The inner history of the Balkan League pre sents a curious tangle. The most remarkable circumstance about it is, for the student of Balkan affairs, the fact that the various states were able to come to any agreement at all. The idea of a Balkan League was no novelty; at tempts in that direction had been in the air from time to time since long before the Russo Turkish War of 1877. It emanated from Ser bia, and was favorably discussed between Rumania and Bulgaria after the close of the war in 1878, revived in Greece in 1891, and opposed by Bulgaria, which country reopened the proposal herself in 1897. Jealousy and mis trust among the Balkan states kept them apart, while the long struggle of underground in trigues between Austria and Russia for pre dominance in the peninsula only tended to increase the volume of mutual suspicions. Bul garian sentiment was divided between Russia and Austria; Serbia leaned toward Russia and had numerous grievances against Austria, over the annexation of Bosnia and Herzegovina (q.v.) and the prohibitive tariffs against Ser bian live stock; Rumania had a grudge against Russia because that power had deprived her of Bessarabia, and another versus Austria on ac count of the Rumanian districts of Transyl vania ; and Greece feared the Russian aspira tions to Constantinople. Bulgaria and Greece suspected each other because of the old eccle siastical quarrel over the Patriarchate and the Exarchate, and the perpetual rivalries between their respective komitadjis in Macedonia. Bul iparia had not trusted Serbia since their war in 1885, and looked askance on Rumania because of the Dobrudja (q.v.) and its Bulgarian pop ulation. Even the Serbs and Montenegrins, though blood-brothers, were not on the best of terms with each other. In addition to this, all of them had reason to fear the Austro-Ger man Drang nach Osten, which threatened to put an end to their national existence. The only possible bond that could unite them was their common hatred of the Turk, who system atically and indiscriminately ill-treated Bulgars Serbs, Greelcs and Kato-Vlachs (Rumanians; in Macedonia. That hate united and led them to victory. On the morrow of their triumph, jealousy stepped in and separated them agam; the Balkan League died a premature death and bequeathed to its partners a legacy of bitter hatred that was soon to prove disastrous to all.
It appears that the prime movers in the formation of the Balkan L,eague were the ICing of Bulgaria and the Greelc Premier, M. Venize los, who came to an understanding in the spring of 1912. But in May Bulgaria and Serbia privately shared Macedonia between themselves, the former to talce central Macedonia with Monastir and Olchrida, and the latter the north ern or Old Serbian portion, leaving the re mainder to be decided upon by Russia at a later date. The arrangement between Bulgaria and Greece was at first of a purely defensive nature against a Turkish attack upon either, which leads to the conclusion that Greece was to be left outside when, if ever, it came to a division of any spoils of war. Curiously enough, the Turkish government was at the same time engineering an absolute alliance with Greece, a project that was suddenly wredced by the Kotchana and Berane massacres. Apparently unacquainted with the Serbo-Bulgarian compact and its intentions, Greece found herself called upon at a few days' notice to decide whether she should throw in her lot with or against Turkey.
Bulgaria and Serbia notified Greece of their resolve to declare war against Turkey in the event of their demands being rejected. Their determination was encouraged by the fact that Turkey had the Italian war on hand at the moment, and was decidedly getting the worst of it. The great powers realized that trouble was brewing, and the (European Concert° was hastily convoked to avert it. They had every reason to fear the Balkan nightmare on account of the possibilities it opened for a general European conflagration. On 14 Aug. 1912 Count Berchtold (q.v.) announced that he was about to engage in conversation with the great powers with a view eto co-ordinate the several efforts made by the powers in the interest of Balkan peace and of the status guo.) He in sisted upon ((the expedience of giving to the Porte organized European encouragement and to the Balkan peoples equally organized advice to be- patient and not to thwart Turkish pur poses.) This time, however, the inharmonious European Concert was doomed to failure; its diplomatic pressure arid threats, more or less successful in the past, were now unheeded. Russia was known to be in sympathy with the Balkan states, and behind the coming struggle loomed the mighty spectre of the conflicting policies of Teuton and Slay. The integrity of the Turkish empire was vital to Austro-Ger man ambitions, hence the fervid insistence of the ((status quo." Promises of reforms were forthcoming, but the Ballcan Allies were too well acquainted with the temporising quality of Turkish promises; they demanded that the powers should guarantee autonomy for Mace donia, and that they themselves should be in cluded as administrators. On 28 Sept. 1912 they announced that the Balkan League was an ac complished fact; the alliance was signed on the 30th and immediate mobilization ordered. Mon tenegro declared war on Turkey 8 October and invaded Albania; on the 13th Bulgaria, Serbia and Greece delivered their ultitnatum to Tur key at the same time rejecting all outside ad vice and assistance. Europe stood amazed; the ((Concert* played its strongest notes, which were not even listened to in the Balkans; show ers of threats and protests failed to move the Allies who for years had watched with painful self-control the ghastly sufferings of their com patriots under Turldsh misrule. As already mentioned, Turkey and Italy were at war over Tripoli (q.v., also TURCO-ITALIAN WAR). To all appearances, Italy would be an ally of the Balkan League. Her fleet kept the best Turk ish troops locked up in Tripoli and commanded the western waters of the peninsula, including the direct sea route from Smyrna to Salonica. Clearly the moment seemed propitious for the Allies. But another surprise burst upon Europe when Turkey suddenly made peace with Italy and declared war on Bulgaria and Serbia on 17 October, hoping to frighten Greece and detach her from the Allies; but the Greek government declared war on Turkey the next day, which completed the necessary formalities. The course of the campaign is related under Bal kan Wars (q.v.).