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Hosted in 1878 by Otto von Bismarck, after having been demanded by the rivals of the Russian Empire, particularly by Austria-Hungary and Great Britain, a number of the nations of Europe met to revise the Treaty of San Stefano and to attend to other pressing matters. The Congress of Berlin proposed and ratified the Treaty of Berlin.

The meetings were held at Chancellor Bismarck's residence, the Radziwill Palace, beginning on June 13, 1878. The congress revised or eliminated 18 of the 29 articles in the Treaty of San Stefano. Furthermore, using as a foundation the treaties of Paris (1856) and of London (1871), it effected a rearrangement of the Eastern situation.

In its attempt to create a state that reached from the Danube to the Aegean Sea, Russia had enlarged Bulgaria. Russia had hoped to bring all of the Slav peoples of the Balkans under her hegemony. The congress refused to allow the expansion of Bulgaria. Russia was forced to content herself with a much less radical disruption of the Turkish Empire in Europe than she had attempted to produce. Voiding the San Stefano treaty was a blow to the Pan-Slavism movement and a humiliation for Russia, and caused the decline of Alexander II in Russia. The Russians, led by chancellor Alexander Gorchakov, had manipulated the original treaty after their victory over the Ottoman Empire to create a very large Bulgarian autonomous principality under Turkey's nominal rule, but obviously subject to their influence. This state had access to the Aegean Sea and comprised a very large portion of Macedonia. The other Great Powers, the United Kingdom in particular, could not accept this as it was, in their eyes, a violation of balance of power. The Congress was attended by the United Kingdom, Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, Italy, Russia and Turkey. Delegates from Greece, Romania, Serbia, and Montenegro attended the sessions in which their states were concerned, but were not members of the congress.

In other matters, the Great Powers agreed that the status of the Turkish Empire was to be decided by the Powers jointly, and not by any one of them. Romania, Serbia, and Montenegro were declared independent principalities. Bulgaria was guaranteed autonomy and guarantees against Turkish oppression. The Dobruja was given to Romania; Montenegro obtained Niksitch, Podgoritza, and Antivari. The Porte agreed to obey the specifications contained in the Organic Law of 1868, and to guarantee the civil rights of non-Mohammedan subjects. Bosnia and Herzegovina were placed under the administration of Austria-Hungary. Other similar changes to the boundaries of various political entities were wrought, and political stipulations were made that affected all of the nations in some way or other. Russia accused Germany of treacherous behavior against her, an old friend, and she resented it. Distrust, enmity, and a long-lasting schism developed between the two nations.

Various other items did not progress smoothly. Italy was dissatisfied with the results of the Congress, and the situation between Greece and Turkey was left unresolved. The establishment of a border between Greece and Turkey failed to be accomplished. In 1881, after protracted negotiations, the Great Powers accepted the compromise offered by the Porte. Neither nation was satisfied, however, and tensions continued until the Porte declared a war on Greece on April 17th, 1897. Fighting continued until Russia demanded that it be stopped. An armistice was concluded on May 18, 1897, but more fighting lay ahead in the twentieth century.

Delegates

Great Britain

Lord Beaconsfield Benjamin Disraeli
Lord Salisbury Robert Salisbury
Lord Russell

Russia

Prince Gortchakoff Alexander Gorchakov
Count Shuvaloff Peter Shuvalov
Baron d'Oubril

Germany

Prince Bismarck Otto von Bismarck
Prince Hohenlohe Prince Chlodwig zu Hohenlohe-Schillingsfürst
Statesman von Bülow Bernhard Ernst von Bülow

Austria-Hungary

Count Andrássy Gyula Andrássy
Count Károlyi Aloys Károlyi
Baron Haymerle

France

M. Waddington William Henry Waddington
Comte de Saint-Vallier
Monsieur Desprey

Italy

Count Corti Lodovico, count Corti
Count De Launay

Turkey

Karatheodori Pasha Alexander Karatheodori Pasha
Sadoullah Bey
Mehemet Ali Pasha Mehemet Ali (soldier)

