On April 24, 1877, the Russo-Turkish war began, in which Romania also took part, in order to win its full state independence from Turkey. Photo: Painting by N.Grigorescu – The attack from Smârdan.
The Russo-Turkish War of 1877–1878 had its origins in a spread of nationalism in the Balkan Peninsula and in Russia’s desire to recover the territorial losses suffered in the Crimean War by regaining supremacy in the Black Sea and encouraging political movements for the liberation of the peoples of Balkans under Ottoman rule.
As a result of the war, Romania, Serbia and Montenegro, each de facto sovereign states for longer, formally proclaimed their independence from the Ottoman Empire.
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After nearly five centuries of Ottoman rule (1396–1878), the Bulgarian state was re-established as the Principality of Bulgaria, between the Danube and the Balkan Mountains (except for Northern Dobrogea given to Romania) and with the region of Sofia, which became the new capital.
The Congress of Berlin of 1878 also allowed Austria-Hungary to occupy Bosnia and Herzegovina and the United Kingdom to receive Cyprus, while the Russian Empire annexed southern Bessarabia and the region of the city of Kars.
Tags: April RussoTurkish war begins Romania gains state independence Turkey
