War broke out in 1912, when troops from Montenego moved into the Ottoman Empire. Serbia, Bulgaria and Greece joined the war and drove the Turks out of Kosovo, Macedonia and Albania. These countries declared independence. Later the Serbs turned against the Bulgarians and occupied all of Kosovo as well as Macedonia.

In 1914 Austria-Hungary, (which governed Bosnia), sent the emperor's heir FRANZ FERDINAND to Bosnia to try to stop unrest. He was trying to stop the Serbians taking over any more land. He was shot in Sarajevo by a Serb nationalist, an event which triggered WORLD WAR ONE.