Chapter 177 Ottoman Revolution

In April 1907, the Constitution Square Palace welcomed two solemn and worried visitors, Prime Minister Alexandros and Foreign Minister Venizelos.

Venizelos successfully led the Krilit People's Uprising in 1896. After the war, he officially entered politics and was appointed as the Foreign Minister of Greece by King George.

As King George was on a state visit to Russia, Constantine received the two in the conference room.

"Your Highness, according to the news sent back by our consulate in Thessaloniki and the ambassador in Constantinople, a revolution has occurred in the Ottoman Empire," Venizelos said with a serious face.

As a neighboring country, the great changes in the Ottoman Empire will affect Greece both economically and politically.

"What is the specific situation?" Constantine said with a serious face.

"According to the consul in Thessaloniki, it is probably because of the continuous chaos caused by the armed forces supported by the three Balkan countries, Serbia, Bulgaria and our Greece in recent years, fighting for Macedonia, which caused great unrest in Macedonia, and the increasingly dissatisfied Macedonian MSL supported this revolution," said Prime Minister Alexandros.

Since the armed forces supported by Greece, Serbia and Bulgaria have entered Macedonia unscrupulously, although the three countries have different goals in winning over, the basic purpose of each country is to expand its influence among Orthodox Christians and find a legal basis for obtaining Macedonia.

However, although the Ottoman Empire is still in decline, Macedonia is, after all, the territory of the Ottoman Empire, and the Ottoman Empire's rule here has lasted for nearly 500 years.

During the rule of the Ottoman Empire, as the conquered, Christians were discriminated against in all aspects. Just in terms of taxation, the taxes that Christians have to pay are generally 5-2 times that of MSL.

The laws and religious precepts of the Ottoman Empire stipulated that Christians were allowed to convert to Islam, but Muslims were not allowed to convert to other religions.

During this long 500 years, many original Orthodox Christians converted to Islam in order to reduce taxes and became Muslims.

In addition to conversion, some Muslims in Macedonia migrated from Asia Minor and settled in Macedonia.

As the Ottoman Empire continued to decline in national power, its control over Macedonia was increasingly weakened. The chaos caused by the three countries' competition in Macedonia naturally made local Muslims quite dissatisfied.

The armed forces of the three countries ignored the local Muslims, and the weakness of the Ottoman Sultan government and the loss of control of social order made the Macedonian Muslims clearly realize that the Ottoman Empire was already terminally ill and must rely on reform to change the sullen social status quo.

Some Ottoman young progressive officers who received European education, open-minded and broad-minded finally took action.

"At present, a group of Ottoman revolutionary troops have entered Thessaloniki. They are marching towards Constantinople under the slogan of "freedom, equality, and fraternity," Venizelos said.

The current Sultan of the Ottoman Empire, Hamid II, is not a foolish monarch. He is a sophisticated and ruthless political sage. It's just that his luck is too bad. He took over an empire that is about to end its life.

Shortly after becoming the Sultan, the Ottoman army was defeated by the Russian army in the Russo-Turkish War of 1878.

Even in 1897, after the Ottoman Empire was defeated by Greece again, Hamid II was still able to control the political situation of the Ottoman Empire with the support of the army and generally maintain the situation of the Ottoman Empire.

"The news from Vienna is that the Austro-Hungarian Empire seems to intend to take advantage of the opportunity of the Ottoman Empire's civil strife to formally annex the trusteeship of Bosnia and Herzegovina," Venizelos continued.

"However, there seems to be controversy in Austria-Hungary. Hungary opposes the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina because Bosnia and Herzegovina is a Slavic settlement. After the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, the number of Slavs will surge, threatening the status of the Magyars."

"Also, Bulgarian King Ferdinand has announced in Sofia that Bulgaria is officially independent and called the Kingdom of Bulgaria, and he has given himself the title of Tsar."

Bulgaria was still a vassal state of the Ottoman Empire before, and the Ottoman Empire still had nominal sovereignty over Bulgaria, although Bulgaria had in fact gained independence.

Now, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire have officially become state relations and have no connection.

Constantine sneered when he heard Ferdinand call himself Tsar, feeling that Bulgaria was overestimating itself.

At the end of the 19th century, the title of monarch seemed to be less sophisticated, as if anyone could be called emperor.

Strictly speaking, in Europe, only the successor of the Roman Empire could be called emperor.

Whether in the East or the West, the emperor is supreme.

Because of this, Russia claims to be the successor of the Eastern Roman Empire, and the Russian monarch calls himself the Tsar.

Now a small Bulgarian monarch dares to call himself the Tsar.

"Your Highness, the Ottoman Empire is now in civil strife. Should we in Greece follow the example of the Austro-Hungarian Empire and continue to expand the northern border?" Prime Minister Alexandros said, looking at Constantine who was in deep thought.

In the last war, the Greek army took risks and conquered Thessaloniki, but actually gave up in the negotiations and returned it to the Ottomans. The Greek people were naturally unwilling.

Now the Ottoman army is unable to take care of itself, and the demoralized army is simply unable to stop the Greek army from advancing in the Macedonian region. It is a good opportunity to take Thessaloniki again.

Hearing Alexandros's suggestion, Venizelos, who was familiar with diplomatic work, hurriedly said: "Your Highness, Prime Minister, don't act rashly. Once Greece does this, it will become a target of attack by various countries."

"Whether it is the Austro-Hungarian Empire annexing Bohemia or Bulgaria's independence, in fact, their goals have long been achieved. Now it is nothing more than a nominal approval."

"The great powers are still inclined to maintain the current situation in Europe, and this attitude will not change because of the Ottoman revolution."

"Moreover, even if the major powers do not interfere, the three Balkan countries are currently coveting Macedonia. Once Greece takes military action, Serbia and Bulgaria will certainly not sit idly by and watch Greece expand. The Balkans will immediately fall into chaos because of the scramble for Macedonia."

Alexandros is good at domestic affairs, but mediocre in diplomatic ability, and is not sensitive to international situations.

Venizelos is just the opposite of him. He has outstanding diplomatic ability and is not good at domestic affairs.

Constantine analyzed the views of the two and thought to himself.

After the Russo-Japanese War, Russia, the famous European steamroller, was in a stalemate with the Asian dwarf, and was still in a weak position.

During this war, social contradictions in Russia intensified, domestic revolutions broke out, and finally had to sign a contract with the Japanese with a pinch of the nose.

It was precisely because the Russo-Japanese War exposed many problems in Russia that the current Russian Prime Minister Stolypin, with the support of the Tsar, is carrying out reforms and expanding without flaws.

Otherwise, when the Ottoman Empire fell into civil strife, the Russians would not stop anyway.