Picture of Tsar Ferdinand I of Bulgaria, before claiming the title of "Tsar" of the Second Byzantium Empire(1), this picture, however, also became the official potrait of Ferdinand, after his coronation as the Tsar of the Second Byzantine Empire, dated on 1909.
The Balkans, and the Ottoman Empire
2nd December 1908-10th March 1909
The Balkans are in fire. The Greeks against the Bulgarians, racing to grab their respective, supposedly historical lands-and even the claim for the Byzantine Empire, the Austrians-against the Serbians-despite not in a ware-in a race to claim all the Slavic lands that the Ottoman Empire held at the time. It was clear, that no Bosnian, no Croat, no Romanian, or even no Albanian will decide the fate of the Balkans. Its was the Dual Monarchy's desire. It was the Serbian spirit. And it was the Greek, and the Bulgarian dream, of ressurecting what Fetih have taken from them. In a increasingly desperation-laced unpopular decision, Abdul Hamid II have escaped the Empire, and put his vizier, Kamil Pasha, as the current "Custodian" of the empire. In the end, as the wars on the Balkan eventually regarded as the "First Balkan War"(2), the prelude to the war itself, the Turkish Revolutionary war, is slowly heading towards its inevitable end, as the Turkish revolutionaries are heading towards their victory. Ranging from small skirmishes, to the Bulgarian advance(3) towards Thrace, while the men of Greece are making their offense towards Macedonia. However, this leads into clashes, and the first battles between the Greeks and the Bulgarians, as Seres became the first site of a bloodbath between the Greeks and the Bulgarians. In the other hand,the French, and the British, according to their dealings(4) with the Three Pashas, have planned their partition of the Middle East, with the Khedivate eyeing for the Middle East. As the guns that have been supplied to the revolutionaries have proved their worth, Early February, however, have spoken against the revolutionaries-and the British Empire. With the absence of the Ottoman Empire, the situation on Arabia, eventually, have reached its nadir, with the Sauds, Hashemites, and the Hejazi-all of them duking it out(5), after the Sharifate of Mecca-now branding themselves as the Kingdom of Hejaz, declared their independence from the Ottoman Empire, something that Tripoli followed soon after(6).
Following the 9th February declaration of independence of Hejaz-and also Tripoli, the British have made their way into the Hejazi, knowing very well that controlling the Islamic holy city(7) is their only safe bet in order to put the Arabian people under their belt. The independence of Tripoli, in the other hand, brought up another problem into the table, as the Kingdom of Italy have voiced, and eventually eyeing their interrest towards the old Ottoman sphere, with the French, eventually, also making their overtures towards King Ahmed I-all of which, will spark another war to come(8). With the British looming ahead over them, however, the National Committee eventually realizes what they have done, as they essentially put themselves under a indirect, British jackboots. Yet, knowing that they cant do anything, as what they only can focus themselves on is on capturing Ankara, as their taking of Afyon, in the end, have encircled the second capital of the Ottomans, with Istanbul effectively out of reach for the Republicans, as the Ottoman navy, in a last ditch attempt on protecting Istanbul, all of them gathered on the Bosphorous, allowing the Greeks to move into Cyprus-and eventually also consolidating their power on Crete, while the British-via Egypt, began to hold a blockade on the Arabian Ottoman lands, effectively putting the British Empire as a party on the revolutionary war, indirectly. The battles between Bulgaria and Greece, in the end, have proven to be a great distraction for Bulgaria, who used this as a tactic to win the race towards Istanbul.
As 8th of March saw Gallipoli under Bulgarian hands, it was clear, that the Greeks must abandon their dreams towards Constantinople, yet, they knew that they could easily outmanouvre the Bulgarians. As the Bulgarians immidiately started their offensive on 9th March, the Greeks knew, that this is their final bet on taking things that the Bulgarians have missed. The Greeks, knowing that the Bulgarians are busy on Skopje(9), and also preparing their advances towards Istanbul, the Greeks laid out their last assault towards the Ottoman Empire-and also the Bulgarians, as simultaneous advances towards Kavala, Myteline, Chios and the Dodecanese, are made, with great immidiate success seen on Kavala, as the Bulgarians are caught off guard. Knowing very well that if the Greeks are left unguarded, Ferdinand knew that a peace treaty must be brokered between him, and the Greeks as soon as possible, and capturing Istanbul, at the very least, is the only thing that the Bulgarians must do, in order the win the race against the Greeks. While the Greeks and Bulgarians have slowly to find their ends on their businesses, the Serbians, making their first advances towards Montenegro, are eventually outpaced by the Austrian army(10), whom in a haste, launched a grand assault in order to consolidate their position on Slovenia, Croatia, and eventually, Bosnia(11). The Albanians, in the other hand, managed to stave off the Greek invasions, forcing the Greeks to end their assault towards them on 10th March, where the Albanians have brokered their peace with the Greeks-yet, with a pretense, where this is also a sign of a Albanian independence, something that would happen not so long after(12).
Headline of the Ikdam, previously a pro-Ottoman newspaper(13), now pro-Republican newspaper, after its relocation from Istanbul to Ankara, featuring the Three Pashas, dated on 1909.
