Conference of Constantinople ends with Ottoman rejection of reform proposals (1877)

The 1876–1877 Constantinople Conference concluded in January 1877 with the Ottoman Empire rejecting proposed reforms for Bosnia and Bulgarian-majority areas. The Great Powers had agreed on these projects following uprisings in 1875 and 1876. Despite the Ottoman submission of alternative proposals, the Great Powers rejected them, leading to a definitive refusal by Grand Vizier Midhat Pasha on 18 January 1877.

Episodes

Background and detail

Background. The conference involved six Great Powers: Austria-Hungary, Britain, France, Germany, Italy, and Russia. It was held in Constantinople from 23 December 1876 to 20 January 1877. The venue was the Tersane Sarayı, or Shipyard Palace. The powers agreed on political reforms for Bosnia and Ottoman territories with majority-Bulgarian populations following the Herzegovinian and April Uprisings.

Negotiations. On 23 December 1876, the Great Powers formally handed their agreed decisions to the Ottoman Government. This action dismissed Ottoman suggestions that the conference was unnecessary due to a new constitution approved by Sultan Abdul Hamid II. During plenary sessions, the Ottoman Empire submitted objections and alternative reform proposals, which were rejected by the Great Powers.

Rejection. Attempts to bridge the gap between the Great Powers and the Ottoman Empire failed. On 18 January 1877, Grand Vizier Midhat Pasha announced the definitive refusal of the Ottoman Empire to accept the conference decisions. This rejection triggered the Russo-Turkish War a few months later and deprived the Ottoman Empire of Western support.

People involved

Sources

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