"Toward World War I"Count Aehrenthal and the Annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1908

UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT

Course: History 326

PAPER



Toward World War I
Count Aehrenthal and the Annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1908


by
Sven-Ole Andersen
(student)

























In October 1908 the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy proclaimed the annexation of the provinces of Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the same time, Bulgaria declared its independence of the Ottoman Empire. Both actions involved no change in either the territorial or the political arrangements of the Balkan peninsula. Austria-Hungary had occupied and administered the two provinces for thirty years, and the Sultan of Turkey had never exercised the slightest control over the autonomous principality of Bulgaria set up in 1878. However, the policy and action taken by the two governments constitute violations of the Treaty of Berlin because other signatories were not consulted. As a result, a diplomatic crisis followed the events of October 1908. Moreover, memo...