Dual Alliancebetween the two Powers, into the government and for the pro-
tection of the Christian and other subjects of the Porte in those
territories; and in order to enable England to make necessary
provision for executing her engagement, His Imperial Majesty
the Sultan further consents to assign the Island of Cyprus to be
occupied and administered by England.
II. The present Convention shall be ratified, and the ratifica-
tions thereof shall be exchanged within the space of one month,
or sooner if possible.
In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have
signed the same, and have affixed thereto the seal of their arms.
Done at Constantinople, the 4th day of June, in the year
1878.
A. H. LAYARD.
SAFVET.
ANNEX TO CONVENTION between Great
Britain and Turkey of June 4, 1878.
THE Right Honourable Sir A. H. Layard, G.C.B., and his High-
ness Safvet Pasha, now the Grand Vizier of His Majesty the Sul-
tan, have agreed to the following Annex to the Convention
signed by them as Plenipotentiaries of their respective Govern-
ments on the 4th June, 1878 :—
Annex
It is understood between the two High Contractive Parties that
England agrees to the following conditions relating to her occu-
pation and administration of the Island of Cypress :
I. That a Mussulman religious Tribunal (Mehkéméi Shéri)
shall continue to exist in the island, which will take exclusive
cognizance of religious matters, and of no others, concerning
the Mussulman population of the island.
II. That a Mussulman resident in the Island shall be named
by the Board of Pious Foundations in Turkey (Evkraf ) to super-
intend, in conjunction with a Delegate to be appointed by the
British authorities, the administration of the property, funds,
and lands belonging to mosques, cemeteries, Mussulman
schools, and other religious establishments existing in Cypress.
III. That England will pay to the Porte whatever is the pres-
ent excess of revenue over expenditure in the island ; this excess
to be calculated upon and determined by the average of the last
five years, stated to be 22,936 purses, to be duly verified here-
after, and to the exclusion of the produce of State and Crown
lands or sold during that period.
IV. That the Sublime Porte may freely sell and lease lands and
other property in Cyprus belonging to the Ottoman Crown and
State (Arazii Miriyé vé Emlaki Houmayoun) the produce of
which does not form part of the revenue of the island referred
to in Article III.
V. That the English Government, through their competent
authorities, may purchase compulsorily, at a fair price, land
required for public improvements, or for other public purposes,
and land which is not cultivated.
VI. That if Russia restores to Turkey Kars and the other con-
quests made by her in Armenia during the last war, the Island of
Cyprus will be evacuated by England, and the Convention of
the 4th of June, 1878, will be at an end.
Done at Constantinople, the 1st day of July, 1878.
A. H. LAYARD.
SAFVET.3.1192 Dual Alliance
Alliance Members:Germany and Austria-Hungary
Signed On:October 7, 1879, in the city of Vienna. In force until
November 3, 1918.
Alliance Type:Defense Pact (Type I)
Source:The Secret Treaties of Austria-Hungary 1879–1914,vol. 1, p. 25.
Additional Citations:Key Treaties for the Great Powers, 1814–1914,
vol. 2, 590–591.SUMMARY
This alliance was concluded after the breakdown of the Dreikaiserbund
and the disruption in Russo-German relations caused by the Congress
of Berlin in 1878. Bismarck wanted to bind Austria to Germany in case
either was attacked by Russia, making this a purely defensive treaty. In
the event that either state was attacked by another power (for example,
France), both states pledged neutrality, but if Russia acted in concert
with another state, then the defensive provisions of the alliance would
be invoked. The treaty was ostensibly secret, but Bismarck advertised
the treaty widely in 1888 as a reaction to growing Austro-Russian ten-
sions. The alliance continued to be renewed after 1902 but was consid-
ered dead following World War I and the breakup of Austria-Hungary.
Background issues for this alliance included the uncertain division of
territories in the Balkans—issues that would ultimately give rise to
World War I. Both Austria and Russia considered the Balkans to be of
vital interest, but both states also had incompatible aims. Austria
sought to strengthen Turkey while absorbing Serb territories; Russia
wanted to expand its influence in the Balkans and weaken its neigh-
bor, Turkey.Alliance Text
Inasmuch as Their Majesties the Emperor of Austria, King of
Hungary, and the German Emperor, King of Prussia, must con-
sider it Their imperative duty as Monarchs to provide for the
security of Their Empires and the peace of Their subjects, under
all circumstances;
inasmuch as the two Sovereigns, as was the case under the
former existing relations of alliance, will be enabled by the close
union of the two Empires to fulfil this duty more easily and
more efficaciously;
inasmuch as, finally, an intimate coöperation of Germany
and Austria-Hungary can menace no one, but is rather calcu-
lated to consolidate the peace of Europe as established by the
stipulations of Berlin;
Their Majesties the Emperor of Austria, King of Hungary,
and the Emperor of Germany, while solemnly promising each