Treaty of Berlin of 1878 — 1878 territorial settlement by the Congress of Berlin following the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–78
The 1878 Congress of Berlin redrew the Balkan map after the Russo-Turkish War, formally recognizing Romania, Serbia, and Montenegro as independent states.
Key Facts
- Date signed
- 13 July 1878
- Congress duration
- 13 June – 13 July 1878
- Chairman
- Otto von Bismarck, Chancellor of Germany
- Participating powers
- UK, Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, Italy, Russia, Ottoman Empire
- States formally recognized
- Romania, Serbia, Montenegro
Location
Cause → Event → Consequence
Russia's decisive victory over the Ottoman Empire in the Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 produced the preliminary Treaty of San Stefano, which granted Russia sweeping territorial gains and created a large Bulgarian state. The other European great powers viewed these gains as a destabilizing threat to the balance of power in the Balkans and the Eastern Mediterranean, prompting calls for a multilateral congress.
The Congress of Berlin convened from 13 June to 13 July 1878, bringing together Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy, Russia, and the Ottoman Empire under the chairmanship of Otto von Bismarck. The delegates revised the Treaty of San Stefano, reducing Russia's gains, partitioning Bulgaria, and settling the territorial arrangements of the Balkan region. The final act, the Treaty of Berlin, was signed on 13 July 1878.
The treaty formally recognized Romania, Serbia, and Montenegro as fully independent states and restored Russia's access to the Black Sea region. Bulgaria was divided and remained under nominal Ottoman suzerainty in part. The Ottomans lost most of their remaining European territories, and the revised settlement left several nationalities dissatisfied, contributing to ongoing instability in the Balkans in the decades that followed.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
2 belligerents
Otto von Bismarck (Congress chairman).
Side B
1 belligerent