1. Nationalism and Ethnic Conflict: The Balkans was a melting pot of different ethnic groups, each with their own national aspirations and territorial claims. This led to intense competition and conflict among various Balkan nations.
2. Collapse of the Ottoman Empire: The decline and eventual collapse of the Ottoman Empire in the late 19th and early 20th centuries created a power vacuum in the region, further exacerbating political instability. Competing interests among European powers also fueled tensions in the area.
3. Great Power Rivalry: The Balkans became a battleground for influence and control among major European powers such as Russia, Austria-Hungary, and the Ottoman Empire. These external powers often backed different ethnic groups and factions in the region, intensifying internal conflicts.
4. Treaty of Berlin (1878): The Treaty of Berlin, which followed the Russo-Turkish War of 1877-1878, redrew the borders of the Balkans and created several new independent states. However, the treaty left many unresolved territorial disputes and ethnic conflicts simmering, contributing to ongoing political instability.
5. Assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand: The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, in Sarajevo in 1914 sparked a series of events that ultimately led to the outbreak of World War 1. The assassination highlighted the deep-seated tensions and unresolved conflicts within the Balkans.
These factors, combined with the cultural diversity of the region, contributed to the political instability and heightened tensions that characterized the Balkans before World War 1.