Kosovski vilajet u geostrateškim planovima Osmanskog carstva i istočno pitanje
Authors:   Elementary School Mileva Lajović Lalatović - Nikšić, Montenegro, Šabotić Sait Š. 
Published: December 2024

During the 19th century, particularly in its second half, significant changes occurred in international relations and the territorial organization of Europe and the world. The collapse of traditional empires, the rise of nationalism, the expansion of imperialism, and the pursuit of a balance of power shaped the dynamics of the geopolitical landscape of the time. The whirlpool of these changes could not be avoided by the Sublime Ottoman State, as the influences from neighboring regions on its territorial integrity, internal, and foreign policies were too strong. All of this was undertaken by the great powers in the context of resolving the “Eastern Question.” In attempting to resist the incursions from both external and internal forces, while contemplating its territorial integrity, the Ottoman Empire was compelled to implement certain administrative changes during the period of Tanzimat reforms, which were essentially geostrategic considerations aimed at preserving control over parts of the Balkans and all that entailed, in a situation where territorial losses were inevitable.
During this time, the Ottoman Empire found itself in the vortex of great power interests. Russia sought protection for the Christian population within the Ottoman Empire and access to the Mediterranean, while the Habsburg Monarchy had territorial interests in the Balkans. On the other side were Great Britain and France, both of which opposed Russia's access to the Mediterranean and thus advocated for the survival of the Ottoman Empire. By navigating between the interests of these powers, the Ottoman Empire managed to extend its presence in the Balkans for another thirty-four years following the Congress of Berlin in 1878. The complex demographic structure of the population in the Ottoman provinces in the Balkans was one of the factors that temporarily delayed the resolution of the “Eastern Question.” However, after all the significant historical upheavals—1878 was certainly one of those for the Ottoman Empire—a considerable part of the Muslim population was condemned to a grueling struggle for survival, retreating towards the still secure zones, which were essentially small and rare oases in the Balkans still under Ottoman control. Various types of insecurity—property, legal, personal, and others—forced the Muslim population to emigrate towards the Asian part of the Empire in search of a safer refuge. One of the transit territories on this path was the territory of the Kosovo Vilayet. The arrival of a large number of muhacirs to this area after 1878 led to a series of negative phenomena, particularly in the more significant urban centers. Certainly, there were individuals who skillfully exploited the situation to enrich themselves or to build personal political careers. Although largely educated in Western European countries, Ottoman diplomatic representatives and officials failed to navigate the whirlpool of the impending changes that affected the Ottoman Empire. The political moves they made after 1878 concerning the Balkan territories were short-term and lacked a strong impact on international relations.
The aim of this paper is to highlight the geostrategic plans of the Ottoman Empire regarding the Kosovo Vilayet and the unfolding of the Eastern Question up until 1881, when the “Prizren League,” an organization fighting for the national interests of the Albanian people, was dissolved.