74.1 First World War - Introduction, and Treaty Of Berlin 1878

A summary of the main events from the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815 to the beginning of the First World War in 1914

At the end of the nineteenth century the Balkans had multiple crises. The Treaty of Berlin 1878 was an attempt by the Great Powers of Europe to find a framework for stability in a region with various competing interests, many of them incompatible with each other. In effect, it created two spheres of influence in the Balkans: the Austrians’ in the west and the Russians’, together with the Serb allies, in the east.

No side, however, was satisfied with Treaty. The Bulgarians were furious at having been denied the larger territory which they had won in battle. And the Serbians harboured ambitions for their borders to be expand southwards to areas inhabited by fellow Slavs, but under control partly of the Ottoman and partly the Austrians.

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Music composed by Ludwig van Beethoven

Picture - Congress of Berlin

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