Ancient History of Montenegro

In the western part of the Balkan Peninsula is an ancient state of Montenegro, washed from the south-west by the waves of the Adriatic Sea. The history of the country, summarized in this article, is an endless series of struggles for national sovereignty, which ended in 2006 with the recognition of its independence.

Ancient State of Dukla

The history of Montenegro, preceding the I century BC. E., Little studied. It is only known that this region was inhabited by Illyrians - representatives of a very large group of Indo-European peoples. In the I century BC. E. The territory was conquered by Rome, which held it under its control, until in the IV century it collapsed under the invasion of the barbarians.

Soon after this begins the process of settling the territory of present-day Montenegro by the Slavs. It was especially intensive in the 7th century, and after 300 years in the Balkans and the territories adjacent to the Adriatic coast, an independent Slavic state, called Dukla, was formed. The sovereignty of the inhabitants of the country had to be constantly recaptured in bloody and not always successful battles with foreigners.

Under the rule of Byzantium

Information on the life of the Slavic tribes in the territory of modern Montenegro, derived from the records of the Byzantine emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus (905-959). In them he tells about the peoples who inhabited this region, and founded the cities of Skadar, Budva, Ulcinj and Kotor. Christianity in the ancient Dukla was established at the end of the IX century, and came here as well as to Rus, from Byzantium.

In the 11th century, Duklya and all the neighboring territory of Serbia were captured by Byzantium, which was then in its most prosperous period, and carried out a broad colonial policy. The history of Montenegro has been full of dramatic events since ancient times, but these years have brought her especially a lot of blood, since the center of confrontation between the invaders has moved from the interior regions of Serbia to the shores of the Adriatic Sea, and here the main battles unfolded.

The role of Prince Stefan Vojislav in the creation of the state

At that time, Stefan Vojislav, his ruler, was the brightest historical figure who played an important role in the history of the principality of Dukla (future Montenegro). In 1035 he led a popular uprising against the Byzantines, but was defeated, captured and sent to Constantinople. However, despite all the difficulties, Stefan managed to escape from bondage, then, after a long journey, return to Dukluk, and there again to seize power in their hands.

Finally, in 1042, in the battle near Bar, a decisive battle took place, in which the Dukla army, created and directed by Prince Stephen Vojislav, routed the Byzantines. This event put an end to the foreign domination, and was the beginning of the creation of an independent Dukla state.

The flowering of the state, followed by its decline

After the death of Stephen Vojislav, his son Michael inherited power, who managed to annex to his state significant territories that belonged to this Serbia. He was the first Montenegrin ruler to be awarded the title of king, granted to him in 1077 by the Pope Gregory VII.

From the chronicles that have survived to us it is known that the newly formed principality was divided into separate regions, at the head of each of which an elder was called, which was called zhupan. At a time when King Constantine Bodyan (1081-1099) was in charge of the state, it reached its peak and covered almost the entire territory of Serbia, including Bosnia, Raska and Zakhumye. However, later the country plunged into an endless series of internecine wars, unleashed by local Zhupans, and lost its former power.

The collapse of the once strong state

Beginning in the 11th century, the new name of the Duklian state Zeta begins to enter into use and gradually takes root. According to philologists, it originated from the ancient word "reaper" and reflects the main direction of economic activity of its inhabitants.

At the turn of the 11th and 12th centuries, the history of Montenegro is once again entering a period of political and economic decay, which lasts for the entire subsequent century. By this time, the once powerful Zeta had weakened so much that it broke up into separate princedoms (zhupy), which were under the control of Rashka, shortly before that was only the Serbian region that was part of the former state.

Cities that have become history

The history of Kotor (Montenegro), a city located on the shores of the Adriatic Sea, is closely connected with these events and is now a major administrative and tourist center. In 1186, after a long siege, he was captured by the troops of the Serbian prince Stephen Neman and joined Raschke. To this day chronicles have told the story of his heroic defenders who died, but did not want to lay down their arms before the superior forces of the enemy.

During the XIII-XIV centuries, Kotor remained the largest city on the whole Adriatic coast, whose economic prosperity was built on trade with the areas located in the central regions of Serbia. At the same time, the history of Budva (Montenegro) - another major modern resort on the Adriatic, founded in the 9th century and mentioned in the records of the emperor Konstantin Bogoronorodny - came to a new level. Along with two other cities - Ulcinj and Bar - it became the leading center of shipbuilding and navigation of that era.

