▁which ▁had ▁been ▁semi - in dependent ▁for ▁almost ▁six ▁dec ades . ▁In ▁ 1 8 7 5 , ▁the ▁trib ut ary ▁principal ities ▁of ▁Ser bia ▁and ▁Mont en eg ro , ▁and ▁the ▁United ▁Princi pal ities ▁of ▁Wal la chia ▁and ▁Mold avia , ▁un il ater ally ▁declared ▁their ▁independence ▁from ▁the ▁emp ire . ▁Following ▁the ▁Rus so - T urk ish ▁War ▁( 1 8 7 7 – 1 8 7 8 ), ▁the ▁emp ire ▁granted ▁independence ▁to ▁all ▁three ▁bell iger ent ▁nations . ▁Bulg aria ▁also ▁achieved ▁virtual ▁independence ▁( as ▁the ▁Princi p ality ▁of ▁Bulg aria ); ▁its ▁volunte ers ▁had ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁Rus so - T urk ish ▁War ▁on ▁the ▁side ▁of ▁the ▁reb elling ▁nations . ▁ ▁The ▁government ' s ▁series ▁of ▁constitution al ▁re forms ▁led ▁to ▁a ▁fairly ▁modern ▁cons cript ed ▁army , ▁bank ing ▁system ▁re forms , ▁the ▁dec riminal isation ▁of ▁hom osex ual ity , ▁the ▁replacement ▁of ▁religious ▁law ▁with ▁sec ular ▁law ▁and ▁gu ild s ▁with ▁modern ▁fact ories . ▁▁ 1 8 3 9 – 1 8 6 1 ▁Abd ül m ec it ▁I ▁▁ 1 8 4 0 s ▁ ▁The ▁Ott oman ▁Ministry ▁of ▁Post ▁was ▁established ▁in ▁Ist an bul ▁on ▁ 2 3 ▁October ▁ 1 8 4 0 . ▁The ▁first ▁post ▁office ▁was ▁the ▁Post ah ane - i ▁Am ire ▁near ▁the ▁cour ty ard ▁of