Greece

Theodoros Delyianis Theodoros Deligiannis

Romania

Serbia

Montenegro

Sources

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+Hosted in 1878 by [[Otto von Bismarck]], after having been demanded by the rivals of the [[Russian Empire]], particularly by [[Austria-Hungary]] and [[Great Britain]], a number of the nations of [[Europe]] met to revise the [[Treaty of San Stefano]] and to attend to other pressing matters.  The '''Congress of Berlin''' proposed and ratified the [[Treaty of Berlin, 1878|Treaty of Berlin]].
-The '''Congress of Berlin''' was an infamous attempt by the Great Powers to preclude [[Bulgaria]] and several Orthodox Slavic states from gaining independence after centuries of the Muslim Ottoman yoke. The congress was aimed at the revision of the [[Treaty of San Stefano]] and at keeping [[Constantinople]] in Muslim hands. It effectively disavowed Russia's victory over the decaying Ottoman Empire in the [[Russo-Turkish War, 1877-78]].
-==Proceedings==
-The Congress was attended by the [[United Kingdom]], [[Austria-Hungary]], [[France]], [[Germany]], [[Italy]], [[Russia]] and [[Turkey]].  Delegates from [[Greece]], [[Romania]], [[Serbia]], and [[Montenegro]] attended the sessions in which their states were concerned, but were not members of the congress.
-The congress was demanded by the rivals of the [[Russian Empire]], particularly by [[Austria-Hungary]] and [[Great Britain]] and hosted in 1878 by [[Otto von Bismarck]]. The '''Congress of Berlin''' proposed and ratified the [[Treaty of Berlin, 1878|Treaty of Berlin]].
 The meetings were held at Chancellor Bismarck's residence, the [[Radziwill Palace]], beginning on [[June 13]], [[1878]].  The congress revised or eliminated 18 of the 29 articles in the [[Treaty of San Stefano]].  Furthermore, using as a foundation the [[Treaty of Paris (1856)|treaties of Paris (1856)]] and of [[London]] (1871), it effected a rearrangement of the Eastern situation.
+In its attempt to create a state that reached from the [[Danube]] to the [[Aegean Sea]], Russia had enlarged [[Bulgaria]].  Russia had hoped to bring all of the [[Slav]] peoples of the [[Balkans]] under her hegemony.  The congress refused to allow the expansion of Bulgaria. Russia was forced to content herself with a much less radical disruption of the [[Turkish Empire]] in Europe than she had attempted to produce.  Voiding the San Stefano treaty was a blow to the Pan-Slavism movement and a humiliation for Russia, and caused the decline of Alexander II in Russia. The [[Russia]]ns, led by chancellor [[Alexander Gorchakov]], had manipulated the original treaty after [[Russo-Turkish War, 1877-78|their victory over the Ottoman Empire]] to create a very large [[Bulgaria]]n autonomous principality under [[Ottoman Empire|Turkey]]'s nominal rule, but obviously subject to their influence. This state had access to the [[Aegean Sea]] and comprised a very large portion of [[Macedonia]]. The other Great Powers, the [[United Kingdom]] in particular, could not accept this as it was, in their eyes, a violation of balance of power. The Congress was attended by the [[United Kingdom]], [[Austria-Hungary]], [[France]], [[Germany]], [[Italy]], [[Russia]] and [[Turkey]].  Delegates from [[Greece]], [[Romania]], [[Serbia]], and [[Montenegro]] attended the sessions in which their states were concerned, but were not members of the congress.
-==Russophobia==
-The principal mission of the World Powers at the congress was to deal a fatal blow to the burgeoning movement of [[pan-Slavism]]. The movement caused serious concern in [[Berlin]] and particularly in [[Vienna]], which was afraid that the repressed Slavic nationalities would revolt against the [[Habsburgs]]. [[London]] and [[Paris]] were nervous about diminishing influence of the [[Ottoman Empire]] in the south and about Russian cultural expansion to the south, where both Britain and France were poised to colonize [[Egypt]] and [[Palestine]].