Having their own statutes - the charters that defined the order of their life, these cities enjoyed the rights of self-government, and all issues were resolved to the assemblies - a kind of parliaments, which included representatives of different classes.

Invasion of the conquerors

In 1371, the Serbo-Greek kingdom, once created by Prince Stefan Neman, and holding the Zet under its control, unexpectedly disintegrated, as a result of which the state that existed on the territory of present Montenegro, for a while, was liberated. However, at the end of the 1980s, the cities on the Adriatic coast were subjected to Turkish invasion, and after the unsuccessful battle in June, 1389 on the Kosovo Field, most of the interior areas of the Zeta were under Ottoman rule.

At the beginning of the next century, the history of Montenegro became even more dramatic. To the Venetians, the Venetians, who seized part of its coastal territories, who were free until now, were added to the Turkish conquerors. Over time, Venice pushed the Ottoman rulers from the lands conquered by them, and in 1439 almost the entire Zeta was declared its protectorate, ruled by feudal lords of the Chernovich family. It was during this period that the state was renamed, and it received its current name Montenegro.

Under the rule of the Ottoman Empire

However, the Ottoman Empire by no means abandoned its predatory intentions and soon undertook new attempts at an offensive. As a result of this, the history of Serbia and Montenegro has for many long years gone the route indicated by him from Istanbul. In 1499, the Turks conquered virtually the entire Montenegrin territory, with the exception of several cities on the coast of Kotor Bay.

Under the rule of the Turkish sultan, Montenegro was transformed into an independent administrative unit, called sanjak. Management in it was entrusted to the son of the former prince Ivan Chernoevich, who converted to Islam, and took the name of Skender Run.

All new residents were taxed by the new tax authorities, the payment of which was a heavy burden for the Montenegrins that had become impoverished during the war. However, historians point out that the history of the cities of Montenegro is connected mainly with the Ottoman domination, since there were almost no Turks in remote rural areas, and especially in mountainous areas.

National liberation struggle of Montenegrins

The end of the 16th and the beginning of the 17th century was marked by the beginning of a broad liberation struggle against Turkish rule. One of its most striking episodes was the outbreak in 1604 of an insurrection led by the governor of Grdan. In the battle near the city of Lushkopolla, the rebels managed to defeat the troops of the Turkish governor. This victory gave impetus to the movement, which in the following years was covered by the whole of Montenegro.

The history of the country in the period of the XVII-XVIII centuries is a period of acute national-liberation struggle, in which temporary victories were replaced by defeats that claimed the lives of thousands of Montenegrins. In their struggle, the inhabitants of the country relied largely on the support of Venice, which had its possessions on the Adriatic coast and considered the Ottoman Empire as its potential enemy. When the war broke out between Turkey and Venice in 1645, the Montenegrins took advantage of this and, after raising the insurrection, tried to cross over to the Venetian protectorate, but this idea was not realized.

Obtaining independence

At the end of the 18th century, the national liberation struggle of the Montenegrins was led by Peter Negosh. He managed to become an exponent of the national idea and, having rallied around him isolated clans, to liberate most of the country from the Ottoman tyranny. His follower Danilo Negosh led the thousands of people's militia, which won in 1858 near the city of Grahovets a victory over the Turks, which resulted in the legal consolidation of the country's sovereignty. From this moment the history of Montenegro began to develop on a completely different basis.

In a state that for several centuries was a vassal of the Ottoman Empire, a people's assembly, the Assembly, was established. After the expulsion of the Turks, the territory of Montenegro has significantly expanded due to the inclusion in it of the most fertile regions previously taken away. She was returned to the sea, and the crowning point was the adoption of the first Montenegrin Constitution. However, according to its status, it was still the hereditary principality of the Negoshi dynasty. Finally, the independence of Montenegro was declared at the Berlin Congress of 1878.

A Brief History of Montenegro in the 20th Century

A new century the country began with the proclamation of its kingdom, which followed in 1910. During the First World War, Montenegro took the side of the Entente and in 1916 was captured by the Austro-Hungarian army. Two years later the monarchical dynasty of Negoshi was overthrown by the decision of the Great National Assembly, and Montenegro united with Serbia.

During the Second World War, the Italian territory was occupied by Italian troops. Since 1945, Montenegro has had the status of a federal republic, and in 2006 it became an independent state.