France and the Balkans (1878-1918): The ideals of the Republic in the Balkan chess game

International Academic Conference 150 years since the Herzegovina Uprising: impact on regional security and European geopolitics, June 10-11, 2025, Belgrade [pp. 133-138]

 

АУТОР(И) / AUTHOR(S): Alexis Troude   

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.46793/Herzegovina.133T

САЖЕТАК /ABSTRACT:

Between 1878 and 1918, the Balkans became the stage for a diplomatic, cultural, and strategic confrontation between the major European powers. The declining Ottoman Empire gradually lost ground, while the Austro- Hungarian and Russian empires attempted to impose their influence on a region marked by the rise of nationalism. In this context, France adopted a unique stance, fuelled by the ideals of the Enlightenment and the legacy of the French Revolution of 1789.

France pursued a policy of support—often ideological, sometimes concrete— for peoples seeking emancipation, with particular attention paid to Serbia. This article aims to analyse France’s role in the Balkans through three lenses: the ideological influence of the Enlightenment confronting imperialism, support for nation-building, and the emergence of a lasting Franco-Serb friendship

КЉУЧНЕ РЕЧИ / KEYWORDS: 

France, Serbia, the Balkans, diplomacy, military support

ПРОЈЕКАТ / ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

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