-The [[Russia]]ns, led by chancellor [[Alexander Gorchakov]], had managed to create the [[Bulgaria]]n autonomous principality under [[Ottoman Empire|Turkey]]'s nominal rule, thus fuelling British fears of growing Russian influence in the East (see also the [[Great Game]]). This state had access to the [[Aegean Sea]] and comprised a very large portion of [[Macedonia]]. The [[United Kingdom]] at once recalled its favourite doctrine of the balance of power, which the largest empire in the world often used to further its imperialist ends.
-Ceding to Russian pressure, Romania, Serbia, and Montenegro were declared independent principalities. The indepenence of Bulgaria, however, was denied: it was "guaranteed" autonomy and guarantees against Turkish oppression.  The [[Dobruja]] was given to Romania; Montenegro obtained Niksitch, Podgoritza, and [[Antivari]].  The [[Porte]] agreed to obey the specifications contained in the Organic Law of [[1868]], and to guarantee the civil rights of non-Mohammedan subjects.  [[Bosnia]] and [[Herzegovina]] were placed under the administration of Austria-Hungary.
+In other matters, the Great Powers agreed that the status of the Turkish Empire was to be decided by the Powers jointly, and not by any one of them.  Romania, Serbia, and Montenegro were declared independent principalities.  Bulgaria was guaranteed autonomy and guarantees against Turkish oppression.  The [[Dobruja]] was given to Romania; Montenegro obtained Niksitch, Podgoritza, and [[Antivari]].  The [[Porte]] agreed to obey the specifications contained in the Organic Law of [[1868]], and to guarantee the civil rights of non-Mohammedan subjects.  [[Bosnia]] and [[Herzegovina]] were placed under the administration of Austria-Hungary.  Other similar changes to the boundaries of  various political entities were wrought, and political stipulations were made that affected all of the nations in some way or other.  Russia accused Germany of treacherous behavior against her, an old friend, and she resented it.  Distrust, enmity, and a long-lasting schism developed between the two nations.
-==Other matters==
+Various other items did not progress smoothly.  Italy was dissatisfied with the results of the Congress, and the situation between [[Greece]] and [[Turkey]] was left unresolved.  The establishment of a border between Greece and Turkey failed to be accomplished. In [[1881]], after protracted negotiations, the Great Powers accepted the compromise offered by the [[Porte]].  Neither nation was satisfied, however, and tensions continued until the [[Porte]] declared a war on [[Greece]] on April 17th, [[1897]].  Fighting continued until [[Russia]] demanded that it be stopped.  An armistice was concluded on May 18, 1897, but more fighting lay ahead in the twentieth century.
-Other similar changes to the boundaries of various political entities were wrought, and political stipulations were made that affected all of the nations in some way or other. In other matters, the Great Powers agreed that the status of the Turkish Empire was to be decided by the Powers jointly, and not by any one of them. Russia accused Germany of treacherous behavior against her, an old friend, and she resented it.  Distrust, enmity, and a long-lasting schism developed between the two nations.
-Various other items did not progress smoothly.  Italy was dissatisfied with the results of the Congress, and the situation between [[Greece]] and [[Turkey]] was left unresolved.  The establishment of a border between Greece and Turkey failed to be accomplished. In [[1881]], after protracted negotiations, the Great Powers accepted the compromise offered by the [[Porte]].  Neither nation was satisfied, however, and tensions continued until the [[Porte]] declared a war on [[Greece]] on April 17th, [[1897]].  Fighting continued until [[Russia]] demanded that it be stopped.  An armistice was concluded on May 18, 1897, but more fighting lay ahead in the twentieth century.  So, the congress sowed the seeds of further conflicts, including the [[Balkan Wars]], the [[First World War]], and the [[Armenian Genocide]].
 ==Delegates==