A centenary: two partitions of European Turkey : San Stefano and Berlin—a comparison
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Abstract
After her victory in the war, Imperial Russia was aiming at her strategical interests in the Balkans and at securing the domination of Slavic peoples
in the Pensinsula, considered as Russia’s loyal satellites. One of the scopes
was obtaining of an outlet to the Aegean. Such consideration served as basis for the treaty imposed on Turkey at San-Stefano on March 3 (February 19, v.s.) 1878. Areas of Serbia and Montenegro were increased as that of Roumania too (but the latter had to return to Russia southern Bessarabia). A new state has been established, an autonomous principality of Bulgaria, between the Danube, the Black Sea and the Aegean, including also Macedonia and even small splits of actual Albania. Area of this state would be as large as pre-war Roumania, Serbia and Montenegro (together). It was an abortive treaty however and could not survive, because of dissatisfaction of other European Powers, mainly England’s and Austria-Hungary’s which did not want to tolerate such enormous increase of Russia: they feared Bulgaria would become soon a Russian province. Austria was outraged by Russian negligence toward the agreement concluded between her and Russia and securing Bosnia for Austria-Hungary. Also Serbia and Greece were protesting against the treaty of San-Stefano. As result of a new treaty concluded at Berlin on July 13, 1878, by all former signatories of the Treaty of Paris of 1856, about a half of the losses was restored to Turkey which measured since 218,500 km2 (including a newly established autonomous province of Eastern Rumelia). The area of Bulgaria was reduced to one third of the amount proposed in San-Stefano (63,000 km2) ; smaller gains received Serbia and Montenegro (and Roumania as well). But all three states were recognized definitively as independent ones. Bosnia came under Austrian administration, remaining nominally under Ottoman sovereignty but w’th no chance for Turkey to get it back. Greek territorial claims were settled only in 1881 by acquisition of Thessaly.
in the Pensinsula, considered as Russia’s loyal satellites. One of the scopes
was obtaining of an outlet to the Aegean. Such consideration served as basis for the treaty imposed on Turkey at San-Stefano on March 3 (February 19, v.s.) 1878. Areas of Serbia and Montenegro were increased as that of Roumania too (but the latter had to return to Russia southern Bessarabia). A new state has been established, an autonomous principality of Bulgaria, between the Danube, the Black Sea and the Aegean, including also Macedonia and even small splits of actual Albania. Area of this state would be as large as pre-war Roumania, Serbia and Montenegro (together). It was an abortive treaty however and could not survive, because of dissatisfaction of other European Powers, mainly England’s and Austria-Hungary’s which did not want to tolerate such enormous increase of Russia: they feared Bulgaria would become soon a Russian province. Austria was outraged by Russian negligence toward the agreement concluded between her and Russia and securing Bosnia for Austria-Hungary. Also Serbia and Greece were protesting against the treaty of San-Stefano. As result of a new treaty concluded at Berlin on July 13, 1878, by all former signatories of the Treaty of Paris of 1856, about a half of the losses was restored to Turkey which measured since 218,500 km2 (including a newly established autonomous province of Eastern Rumelia). The area of Bulgaria was reduced to one third of the amount proposed in San-Stefano (63,000 km2) ; smaller gains received Serbia and Montenegro (and Roumania as well). But all three states were recognized definitively as independent ones. Bosnia came under Austrian administration, remaining nominally under Ottoman sovereignty but w’th no chance for Turkey to get it back. Greek territorial claims were settled only in 1881 by acquisition of Thessaly.
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