Serbia in the Balkan Wars (original) (raw)

Serbia was one of the major parties in the Balkan Wars (8 October 1912 – 18 July 1913), victorious in both wars. It gained significant territorial gains of the Central Balkans and almost doubled its territory. During the First Balkan War, most of the Kosovo Vilayet was taken by Serbia, while parts of the region of Metohija was taken by the Kingdom of Montenegro, one of its closest allies. Over the centuries, populations of ethnic Serbs and Albanians tended to shift following territorial handovers. As a result of the multi-ethnic composition of Kosovo, the new administration provoked a mixed response from the local population. Whilst according to Noel Malcolm the Albanians did not welcome Serbian rule, the non-Albanian population in the Kosovo Vilayet (predominantly Serbs) considered this a