The Balkan Wars: The Beginning of the Fall of an Empire

The Balkan Wars were two major wars that ended the Ottoman Empire’s dominance in the Balkans in the early 20th century. These wars were triggered by the rise of nationalist sentiment among the nations living in the Balkan Peninsula and the weakening of the Ottoman Empire.

The First Balkan War (1912-1913):

The First Balkanic War began on October 8, 1912, when Montenegro declared war on the Ottoman Empire, and Serbia, Greece and Bulgaria also joined the war against the Ottomans. In this war, the Ottoman Empire experienced great difficulties against modern armies and suffered significant territorial losses. With the Treaty of London, the Ottomans lost a large part of their European lands.

The Second Balkan War (1913):

The disagreements between the Balkanic states that could not share the lands gained in the First Balkan War led to the Second Balkan War. In this war, Bulgaria fought against Serbia, Greece and Montenegro, but was defeated. With the Treaty of Bucharest, Bulgaria lost some of the lands it had acquired.

Consequences of the Balkan Wars:

Weakening of the Ottoman Empire:

The wars almost completely ended the presence of the Ottoman Empire in Europe and caused the state to weaken. This situation has caused a lot of trouble.

Strengthening of Nationalist Movements:

The wars strengthened the nationalist feelings of the nations in the Balkans and accelerated their struggle for independence.

Preparing the Ground for World War I:

Both of the Balkan Wars were one of the important developments that paved the way for World War I.

The Birth of New States:

New states emerged in the Balkans as a result of the wars.

In short, both of the first and second Wars mean the beginning of the collapse of the Ottoman Empire and the redrawing of the political map in the Balkanic area geography. These wars were also the harbingers of World War I.