ers ▁and ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁Empire . ▁In ▁the ▁w ake ▁of ▁the ▁Rus so - T urk ish ▁War ▁( 1 8 7 7 – 1 8 7 8 ) ▁that ▁ended ▁with ▁a ▁decis ive ▁victory ▁for ▁Russia ▁and ▁her ▁Orth odox ▁Christian ▁al lies ▁( subject s ▁of ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁Empire ▁before ▁the ▁war ) ▁in ▁the ▁B alk an ▁Pen ins ula , ▁the ▁ur gent ▁need ▁was ▁to ▁stabil ise ▁and ▁re organ ise ▁the ▁B alk ans , ▁and ▁set ▁up ▁new ▁nations . ▁German ▁Chan cell or ▁Otto ▁von ▁B ism ar ck , ▁who ▁led ▁the ▁Congress , ▁under to ok ▁to ▁adjust ▁boundaries ▁to ▁minim ise ▁the ▁ris ks ▁of ▁major ▁war , ▁while ▁recogn ising ▁the ▁reduced ▁power ▁of ▁the ▁Ott om ans , ▁and ▁balance ▁the ▁distinct ▁interests ▁of ▁the ▁great ▁powers . ▁ ▁As ▁a ▁result , ▁Ott oman ▁hold ings ▁in ▁Europe ▁decl ined ▁sharp ly ; ▁Bulg aria ▁was ▁established ▁as ▁an ▁independent ▁princip ality ▁inside ▁the ▁Ott oman ▁Empire , ▁but ▁was ▁not ▁allowed ▁to ▁keep ▁all ▁its ▁previous ▁territory . ▁Bulg aria ▁lost ▁Eastern ▁Rum elia , ▁which ▁was ▁restored ▁to ▁the ▁Tur ks ▁under ▁a ▁special ▁administration ; ▁and ▁Mac ed onia , ▁which ▁was ▁returned ▁out right ▁to ▁the ▁Tur ks , ▁who ▁promised ▁reform . ▁Roman ia ▁achieved ▁full ▁independence , ▁but ▁had ▁to ▁turn ▁over ▁part ▁of ▁B ess arab ia ▁to ▁Russia . ▁Ser bia ▁and ▁Mont en eg ro ▁finally