Final answer:
Serbia considered Kosovo their historical and cultural heartland, vital to their national identity and to their vision of a Greater Serbia uniting all Serbs. Aggressive Serbian nationalism and the legacy of the Battle of Kosovo were primary drivers of their claim over the region, despite the majority being Albanian Muslims.
Step-by-step explanation:
Serbia felt strongly about maintaining control over Kosovo despite the majority of the population being Albanian Muslims because Kosovo holds immense historical and cultural significance to the Serbian state. The region is considered the heart of the Serb Orthodox Church and the cradle of the medieval Serbian Empire. Kosovo is also the site of the historic Battle of Kosovo in 1389, which is of great national importance and is commemorated as a national holiday in Serbia.
The rise of Serbian nationalism in the late 19th and early 20th centuries played a crucial role in the country's identity and foreign policy. Serbia's ambitions to form a Greater Serbia, uniting all Serbs across the Balkans, deeply influenced its reluctance to let go of regions such as Kosovo. This ambition was further fueled by the pan-Slavic nationalism that sought to unite all Slavic peoples under one rule, with Serbia positioned as a leader within the Balkan region.
The declaration of independence by Slovenia, Croatia, and Macedonia in 1991, in anticipation of conflict, marked the beginning of the breakup of Yugoslavia. Slobodan Miloševik's aggressive policies, which included sending troops to take control of the Albanian majority in Kosovo, led to a devastating civil war, resulting in thousands of refugees and necessitating NATO's intervention to stop the violence and ethnic cleansing.