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 On 16th April, 1877, Roumania concluded a Convention with Russia granting passage to the armies of the latter for the invasion of Turkey. On May 22nd the Assembly proclaimed the independence of the Principality, which was recognised by the Treaty of San Stefano , and finally, though upon conditions, by the Treaty of Berlin. On March 26th, 1881, Roumania, without objection on the part of any of the Powers, assumed the style of a kingdom.

VIII. —After several blows had been struck by the Turks at the power of Servia, which was ruled by a 'despotes' of its own, it was finally conquered by Mohammed II, after his capture of Constantinople; but Belgrade was not taken from the Hungarians till 1522, by Soleiman the Great. Thenceforth Servia was a Turkish province, with occasional interludes of Austrian occupation (1717-1739, 1788-1791). Its partial independence dates from the insurrection under Kara George in 1804. The liberator was expelled in 1813; after which date the struggle was intermittently carried on by Milosch Obrenovitch till 1829, when the administrative independence of Servia, which had been promised in the Treaty of Ackerman, was finally secured to it by Russia in the Treaty of Adrianople. A firman of 15th August, 1830, made the princely dignity hereditary in the family of Milosch.

By the Treaty of Paris, Servia was left under the suzerainty of the Porte, but its immunities were placed under the collective guarantee of the Powers, whose consent was made necessary to any armed intervention in the country.

In 1862 disturbances took place, and Belgrade was bombarded by the Turks. Further conflict was prevented by a Conference of the Powers, which sat at Constantinople from 23rd July, and on 4th September signed a protocol which thenceforth restricted the Turkish garrisons to Belgrade and four other fortresses. On 10th April, 1867, it was