Why This Topic Matters
“Eastern Question” should always trigger the same three-part framework: Ottoman decline, Balkan nationalism, and rivalry among Russia, Austria-Hungary, Britain and other powers — never reduce it to a single war.
Ottoman Weakness and Balkan Nationalism
The Ottoman Empire’s weakening control over parts of Europe, combined with reform efforts that struggled to keep pace with external pressure, encouraged neighbouring powers to compete over the fate of Ottoman lands. Greek, Serbian, Bulgarian, Romanian and other nationalist movements developed with different specific goals, frequently seeking outside-power support and thereby internationalising what began as local rebellions. Russia presented itself partly as protector of Orthodox Christians while pursuing strategic influence around the Black Sea and the Straits, a combination other powers feared would upset the wider European balance.
The Crimean War and Its Aftermath
A dispute over holy places and Russian pressure on the Ottoman Empire escalated into the Crimean War (1853–56), with Britain and France joining the Ottomans against Russia. The Treaty of Paris (1856) temporarily checked Russian influence and neutralised the Black Sea, while also exposing significant administrative and military weaknesses in several European states.
The 1877–78 War and the Congress of Berlin
Russia again fought and defeated the Ottoman Empire in 1877–78; the resulting Treaty of San Stefano created a very large Bulgaria and substantially expanded Russian influence, alarming Britain and Austria-Hungary enough that the great powers revised the settlement at the Congress of Berlin (1878) — reducing Bulgaria, recognising the independence of Serbia, Romania and Montenegro, and allowing Austria-Hungary to occupy Bosnia-Herzegovina (with consequences that reach directly into the July 1914 crisis of Topic 7).
Key Terms and Concepts
- Treaty of San Stefano (1878): The Russian-imposed settlement after the 1877–78 war, later revised at Berlin for creating too large a Russian-influenced Bulgaria.
- Congress of Berlin (1878): The great-power revision of San Stefano, reshaping the Balkans and setting up later tensions.
Preparation Toolkit
Preparation Checklist
- Use a map of the Balkans and Black Sea; prepare “Ottoman weakness + nationalism + great-power rivalry” as the three constant forces, then place each war and treaty into that framework.
- Practise one analytical outline answering: “Why did the great powers revise the Treaty of San Stefano at the Congress of Berlin?”
Common Confusions to Avoid
- Do not define the Eastern Question as simply “the Crimean War”; it lasted for decades.
- Do not ignore Balkan nationalism when discussing great-power rivalry.
- Do not confuse San Stefano with Berlin; Berlin revised the earlier Russian-imposed settlement.
Easy Revision Points
- The Crimean War was fought from 1853 to 1856; Britain and France joined the Ottoman Empire against Russia.
- The Treaty of Paris (1856) temporarily limited Russian influence in the Black Sea region.
- Russia defeated the Ottoman Empire in the war of 1877–78.
- The Treaty of San Stefano was revised at the Congress of Berlin in 1878 because other powers feared excessive Russian influence.
Key Takeaways
- The Eastern Question is a decades-long structural problem, not a single event, and every sub-episode should be explained through the same three-part framework (Ottoman decline, Balkan nationalism, great-power rivalry).
- Austria-Hungary’s 1878 occupation of Bosnia-Herzegovina, agreed at Berlin, is a direct causal thread running forward into the origins of the First World War.