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Jan 1, 1402
ottoman empire
the Tukish empire, established in northern Anatolia by Osman 1st at the end of the 13th century and expanded by his successors to include all of Asia Minor and much of southeastern Europe. After setbacks caused by the invasion of the Mongol ruler Tamerlane in 1402, the Ottomans captured Constantinople in 1453, and the empire reached its zenith under Suleiman in the mid 16th century. It had greatly declined by the 19th century and collapsed after World War I. -
triple alliance
the triplw alliance of 1668 was formed by the Netherlands, England, and Sweden against France after Louis XIVhad invaded the Spanish Netherlands in the War of Devolution. Largerly because of the initiative of the Dutch statesman Jan de Witt, the alliance represented a sufficient threat to Louis XIV to induse him to negotiate the Treatyn of Aix-la-Chapelle. -
Austria-Hungary
the dual monarchy established 1867 by the Austrian emperor Franz Josef, according to which Austria and Hungary became autonomous states under a common sovereign. -
the league of the three emperors
an 1873 alliance among the three emperors of Germany, Austria-Hungary, and Russia, the three largest powers in Eastern and Central Europe at the time. -
dual alliance
between Germany and Austria-Hungary was created by treaty on October 7, 1879. In it Germany and Austria-Hungary pedged to aid one another in case of an attack by Russia. -
franco-russian alliance
(1894) politicial and military pact between France and Russia that was one of the basic European alignments of the pre-World War I era. In one of the events of war, France wanted support against Germany, and Russia against Austria-Hungary. The alliance was formalized through an exchange of letters in order to preserve secrecy, and it was to be in force as long as an opposing triple alliance. The alliance was renewed and stregthened in 1899 and 1912. -
entente-cordiale
the understanding between Britain and France reached in 1904, forming the basis of Anglo-French cooperation in World War I -
anglo-russian convention
pact in which Britain and Russia settled their colonial disputes in Persia, Afghanistan, and Tibet. It declined spheres of influence in Persia, stipulated that neither country would interfere in Tibet's affaires, andrecognized Britain's influence over Afganistan. The agreement led to the formation of the triple alliance. -
holy alliance
a loose alliance of European powers pledged to uphold the principles of the Christian religion. It was proclaimed at the congress of Vienna (1814-1815) bythe emperors of Austria and Russia and the king of Prussia and was joined by most other European monarchs. -
central powers
World War I coalition that was defeated by the Allied Powers. Its primary members were the German empire and Austria-Hungary, the "central" European states were at war from August 1914 against France, Britain, Russia. The Ottoman empire entered the war on the side of the Central Powers October 1914, followed by Bulgaria in October 1915
