Treaty of London (1913) facts for kids
The Treaty of London was an important agreement signed on May 30, 1913. It was created to help set new borders for countries in the Balkan Peninsula after the First Balkan War. This war changed a lot about how countries in that part of Europe looked on the map.
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What Was the Treaty of London?
The Treaty of London was a peace treaty. A peace treaty is an agreement between countries to end a war and set new rules for how they will get along. This treaty was signed in London, the capital city of England. Its main goal was to decide what would happen to the lands that the Ottoman Empire lost during the First Balkan War.
Why Was This Treaty Needed?
The First Balkan War happened because several countries in the Balkans wanted to gain independence from the Ottoman Empire. They also wanted to take control of lands where many people from their own ethnic groups lived. The Ottoman Empire had ruled these areas for a long time. When the Balkan countries won the war, they needed a way to divide the land fairly. That's why the Treaty of London was created.
Who Was Involved?
The main groups involved in the treaty were the winners of the First Balkan War, known as the Balkan League, and the losing side, the Ottoman Empire.
The Balkan League
The Balkan League was a group of four countries that worked together to fight the Ottoman Empire. These countries were:
These countries had a common goal: to push the Ottoman Empire out of Europe and expand their own territories.
The Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire was a very large and powerful empire that had existed for hundreds of years. By the early 1900s, it was getting weaker. The First Balkan War was a big defeat for them, and they lost almost all their land in Europe because of this treaty.
What Did the Treaty Decide?
The Treaty of London made some big changes to the map of Europe.
New Borders and Albania
Most of the European lands that belonged to the Ottoman Empire were given to the countries of the Balkan League. However, there was one very important new country that the treaty helped create: Albania.
Albania had declared its independence on November 28, 1912, during the war. The Treaty of London officially recognized Albania as an independent country. This was important because Serbia and Greece also wanted parts of Albania. The treaty helped ensure Albania could become its own nation.
What Happened Next?
Even though the Treaty of London was signed, not everyone was happy with the new borders.
The Second Balkan War
Because of disagreements over how the lands were divided, another war broke out very soon after. This was the Second Balkan War, which started on June 13, 1913. This time, the countries of the Balkan League fought among themselves, mainly over who would get control of certain areas.
The Treaty of Bucharest
The Second Balkan War ended with another peace agreement called the Treaty of Bucharest. This treaty was signed on August 12, 1913. It made further changes to the borders and helped bring peace to the region for a short time.
Images for kids
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Signing of the Peace Treaty on 30 May 1913
See also
In Spanish: Tratado de Londres (1913) para niños
