Abstract
The Reactions to the Reforms in Macedonia of 1903: the Murder of Bitola Russian Consul Alexandr Rostkovski
Macedonia of 1903 has been witnessed murder of two Russian consuls, among other assassinations, terrorist activities, insurgency and contra-insurgency operations and reform projects as result of foreign pressures. Czarist Russia didn’t make a huge problem out of first murdered Mitrovitza Consul in spring. But when Bitola Consul Rostkovski had been killed due to his own arrogance and harshness by Ottoman soldier on duty, a war fleet has been sent to Ottoman territorial waters in August 1903. Occurred under Russian pressure, verdicts of martial law trial and conducted policies during the crisis demonstrated deficiencies and stalemates of regime of Sultan Abdulhamid explicitly. While Sultan’s day-to-day basis policies postponed many heavy problems in the short period, crises created by these policies accelerated formatives which would end Ottoman rule in Macedonia.<
Keywords
Consul Rostkovski, Sultan Abdulhamid, Albanians, Macedonia, Komitadjıs
