The Collapse of the Sick Man: The First Balkan War and the End of Ottoman Europe
Published: February 10, 2026
Duration: 22:56
Episode Summary:
In this episode of Explaining History, Nick delves into the cataclysmic events of 1912-1913 that shattered the Ottoman Empire and set the stage for the First World War.
Following the humiliating loss of Libya to Italy, the Balkan states—Serbia, Greece, Montenegro, and Bulgaria—sensed weakness and struck. We explore how this coalition of former subjects mobilized a massive army of over 700,000 men to drive the Ottomans out of Europe.
Drawing on Eugene Rogan's The Fall of the Ottomans, Nick examines the internal chaos of the empire, from the violent coup led by...