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The Balkans
The Balkan Peninsula is a geographic region in south-eastern Europe that
distinguish itself by having orthodox Christianity as the dominating
religion and a significant minority of Muslims. These religions are a legacy
from the two empires that have shaped the history of the Balkans. Together
with Anatolia
(the Asiatic part of Turkey) has this region for a long time been ruled from
Constantinople, which is an older name for Istanbul. From the fourth century
was Constantinople the capital in the eastern half of the Roman Empire,
which later would be known as the Byzantine Empire. This Empire was 1453
conquered by the Ottoman Empire, which then controlled the Balkans until the
nineteenth century when state after state became independent. The Ottoman
retreat was completed in 1913 but the fragmentation of the Balkans has
continued well into the 21st century. The latest additions among the
independent states of the Balkans are Montenegro and Kosovo. |
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