The Balkans, and the Ottoman Empire
10th March 1909-31st June 1909
It was clear, that peace is looming ahead of them. It was clear, that peace will be restored. While the situation on the Balkans have been proved to be in jeopardy, as both of the Austrians and the Serbians are in "Static", gaining and losing grounds repeatedly, the situation on Greece and Bulgaria became clear. For Greece, Kavala is the only farthest position to go. The islands-are also the only way to go. Making overtures towards Izmir or Manisa, perhaps, are outside from the question anymore, as Denizli eventually have fallen to the Republican forces, leaving Istanbul and Kutahya as their last grounds(14). Bulgaria, in the other hand, gaining grounds on Bitola, Skopje and Leskovac, while also making their final push towards Istanbul, also realizes that they could not stand their ground in Southern Macedonia, effectively drawing the map to come. Ferdinand's ambition, however, has eventually reached more than it was before. As the army of Tsar Ferdinand prepares for their final assault towards Istanbul, Ferndinand I have declared his declaration of Bulgaria's claims towards the Greek-majority provinces of Anatolia(15), claiming that the Byzantine throne is reserved for the Bulgarian Tsar. This declaration, however, is faced with opposition by the British-backed Turkish revolutionaries, resulting on Bulgaria's alienation from the western world. Alexandar Malinov, the Bulgarian Foreign Minister, is sent to Greece, in order to broke a peace treaty, on Kavala. The treaty(16) itself, however, is easily informal at this point, as the treaty of Kavala was just a mere plan, and a prelude, for the looming treaty of Bucharest on December, after the capture of Istanbul. Overall, the treaty of Kavala was the stepping stone for what the map will become like after the war. The treaty itself, however, does not involve the situation on Anatolia, or even in the Balkans, despite Bulgaria's gains on Macedonia, and their plans on Anatolia. The details of the treaty, goes as below.
The Kavala Accord
"This treaty was only considered as a intention of peace from the Tsardom of Bulgaria, towards the Kingdom of Greece, in order to end the war between the two parties. This was mainly caused due to the same objectives and goals of the Tsardom of Bulgaria, and the Kingdom of Greece. Further official declaration and signing, will be held after the condition of point one is fulfilled."
1.Peace between the Tsardom of Bulgaria and the Kingdom of Greece is made, after the Tsardom of Bulgaria is able to capture Istanbul.
2.The Kingdom of Greece ends their claim on Thrace, while the Tsardom of Bulgaria will end their claim on South Macedonia.
3.The Kingdom of Greece have rightful claims over the Aegean Islands, and Cyprus, with , South Macedonia, while the Tsardom of Bulgaria stands their rightful claims over Macedonia, and Thrace.
4.The Kingdom of Greece will recognize any gains that the Bulgarian Tsardom gained on Anatolia.
5.The Bulgarian Tsardom are inclined to sign a non-agression treaty with the Greek Kingdom.
6.Further discussions regarding a possible alliance between the two states will be done in a unspecified date.
Signed on 1st May 1909, the Kavala Accord attracted the ire of the British, the Austrian, and the Turks, as it was a sign, of the Bulgarian and Greek ambition. Little that they know, that these very actions(17) would lead into a unforseen, world changing complication(18).
On 17th May, the unspeakable happened. The siege of Istanbul are underway, with the 10-day siege-also coinciding with the first Republican move towards Ankara, knowing very well that losing the both of the biggest cities of the Empire would easily speak defeat, and the end of the Ottoman Empire, as the Sultan-and Caliph himself have found residence in the Paris. With the Sultan have effectively abandoned them, both of the siege of Ankara and Istanbul are seen as a action of liberation(19) by the populace of the two towns, even with the fact that 29th of May signified the recapture of Istanbul by a Orthodox force, after 1452. This, however, does not mark the end of the revolutionary war, as the Vizier decided to make his final stand in Kutahya, in a move that managed to drove the loyal Ottoman Navy to spoke against the government, resulting on their desertions, allowing Bulgaria to make their first landings on the Anatolian region of Istanbul in 3rd June, while the accord of Kavala is finalized in Bucharest, in 13th June. It was clear. Sooner or later, that the Republican forces will clash against the Bulgarians, while in the other hand, Greece prepares its second advance towards the still Ottoman-aligned, yet-heading-towards-independence Albania, whom is looking for backers, with their eyes set on Italy. Despite peace are looming over the Balkans, things, will spoke otherwise, as the situation between the Austrians-and the Serbians began to attract the Greece and the Bulgarians, as the two parties are weary about Francis's ambition-and the Serbians's lack of resolve, regarding the matter(20).
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(1).Yes. Spoiler alert, people. Spoiler alert. This, is our future. THIS.
(2).Late naming of the war, lol.
(3).Yes, overall, the Ottoman army is basically in its eventual last legs here.
(4).Remember the previous update? Yes, the Three Pashas are selling out the Arabs to the Brits here.
(5).More early Arabian unification, but, just be aware, it would not be the same.
(6).Yes! Yes! Its either Italy, or Britain. I'm setting things up, over here.
(7).EEEEEYUP, early British Arabia, over here. Lets wait!
(8).You are sure the Italo-Turkish war is averted, right? Its not. Its more bigger. Something that will also fuck up the North Africas.
(9).Expand, expand, expand all he wants.
(10).AKA, Prequel to WWI. Yes.
(11).Yes! Yes! The Habsburg are getting bigger-just kidding, it wont.
(12).And it would be a short independence, tho.
(13).Yes, in OTL, it is.
(14).Fortresses.
(15).I havent warned you all that Ferdinand I is quite eccentric, yes?
(16).And..its basically explained few sentences later.
(17).In short, alienating the Greeks and the Bulgarians.
(18).World War One. Early. Yes.
(19).Riots were seen, blockades were seen, and for the people of Istanbul, its quite backfiring for them.
(20).More seeds for World War One, kids.