Although sanjak usually means any one of many Ottoman administrative units, one has become known as “the Sanjak.” Following the Treaty of Berlin the Sanjak of Novi Pazar became the symbol of a status quo strategy in the Balkans intended to prevent Serbia and Montenegro from merging. Although part of the Ottoman Empire until 1912, Novi Pazar had an Austro-Hungarian military presence from 1879-1908. It was divided between Serbia and Montenegro in the course of the First Balkan War in 1912 and subject to an Austro-Hungarian occupation regime during World War One.