Albanians and Albania question 1908-1914

Balkans, which is strategically important in terms of geographical location, has always been an area where many nations struggled to dominate. After the Ottoman Empire has conquered the Balkans, the situation in the region remained peaceful for a considerably long period of time. Church struggles, gang and rebel activities which broke out as a result of French Revolution and provocations by colonialist powers corrupted the peaceful atmosphere in the Balkans. The Balkans, in nineteenth century, became center of rebellions because of developing idea of nationalism. After the year of 1908, the rebellion of the Albanians was a consequence of the some wrong politics that Jonturks pursued in the Albania territories.Albanians were a semi autonomous population who used to live in a highland across the Ottoman Empire, Montenegro, Serbia, Bulgaria and Greece border. Abdulhamit II had given them a separately status with the condition to be loyal to the empire. The Committee of Union and Progress (İttihat ve Terakki Cemiyeti) party efforts to change this status aggravated the situation. Albanians were in front of some Pashas? campaign. The disarmed drive was followed with maltreatments. This situation was utilized by Montenegro, Italy and Austria-Hungary. King Nicolla was aiming the enlargement of his territory toward Shkodra?s vilayet. That?s why he hosted the rebellers and provided them with food and arms. A special interest for Albanians expressed also Italy and Austria-Hungary which were looking for a greater influence across the Adriatic.European states were maintaining a double attitude. Russia as a guardian of the Slav in Balkan knew that it was the right time to give the last hit to the Ottoman-Empire. On the other hand Austria-Hungary was scared that the Albania rebellion will grow up the influence of Russia in the regions. The rebellers disappointed from Montenegro and because that Ottoman Empire accepted some of their condition, due to the oppression from the European states, after some months Albanian rebels came back in their homes.The Balkan Peninsula was the main domain of the Ottoman Empire. At the end of Balkan Wars, the Ottoman Empire left all her sovereignty areas in Europe. This unexpected development has revealed a new political situation which caused a strong interference of Great Powers. Soon, all agreed on gathering a conference not only to determine the new status quo but also to deal with the political deadlock by means of following mutual politics. The Conference of Ambassadors as it is known in history was a conference held in London and representing the six Great Powers (Britain, France, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Russia and Italy). It began its work on December 1912 under the direction of British Foreign Secretary Edward Grey, following the 1st Balkan War. It continued about 8 months and ended on August 1913. This paper has been briefly analysed that Albania?s territory in Balkans and the system of Great Powers during the conference.In 1912 with the outbreak of the First Balkan War the Albanians rose up and declared the creation of an independent Albania, which included what are now Albania and Kosova. On December 20, the Conference of Ambassadors in London, it was to have a civil administration that would be run by the International Control Commission and the two boundary commissions. This study consists of a case study of the interaction of Nationalism, Ottomanism and Islamism in a specific geography: Albania?s territory, more precisely, Albanians? actions of seperatist prior to World War I. This thesis aims to provide a detailed analysis of the question of Albanian independence (1908-1914) and the delimitation of its frontiers (1912-1914).