The Great Eastern Crisis

The Great Eastern Crisis of 1875-1878 was a period of political upheaval in the Balkans and Eastern Europe, mainly caused by national independence movements and rising tensions between the Ottoman Empire and emerging Slavic nations. It involved conflicts like the Herzegovina uprising and Serbia's push for unification, which alarmed Austria-Hungary and Russia. These powers sought to influence the region, leading to diplomatic disputes and military buildups. The crisis ultimately contributed to the outbreak of the Russo-Turkish War (1877-1878), which resulted in the weakening of Ottoman control and significant territorial changes in the Balkans.