A more formal, officially documented The Three Emperors' Alliance was concluded on 18 June 1881. Her key role in European diplomacy was not, however, forgotten by Bismarck. The 1878 Treaty of Berlin left Russia feeling cheated of her gains made in the Russo-Turkish War. In 1882 Italy joined this agreement to form the Triple Alliance. The body’s first conclusion in 1879 gave way to the defensive Dual Alliance between Austria-Hungary and Germany to counter potential Russian aggression. Russian authorities likewise feared insurrection, should a Pan-Slavism movement gain too much clout. The collective initially disbanded in 1875 over territorial disputes in the Balkans as Austria-Hungary feared that Russian support for Serbia might ultimately ignite irredentist passions in its tenuously grasped Slav populations. The account of the insurrection from an Englishman named Sir Edwin Pears both describes the atrocities in gruesome detail and reveals British surprise at their extent. The League also met crisis in the East where Bulgarian unrest elicited violent reaction from the Ottoman forces there, which in turn met with horror from observing states. For this reason, the League actively opposed the expansion of their influence. According to the coalition, radical socialist bodies like the First International represented one of the other key threats to regional stability and dominance. Despite German victory in the Franco-Prussian War of 1870-71, the violence remained fresh in the newly united state’s memory and made Germany reluctant to antagonize the French, but keen as ever to limit their power. This cornerstone of his political philosophy included dedication to preserving the status quo and avoiding war.
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Background and policyīismarck often led the League as it assessed challenges centered on maintaining the balance of power among the states involved and Europe at large.
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It was preceded by the Schönbrunn Convention signed by Russia and Austria–Hungary on 6 June 1873. The alliance sought to resurrect the Holy Alliance of 1815 and act as a bulwark against radical sentiments the conservative rulers found unsettling. On 22 October 1873, German Chancellor Otto von Bismarck negotiated an agreement between the monarchs of Austria–Hungary, Russia and Germany.