The Eastern Question

Today the most sensitive corner of Europe is the extreme south-east, in and around the country that used to be called Yugoslavia.

Unlike in France or in Britain, the nation-state, that is a strong central government ruling undisputed over a single people, did not emerge five hundred years ago, but only within the last century, or even less. Unlike in western Europe, within the frontiers of Bosnia, Croatia, Serbia, Rumania, Bulgaria and Greece are peoples of different languages and religions who are not happy to be part of that country and who are sometimes prepared to fight for their independence.

All the eastern Mediterranean and south-east Europe in the 18th century had belonged to the Ottoman Empire. Little by little, encouraged by other Big Powers of Europe, the Ottoman peoples shook off Turkish rule, sometimes to become French or British colonies, sometimes to become part of the Austrian Empire or the Russian Empire and, sometimes, to become completely independent. Turkey was the "sick old man of Europe", dying and having its possessions divided up by its avid neighbours.

• Map of the Balkans in 1871
• Map of the Balkans in 1878
• Map of the Balkans in 1914
• Big Power Ambitions in the Balkans
• The Treaty of Berlin 1878
• The Balkans and the Alliance System
• The Bosnian Crisis
• The Balkan Wars and after
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