The Petrovic-Njegos Dynasty of Montenegro
The Rise and Fall of the Royal Family of the Balkan Black Mountains
Aug 18, 2009
The former royal family of Montenegro, the Petrovic-Njegos dynasty, had a profound impact on the development and independence of this country. For centuries, this dynasty ruled and protected this small country, and when Nikola I finally declared himself the first king of Montenegro he was the monarch of a significant country. But after the monarchy was deposed, Montenegro became part of the neighboring country of Serbia and would never again be its own kingdom.
The Early Petrovic-Njegos Dynasty
The small country of Montenegro, meaning “Black Mountains,” was part of the Kingdom of Serbia in the Middle Ages. When the Ottoman Turks invaded in the 14th century they couldn’t capture this mountainous region so it gained its independence. For centuries, it was ruled by a vladike, an Eastern Orthodox bishop, who because he was celibate would be succeeded by a nephew or cousin. In this fashion the Petrovic-Njegos dynasty began its rule of the country.
In 1851, Danilo succeeded as ruler. He wanted to get married so he changed his position to that of a prince (gospodar), making the ruler a more traditional royal. He was succeeded in 1860 by his nephew Nikola.
King Nikola I of Montenegro—The Only Montenegrin King
King Nikola I (1841–1922) was a warrior, an autocrat, and a poet. He and his Montenegrin wife Queen Milena had twelve children, many of whom married into important royal families, including those of Serbia and Italy. Nikola knew his duty to his country, and did what he could to protect it and expand its territory.
In 1876, Nikola I oversaw an alliance with Serbia and Russia against the Ottoman Empire. This proved a wise alliance as Montenegro doubled in size and finally gained access to the sea. The 1878 Treaty of San Stefano further guaranteed Montenegrin independence. In 1910, Nikola I finally assumed the title of king, making his increasingly important country a kingdom.
Beginning in 1912 there were several Balkan Wars that expanded Montenegrin territory but also led to some instability. Initially, Montenegro joined with Serbia and Bulgaria against the Ottoman Empire, and succeeded in pushing the Turks almost completely out of Europe. But later Balkan Wars were among the Balkan countries, with Serbia gaining territory and Montenegro becoming increasingly at risk of invasion.
The Deposed Petrovic-Njegos Dynasty and Union with Serbia
In 1916, the Austro-Hungarian Empire invaded Montenegro, and Nikola and his family fled to Italy. They tried to govern in exile, but in 1918 a Montenegrin national assembly officially deposed the monarchy and voted for a union with Serbia, which soon became Yugoslavia. Ironically, the Petrovic-Njegos family still ruled Montenegro, because the ruler of Serbia was Nikola’s grandson Alexander. But Montenegro would never again have its own independent monarchy, and its days of being a kingdom were officially over.
The Petrovic-Njegos Dynasty in Exile—King Michael and Crown Prince Nikola
King Nikola I died in 1922 and was succeeded by his son Danilo, who renounced his position in favor of his brother Mirko’s son Michael. The young King Michael was placed under the regency of his grandmother Queen Milena, but she did not live long and King Michael eventually renounced his rights in favor of his cousin King Alexander I of Yugoslavia.
Since then, pretenders in the deposed Petrovic-Njegos dynasty have tried to live fairly normal lives in Europe. The current pretender, Michael’s son Crown Prince Nikola, has said that he will only return to the throne if that is the wish of the Montenegrin people, and instead is interested in the culture and welfare of Montenegro.
Montenegro and the Petrovic-Njegos Dynasty
The Petrovic-Njegos dynasty ruled Montenegro and oversaw its development from a small mountain-locked country to a sizeable kingdom with power in the Balkans. King Nikola I was the only member of the Petrovic-Njegos dynasty to rule as king, but his family continued to rule through his descendants in the Serbian and later Yugoslavian royal family. Although Montenegro is now an independent country again, the present head of the family, Crown Prince Nikola, will not see the Petrovic-Njegos dynasty back in power.
Source:
Opfell, Olga S. Royalty Who Wait: The 21 Heads of Formerly Regnant Houses of Europe. Jefferson, NC: McFarland & Company, Inc., 2001.
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