Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-10-15
THE BALKAN STATES.
Story of Their Origin and Their Pres
ent Troubles.



The Balkan Peninsula, which is like
ly to be swept soon by the ravages o
war, is rich in history. Its annals dat
back to the third century, when tn
great Slavonic invasion began. At TIT
beginning Of this movement the Byzan
tine empire was in actual possession
all that territory lying south of TIT
Danube. The Thracians, who peoplei
the peninsula before the coming Of TIT
Slavs, took refuge in the mountain
and for several centuries were lost Il
history. In Albania the aboriginal IL
lyrian element maintained itself In tn'
mountains and eventually forced bacl
the immigrant race. Slavonic place
names still existing in every portion Of
the peninsula bear witness to the null
titude of the invaders and the perma.
nence Of their settlements.
During the sixth century the Slavs
penetrated to the Morea, where Sla'
vonic dialect was spoken as late as the
fifteenth century.
Serbo- Croats invaded the northwestern
regions-Servia, Crotia, Montenegro
Bosnia and northern Albania-ano
drove out or assimilated the Illyriar
population. They appropriated all ol
the old Roman colonies on the Adriatt;
coast.
About 100 years later the Bulgars,
Turanian race, crossed the Danube
subjected the Slavs Of Moesia and
Thrace, but were soon assimilated by
the conquered population, which had
al ady become partly civilized.
Led by their tsar, Krum, the Bulgars
invaded Adrianople and Central Mace
donia between S02 and SIS and three
quarters of a century later extended
their empire from the Adriatic to the
Black Sea-
In s71 the first Bulgarian empire
was overthrown by the emperor, John
Zimisces, but Bulgarian power was re-
stored a few days later under the Shish-
man dynasty at Ochrida-
What was known as the western
Bulgarian empire" came to an end In
1914, when the Greek emperor, Basil
H., overthrew its rulers and took pos
session of the territory. In 1885 new
Bulgarian power known as the Bull
garo-Vlach empire" was founded by the
brothers, Ivan and Peter Asen. who
had led a successful revolt Of Vlachs
and Bulgars against the Greeks. Nine
teen years later Constantinople was
captured by the Latins Of the Fourth
Crusade and Baldwin Of Flanders was
crowned emperor. The Latins ruled
for ffty-seven years and then the city
was recaptured by Michael VIII. Pal
aeologus, but most Of the Latin states
continued to exist until the Turkish
conquest.
In 1880 Theodore Of Epirus, who had
in the meantime conquered Albania
Macedonia and Great Walachia, was
overthrown by Ivan Asen H., the great
est of Bulgarias monarchs, who short
ly afterward extended his sway over
most of the peninsula. The Bulgarian
power declined after his death and
was extinguished at the battle Of Wee
buzhd in 1880 by the Servians.
Under Stephen Dushan, Servian
power was extended over Albania
Macedonia, Epirus, Thessaly and north
ern Greece. The empire fell apart with
Dushan's death and the different states
became a prey to anarchy.
The Turkish invasion began in 1856
and ended in 14S1 with Mohammed IL
in complete possession Of the peninsu-
Ia.
During the sixteenth century the OF
toman power attained its greatest
height. 1t began to decline in 1888
with the unsuccessful siege of Vienna
The period Of decadence was marked
in the latter part Of the eighteenth
century by the formation Of practically
independent pashaliks or fiefs. The de-
tachment of the outlying portions OF
the empire followed rapidly. The in
dependence Of Greece was acknowl-
edged in 1929 and that Of Servia-as q
tributary principality-in 1880.
Then came the Crimean War, but l,
brought no territorial changes.
The great breakup took place ir
1864. By the treaty of San Stefano
concluded that year, the Turkish pos
sessions in the peninsula were reduc-
ed to Albania, Epirus, Thessaly ant
the southern part of Thrace. A large
Bulgarian principality was created
extending from the Danube to the Ae'
gean and from the Black Sea to the
river Drin At the same time the from
tiers of Servia and Montenegro were
pushed out to become continuous.
About this time the great powers o.
the world began to take an active in
terest in the changes. Anticipating
that Bulgaria would become Russian
dep dency, they refused to sanction
the provisions of the San Stefan'
treaty. The upshot Of this was th'
treaty of Berlin, which limited th'
new principality to the country be
tween the DdHuUe dilu Tic Doih1h'
curtailed the Montenegrin frontie
and restored big tracts of the appro
priated territory to Turkey. Servia, oil
the other hand, was considerably en-
larged as result of the treaty. Will
these changes the complete indepen
dence of the principalities of Servia
Rumania and Montenegro was recog
nized. The claims Of Greece, which
had been ignored at San Stefano
were admitted at Berlin, much to tina
country's territorial gain.
Rumania was proclaimed kingdom
in 1881 and Servia during the follow
ing year. Following a naval demon
stration by the powers in 1880 Dull
cigno was given back to Montenegro b.
Turkey. In compensation the Ottoman
empire got the districts'of PLAYA an
Gusiney
Europe sanctioned the union of Bull
garia and eastern Rumania in 1885.
Crete was withdrawn from tn
Turkish administration in 1897, ant
the Greco-Turkish war of that year wa