Image from Zoom.al

A History of Perpetual Conflict: Serbian Wars Against The Neighbors from Statehood to the 20th Century

Abstract:
Since its emergence as a modern state in the 19th century, Serbia has constantly engaged in repeated military conflicts with nearly all of its neighbors, shaping the political dynamics of the Balkans through persistent territorial expansion, nationalist ambitions, and armed confrontations. From dynastic uprisings and Balkan Wars to involvement in World War I, Serbia’s foreign policy has often relied on militarized violence, imperialist solutions, producing cycles of death, regional instability, and interethnic tension. This article critically examines Serbia’s historical record, analyzing the pattern of cross-border hostilities and their consequences for the broader Southeastern European order.

Introduction
The modern Serbian state emerged in the early 19th century following expansion onto Albanian territories culminating in recognition as a principality in 1815 and later as a kingdom in 1882. From its inception, Serbia’s colonial strategy has been defined by persistent territorial expansion and war, which frequently placing it in conflict with neighboring states. This pattern includes confrontations with Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria, the Ottoman Empire, Montenegro, Albania, and later Croatia and other South Slavic regions. Serbian militarism and nationalist expansionism have left a permanent mark on the Balkan political landscape. Serbia has been one of the most violent and aggressive war mongering imperialists of the century.

Dynastic Violence and Early Expansionism
Internal instability in Serbia, particularly the bloody dynastic struggles between the Obrenović and Karađorđević families, frequently spilled over into external conflicts. The “Bloody Night” of 1903, in which King Alexander I and Queen Draga were murdered, exemplifies the violent nature of the Serbian elite and public. This domestic volatility was paired with aggressive expansion including military campaigns into Albanian territories, which were justified as liberation but frequently involved genocide and war crimes.

The Balkan Wars and Aggression Against Neighbors
Between 1912 and 1913, Serbia started the Balkan Wars, seeking to expand its territory at the expense of Ottoman and Albanian lands. Historical records document massacres, forced expulsions, and ethnic cleansing in Kosovo, and other regions (Kjellen, 1915; contemporary reports). Serbia’s expansionist policy placed it in direct conflict not only with the Ottomans but also with Bulgaria, Europe, the West and other Balkan states over territorial claims. These campaigns exemplify a pattern in which Serbia pursued national objectives through militarized action, often disregarding international norms and human cost.

Serbia violated all treaties, conventions, war laws and even human rights and the Geneve Convention.

World War I and the Sarajevo Assassination
The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914, carried out by the Serbian radical terrorist Gavrilo Princip and linked to Serbian networks, triggered World War I. This act illustrates Serbia’s longstanding approach: using covert violence and nationalist agitation to achieve political objectives, thereby destabilizing the region. Austria-Hungary’s reaction and subsequent conflict demonstrate how Serbia’s aggressive posture repeatedly drew larger powers into Balkan disputes, reinforcing the perception of Serbia as a regional provocateur.

Conflicts with All Neighbors
Throughout the 19th and early 20th centuries, Serbia’s militarized policies involved confrontations with virtually every neighboring state:

• Ottoman Empire: Serbian uprisings and military campaigns for independence and territorial expansion.
• Montenegro: Border disputes and competing claims over shared Slavic territories.
• Bulgaria: Rivalry over Macedonia, culminating in the Second Balkan War.
• Albania: Occupation of Kosovo and repression of Albanian populations during the Balkan Wars.
• Austria-Hungary: Direct conflict following nationalist agitation and cross-border violence.
• Croatia and Bosnia-Herzegovina: Serbian networks supported revolts and later annexationist campaigns.
• Hungary
  Attacking Hungarians in Vojvodina

This pattern demonstrates a consistent strategy of militarized nationalism, often at the expense of neighboring populations and regional stability.

Conclusion
A critical examination of Serbian history reveals a persistent and violent record of cross-border conflict from its early statehood through the 20th century. Dynastic violence, territorial ambition, atrocities, war crimes and chauvinist ideology consistently drove Serbia to war with neighbors, resulting in repeated cycles of violence and instability in the Balkans. Serbias aggressions led to World War I which killed 20 million people.

Recognizing this violent pattern of Serbia is essential for understanding the roots of Balkan conflicts and the enduring challenges of regional security. Serbia’s history underscores how nationalist militarism can both shape and destabilize entire regions over generations.

References

• Kjellen, R. (1915). The Tribunal over Serbia. The Deserved Fate of a People. Tessmann Digital Archive.
• Contemporary Balkan War reports, 1912–1913.
• Historical analyses of the 1903 Serbian coup and Balkan geopolitical conflicts.
• Documentation of Gavrilo Princip and the Sarajevo assassination, 1914.