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agreed that Russia could not fight, and this was madequite clear in a secret session of the Duma.Germany, knowing this, closed the crisis by requiringof Russia abandonment of Serbia (March 1909). TheGerman note was not technically an ultimatum, but itsdrafter, Kiderlen-Wachter, almost certainly intended itto have that effect and quite certainly " to press Izvolskyto the wall." The humiliation by Germany was bitterlyresented in Russia. Yet even without the German' ultimatum' she was bound to suffer rebuff, since Austria-Hungary was determined to have her way with Serbia,and Russia was too weak to prevent her. HenceforwardRussia and Austria-Hungary engaged in what was toprove a mortal duel in the Balkans.Russia set to work to encourage a Balkan league underher aegis, directed in the first place against Turkey, butultimately against Austria-Hungary. It won surprisinglyrapid successes against the Turks in the first Balkan war(1912-13). But the allies (Serbia, Montenegro, Bulgaria,and Greece) could not be controlled by the tsar as arbiter.They fell out among themselves over the division ofthe booty, especially in the comitadji battleground ofMacedonia. Russia could not prevent the second Balkanwar (1913) of Serbia and Greece, joined by Roumania,against Bulgaria; and the Turks seized their chance toretake Adrianople. The Bulgars lost still more heavily:Macedonia was divided between Serbia and Greece;Roumania seized the southern Dobrudja. In the westernBalkans a new, independent Albania was set up by thepowers, and the efforts of Serbia to secure access to theAdriatic, which were favoured by Russia but resolutelyopposed by Austria-Hungary, were unsuccessful.The Balkan wars had four main consequences:(i) Turkey, more than ever suspicious of Russia,moved nearer and nearer to the alliance with Germanywhich she concluded in August 1914 (cf. p. 286).(ii) Russia lost her hold in Bulgaria, who soughtrevenge against Serbia and Greece through concert withAustria-Hungary. She took it in 1915 when she fellupon the rear of Serbia.(iii) Roumania was now at enmity with Bulgaria and418