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Italy Formed
After centuries of disunity, the Italian states finally unify. However, the Italian state turns its eyes outward and hopes to grow a colonial Empire and bring more Italians and historical Italian lands into their growing Empire. -
Unification of Germany
King William(Wihlem) of Prussia is crowned Emperor/Kaiser of Germany in Hall of Mirrors of the Palace of Versailles in France. The French defeat in the Franco-Prussian war would grow a rivalry. -
Congress of Berlin (1878)
In an effort to support and ease the Ottoman Empire's internal nationalistic issues, the European powers agree to meet at Berlin and discuss the status of the Balkans. The states of Serbia, Romania, and Bulgaria are all recognized as independent states while Austria-Hungary advances further and given Bosnia-Herzegovina. -
Double Alliance formed
In an effort to prevent European War, Austria-Hungary and Germany form an alliance. Later, Italy will join this alliance. This lays the groundwork for the Central Powers and is known as the Double Alliance -
Dual Alliance (Franco-Russian Alliance)
Worried about increased German hostility and power, France and Russia form a defensive military alliance -
Naval Race Begins
Worried about increasing British naval power, Germany increases naval efforts to meet the British Naval power. Both sides approve massive increases in naval funding and build more and more Dreadnoughts. -
Period: to
First Balkan War
Seizing upon Turkish weakness, the Balkan nations of Serbia, Greece, Bulgaria, and Montenegro all join together and declare war on the Ottoman Empire. The Ottomans are quickly defeated, while the Western Powers seek to find a solution to pacify the region. Much of the Ottoman's territory in Balkans is carved up among Montenegro, Serbia, Greece, and Bulgaria; leaving them with Constantinople and Albania. However, Serbia and Bulgaria are still tense over the fate of Northern Macedonia -
Period: to
Second Balkan War
Upset over the fate of Northern Macedonia, Bulgaria declares war on Serbia to unify their people. Greece joins Serbia in the hopes of weakening Bulgaria and gains more land. While the Ottoman Empire declares war on Bulgaria in the hopes of reclaiming the lands they lost in the First Balkan War. Eventually, the war ends with Romanian entry and Bulgaria loses lands to all participants. However, Serbia now turns its eyes north towards Bosnia. -
Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand
Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne on a visit to the city of Sarajevo, is targeted by an assassination plot. Gavrilo Princip, armed by the Black Hand, which is a Serbian-Ultanationalist group, with three co-conspirators attempt to first blow up the Archduke, then after Franz heads to the hospital to visit the wounded is shot to twice, along with is with, when his motorcade takes a stop to get directions. One month later, World War I had started.
