League of the Three Emperors
that My proposals at most had in view asking the Imperial and
Royal Government for a sacrifice in form and not at all in sub-
stance.
I regard the reply of Your Excellency as a precious proof of
the confidence which you have been good enough to repose in
what I had attempted to explain clearly and to state no less cate-
gorically.
I can only thank you for it with all My heart and assure you
at the same time that all My efforts in the future will be directed
towards giving Austria-Hungary constant pledges of the sincer-
ity of My policy with regard to her, as well as of the enormous
value I attach to seeing our two countries, which have so many
common interests, closely bound to one another.
This aim will be the easier for Me to pursue, as the solution
which Your Excellency has so graciously offered Me for putting
an end to the difficulties now pending permits Me to keep in
power the men whom I desired to maintain there, not only on
account of their programme in internal politics, but especially
and above all because they can and—I am convinced—also will
be valuable aids to Me in the policy which I am anxious to
observe scrupulously in relations with the neighboring Monar-
chy and which proceeds from solemn engagements which I
have contracted towards it.
Having it much at heart to prove with the very first steps
which I take in the path I have chosen of My own free will,how I
hold to the faithful execution of My promises,I hereby, Excel-
lency, assume the formal engagement on My honor and in My
quality as Prince of Serbia, not to enter into any negotiation what-
soever relative to any kind of a political treaty between Serbia and
a third state without communication with and previous consent of
Austria-Hungary.
I beg Your Excellency to consider the present engagement as
having an entirely official character towards the Government of
His Imperial and Royal Apostolic Majesty.
I am happy to avail myself of this occasion to offer to Your
Excellency the assurances of My perfect consideration and My
sincere gratitude.
Belgrade, October 12/24, 1881.
M. M. Obrénovitsch
Prince of Serbia.
Declaration of the Governments of Austria-Hungary and
of Serbia in regard to the meaning of Article IV.
DECLARATION.
Doubts having arisen as to the meaning and import of the
following passage of Article IV of the secret Treaty concluded
between Austria-Hungary and Serbia under date of June 28/16,
1881, to wit:
Without a previous understanding with Austria-Hun-
gary, Serbia will neither negotiate nor conclude any polit-
ical treaty with another Government,
the undersigned have agreed to specify by the presentDeclaration the import of the above-quoted provision:
Austria-Hungary, on the one hand, being animated by the
desire to see the independence of Serbia safeguarded and to
favor her development; and Serbia, on the other hand, being
firmly decided to follow a policy frankly friendly to Austria-
Hungary and to avoid everything which might injure the legiti-
mate interests of this latter Power; the undersigned declare by
this Act that the aforesaid provision of Article IV cannot impair
the right of Serbia to negotiate and to conclude treaties, even of
a political nature, with another Government. It implies for Ser-
bia no other engagement than that of not negotiating and of
not concluding any political treaty which would be contrary to
the spirit and the tenor of the said secret Treaty.
In witness whereof the present Declaration has been made
out in duplicate and signed at Vienna under date of October
30/18, 1881, by the Official in Charge of the Imperial and Royal
Ministry of Foreign Affairs for Austria-Hungary, and at Bel-
grade October 25/13, 1881, by the Prince’s Minister of Foreign
Affairs for Serbia.
L.S. Benjamin de Kállay.
L.S. M. Pirotchanaz.3.1194 League of the Three Emperors
Alliance Members:Germany, Russia, and Austria-Hungary
Signed On:June 18, 1881, in the city of Berlin. In force until June 18,
1887.
Alliance Type:Neutrality Pact (Type II)
Source:The Secret Treaties of Austria-Hungary 1879–1914,vol. 1, p. 37.
Additional Citations:Key Treaties for the Great Powers, 1814–1914,
vol. 2, p. 603.SUMMARY
Following the unification of Germany, Bismarck wished to preserve
the new status quo as best he could, and one of the principal instru-
ments of this new policy was the League of the Three Emperors. The
most dangerous threat to Germany was France because it had revi-
sionist claims on Alsace-Lorraine and was still paying an indemnity to
Germany following their previous war. The Russians were also eager
for a treaty as protection against possible Austrian revisionism in the
Balkans, but Bismarck refused an alliance that excluded Austria-Hun-
gary. The Austrians would not consider the alliance until the rise of
the Gladstone government in Britain—a government that was hostile
to Austria-Hungary.
By bringing Austria-Hungary and Russia into an agreement, the treaty
prevented the use of Russia by France in any future tensions with Ger-
many and also attempted to calm the rising tensions between Austria
and Russia. The alliance included specific provisions for the division
of territory should Turkey be dissolved.Alliance Text
The Courts of Austria-Hungary, of Germany, and of Russia,
animated by an equal desire to consolidate the general peace
by an understanding intended to assure the defensive position