▁by ▁regularly ▁att ending ▁the ▁Div an , ▁or ▁state ▁council . ▁The ▁practice ▁of ▁the ▁s ultan ' s ▁avoid ing ▁the ▁Div an ▁had ▁been ▁introduced ▁two ▁centuries ▁prior , ▁during ▁the ▁reign ▁of ▁S ule iman ▁I , ▁and ▁was ▁considered ▁to ▁be ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁causes ▁of ▁the ▁decl ine ▁of ▁the ▁Empire . ▁Mah m ud ▁II ▁also ▁addressed ▁some ▁of ▁the ▁worst ▁ab uses ▁connected ▁with ▁the ▁V ak ifs , ▁by ▁placing ▁their ▁reven ues ▁under ▁state ▁administration . ▁However , ▁he ▁did ▁not ▁vent ure ▁to ▁apply ▁this ▁vast ▁mass ▁of ▁property ▁to ▁the ▁general ▁purposes ▁of ▁the ▁government . ▁ ▁Ser bs , ▁ 1 8 1 0 s ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 8 0 4 ▁the ▁Ser bian ▁Revolution ▁against ▁Ott oman ▁rule ▁er upt ed ▁in ▁the ▁B alk ans , ▁running ▁in ▁parallel ▁with ▁the ▁Napole onic ▁invasion . ▁By ▁ 1 8 1 7 , ▁when ▁the ▁revolution ▁ended , ▁Ser bia ▁was ▁raised ▁to ▁the ▁status ▁of ▁self - g over ning ▁mon archy ▁under ▁nom inal ▁Ott oman ▁su zer ain ty . ▁In ▁ 1 8 2 1 ▁the ▁First ▁H ellen ic ▁Republic ▁became ▁the ▁first ▁B alk an ▁country ▁to ▁achieve ▁its ▁independence ▁from ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁Empire . ▁It ▁was ▁officially ▁recogn ised ▁by ▁the ▁Por te ▁in ▁ 1 8 2 9 , ▁after ▁the ▁end ▁of ▁the ▁Greek ▁War ▁of ▁Independ ence . ▁ ▁Gree ks , ▁ 1 8 2 0