s fanned
by the Russian emissaries, and it spread to Servia and Montenegro.
Ignatieff did not think that the time was ripe and interfered; but he
threatened the Sultan with European intervention and Abdul Aziz
granted the insurgents the privileges enjoyed by the Christians in
Turkey.

Austria looked with apprehension upon the increasing influence of
Russia in Turkey, and suggested drastic reforms in a note addressed to
the powers on December 30, 1875. It was approved and presented to the
sultan by the five great European powers. Abdul Aziz quietly accepted
it. This was not what the Russian Slavophils expected, and they
incited the Servians to revolt. A religious insurrection followed
which was put down by the Turks with such cruelty that it aroused
universal indignation in Europe, especially in Russia. In
Constantinople the Turks were indignant at the sultan's evident fear
of Ignatieff. The situation became so alarming that Great Britain
assembled a fleet in Besika Bay. The triple alliance, Russia, Austria
and Prussia, demanded of the sultan an armistice and the execution of
reforms under foreign supervision. The situation changed by a
revolution in Turkey on May 29, 1876, when Abdul Aziz was assassinated
and succeeded by his nephew Murad V.

Russia felt that war was inevitable and approached Austria with proposals
to take joint action. The reply was that Austria could not permit the
creation of a Slav state on the frontier and that, if any changes were
made in the Balkans, Austria must receive compensation. This was (p. 232)
admitted by Russia. A number of Russian officers took service in
Servia, among them General Chernaiev, who had gained distinction in
Central Asia. Montenegro declared war against Turkey on July 2, 1876.

On the 31st of August, of the same year, Sultan Murad V was deposed,
and his half-brother became sultan as Abdul Hamid II. Meanwhile the
Turks were victorious, and on September, 17, the Servians asked for an
armistice.

The reports of Turkish atrocities aroused great indignation in Great
Britain; its government was forced to join the other great powers in a
note to the sultan demanding reforms. Abdul Hamid made vague promises
but when the Servians, trusting to intervention, again took up arms,
they were badly defeated and a great number of Russian officers were
killed. The czar was forced to interfere. On October 31, he demanded
an armistice of six weeks, to which Abdul Hamid replied that he