What Were the Results of the Treaty of London in 1913?

By Alice Nichols

The Treaty of London, signed on May 30, 1913, was an attempt to resolve the Balkan crisis that emerged in the early 20th century. The treaty aimed to settle territorial disputes among Balkan states and to maintain peace in the region. However, the results of the Treaty of London were not entirely successful.

Background

Before we dive into the results of this treaty, let’s take a look at what led to its signing. In 1912, Bulgaria, Serbia, Greece, and Montenegro formed an alliance known as the Balkan League.

Their goal was to drive out Ottoman Turks from Europe and divide their territories among themselves. The Balkan wars soon ensued and resulted in a decisive victory for the Balkan League.

The Treaty

The Treaty of London was signed between Ottoman Turkey and the Balkan League members. The treaty recognized Albania as an independent state and gave Serbia access to the Adriatic Sea. It also granted Greece control over Crete and several Aegean islands.

Results

While there were some positive outcomes of this treaty such as recognition of Albania as an independent state, it also left many problems unresolved.

One major issue was that Bulgaria felt cheated because it did not get all the territory it wanted. This led to Bulgaria’s decision to go against its former allies in World War I.

Another significant problem was that Serbia’s access to the Adriatic Sea created tension between Austria-Hungary and Serbia which eventually led to World War I.

Furthermore, Greece’s acquisition of Aegean islands created resentment among Turkey which resulted in strained relations between the two countries.

Conclusion

In conclusion, while there were some positive outcomes from The Treaty of London such as recognition of Albania’s independence and giving Serbia access to Adriatic Sea but there were also negative consequences like Bulgaria’s dissatisfaction and tensions between Austria-Hungary and Serbia. It’s evidence that the Treaty of London did not succeed in resolving all the territorial disputes and ultimately led to bigger conflicts in the region.