The Austro-Hungarian Balkan Policy on the Eve of and during the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie Uprising

The study examines the Balkan policy of Austria-Hungary on the eve of and during the Ilinden-Preobrazhenie uprising. The events in Macedonia were a turning point in the inherently conservative Austro-Russian cooperation in the Balkans, dating back to 1897. Vienna sought to preserve the status quo in the European Southeast at a moment of severe challenges. The geopolitical situation in the world and in Europe favoured the Austro-Hungarian aspirations. They contributed to preventing unwanted by them changes from occurring in the Balkan Peninsula, but the success in “holding” the position for Balhaus, mostly to the detriment of the Bulgarian national interest, was not without serious diplomatic challenges, as evidenced by the intense and varied diplomatic correspondence of the time.