Historical Maps of the Balkans

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   Athenian League and the Pelopennesian War

source

Balkans of Antiquity(2nd century AD) by Ptolomaios

Roman Provinces of Macedonia, Illyria, Moesia, Thrakia and Dacia

Another source

Byzantine Era 6th century

East Roman provinces of Epirus(Nova and Vetus), Moesia, Macedonia, Thrakia, Thessalia and Achaia

Era of major Slavic and Bulgarian invasion and settlements

Shows East Roman provinces of Moesia, Dardania and Epirus(Nova and Vetus) taken by slavs while the Byzantines retain holdings over Dyrrachoin/um(Durres), establishment of the kingdom of Dioclea,otherwise known as Zeta, by future Montenegrins, and its capitol as Scutari(Skadar), modern Shkoder. Serb tribes have established themselves in the modern area of mid to southern Serbia bordering modern Kosovo, they are separated by the Croats who have established themselves in northern Dalmatia separated from the Serbs by the Namertanes

Era of the Bulgarian Empires

Small slavic kingdoms have been established in mid to northern balkans including Zeta/Dioclea, Raska, Croatia and Bosnia while principality of Hungary dominated the north and the Bulgarian Empire has established itself from coast to coast down to Epirus and Macedonia

Feudal period of the Balkans

Following the conquest of Constantinople by the crusaders a series of principalities, despots and kingdoms would be established. Among them the Despot of Epirus. While Serbia grew in its power and territory and included Zeta/Dioclea and much of northern Albania in its territory 

Image provided by William R. Shepherd, Historical Atlas, 1911 from wikipedia.com

Rise of the Dusan Empire

The instability and disunity of the Balkans made it so any grand character worthy of raising a united people could bring much of it to himself. Dusan went about conquering nearly all of Albania, Epirus, Thessaly and most of Macedonia, for these actions he would be shunned by the Greek Orthodox. In 1346 he would be crowned as "Tsar and autocrat of Serbs, Greeks, Bulgarians and Albanians" by Serbian Patriach Janichie II with the help of the Bulgarian Patriarch Simeon and the Archbishop of Ohrid, Nikolas. The rise of his empire would be a forshadowing of the later Osman conquest.

 source: http://www.satrapa1.archez.com/

The breakup of the Dusan Empire

Following the sudeen death of Dusan, his empire quickly fell apart adding further to the instability of the Balkans inwhich the Turks would pray on. In this time, the western balkans would see a rise in Albanian principalities inwhcih in the past were aided by Crusaders crossing the land. Scutari would fought after between the re-awakened Zeta and Albanian nobles, Epirus and Jannina(Ioannina) would follow suit but among Greeks nobles and Albanians. While in this time the Venetians would use this instability to their advantage and take control of Ragusa(Dubrovnik), Lissus(Lezhe in Albania), Kerkyra among other Ioanian islands and other territories and cities. The Venetians indifference toward the Osman conquest and even aid in as long as their interests were protected created another future nemesis for the Albanians in the era of Scanderbeg in the late mid to late 1400's. In this time, the Ottomans succeeded in conquering most of the Balkans and would compete with the venetians for the control over Pelopenesus and other Greek territories

The next century, Croatia saw a short lived kingdom before falling between the Austrian Monarchy and for a time in the Ottoman Empire. Bosnia continued to remain at war with the Ottomans while Wallachia and Moldavia remain semi-independant under Ottoman control, while Mehmed II aspirations of taking Rome dwindle away shortly after his takeover of Otranto when an Albanian revolt under the leadership of John Kastrioti, son of Scanderbeg, prevents his armies from crossing the straight, Mehmed would die shortly after. Venice in this time size its holdings in mainland Balkans largely dissapear with the exception of Ragusa(Dubrovnik) and other lands in the Dalmatian coast from time to time. It would regain the Morea for a short while, while small Montenegro retains its independance over the Ottoman Empire with its capitol in Cataro. This would remain the average status quo for the next Ottoman century.

The Balkan Wars and the end of the Ottoman Empire

Source

Various other maps can be found HERE   . 

Edited by Iskender Bey ALBO