By 1870, Greece and Rumania (see map) had managed to gain independence from the Turks. Five years later Bosnia, Serbia and Bulgaria also rose in rebellions against Muslim Turkey. Supporting them was Russia, coming to the aid of fellow Slav peoples in their quest for independence.

Russia's help to its fellow Slav and Orthodox brothers in Bulgaria and Serbia was not looked upon with sympathy by the rest of Europe. Was Russia really fighting for their independence from a corrupt and oppressive ruler, or was Russia simply more interested in extending its own frontiers and influence towards the Mediterranean? Russia had always had ambitions to, one day, use a Mediterranean port, perhaps to take Constantinople, the Ottoman capital, itself.

The Austro-Hungarian Empire, particularly, distrusted Russian "friendliness" to the Balkan peoples. The Austrians had their own ambitions. They also wanted a Mediterranean port, looking at Salonika as a possibility.

France and Britain were exasperated with Turkey and tried to encourage the Sultans to reform and modernise their empire, so that subject peoples would not rebel. They wanted Turkey to allow religious freedom, to have equality before the law, to abolish torture and end corruption. They were not against the Ottoman Empire breaking up, but they did object to Russia and Austria gaining important territories in the eastern Mediterranean. This could upset the trade routes to India and challenge France's position in the Middle East.