Petrović-Njegoš dynasty

Petrović-Njegoš
Петровић-Његош
Royal house
CountryMontenegro
Founded1697; 327 years ago (1697)
FounderPrince-Bishop Danilo I
Current headPrince Nicholas
Final rulerKing Nicholas I
Titles
Style(s)
Estate(s)Cetinje Royal Palace
Deposition

The House of Petrović-Njegoš (Serbian Cyrillic: Петровић-Његош, pl. Petrović-Njegoši / Петровић-Његоши) is the family that ruled Montenegro from 1697 to 1918.

History

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Origin

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"Bogut" or "Boguta" is believed to be the oldest known ancestor of the Petrović-Njegoš family.[1] Bogut was alive at the time of the Battle of Velbazhd (1330) and the building of Visoki Dečani,[2] and perhaps into the 1340s.[1] According to tradition, and recorded by some historians, the ancestors of the Petrović family settled in Muževice at the end of the 14th century, from the Bosnia region, from the area of Zenica or Travnik.[3] It is possible that Bogut at that time had moved to Drobnjaci with his son, Đurađ.[4] Đurađ or some of his sons were in the entourage of Marko Drago, an affluent Serbian nobleman who had served Serbian lord Vuk Branković (1345-1397), and as such they are believed to have also served the Branković family.[5] Đurađ and his five sons "from Drobnjaci" are mentioned in a document dating March 1, 1399,[4] in which they gave several items to the depository of Dapko Vasilijev, an affluent Kotoran nobleman.[6]

Rule of Montenegro

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Montenegro was ruled from its inception by vladikas (prince-bishops) since 1516, who had a dual temporal and spiritual role, subordinate to the Serbian Patriarchate of Peć until its dissolution in 1766.[7] In 1697, the office was made hereditary in the Petrović-Njegoš family.[8] However, since Orthodox bishops are required to be celibate, the crown passed from uncle to nephew. In 1852, Prince-Bishop Danilo II opted to marry and to secularize Montenegro, becoming Prince Danilo I.[8][9] His successor, Nikola I, raised Montenegro to a kingdom in 1910.[10]

In 1916, King Nikola I was ousted by the invasion and occupation of his country by Austria-Hungary. He was formally deposed by the Podgorica Assembly in 1918 and the country merged with Kingdom of Serbia and shortly thereafter merged again with the State of Slovenes, Croats and Serbs to form the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.[11]

After Yugoslavia

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A period of eighty years of control from Belgrade followed, during which time Nikola I died in exile in France in 1921, followed shortly afterwards by the surprise abdication of his son and heir, Danilo III, the same year.[12] The latter's nephew, Michael Petrović-Njegoš, inherited the titles of his predecessors whilst in exile in France, and he survived arrest and internment by order of Adolf Hitler for refusing to head up a puppet Montenegrin state aligned to the Axis Powers. Later, he served the SFR Yugoslavia as Head of Protocol.[12] He was succeeded by his son Nicholas Petrović-Njegoš in 1986.[citation needed] In 2006, Montenegro went on to achieve full sovereignty in the 2006 independence referendum.

In 2011, Montenegro recognized an official role for the Royal House of Petrović-Njegoš in Montenegro: to promote Montenegrin identity, culture and traditions through cultural, humanitarian and other non-political activities, which has been interpreted as a "creeping restoration" of the monarchy.[13][non-primary source needed]

The present head of the house is Nicholas, Crown Prince of Montenegro.[when?]

Modern role

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Main article: Law on the Status of the Descendants of the Petrović Njegoš Dynasty

In July 2011, the Parliament of Montenegro adopted the Law on the Status of the Descendants of the Petrović Njegoš Dynasty.[14][15][non-primary source needed] The law allows descendants of the dynasty to use heraldic royal symbols and grants them land that belonged to the King. It grants them property and buildings in Njegusi and Cetinje, the former capital city, as well as an apartment in Podgorica. It established the Petrovic-Njegos Foundation, which would receive financing from Montenegro’s state budget amounting to some €4 million.[16]

List of monarchs

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Picture Title
Name 		Birth Reign Marriage(s)
Issue 		Death Claim Notes
Prince-Bishop
Danilo I		 1670
Njeguši, Montenegro		 1697
–
11 January 1735
(38 years, 0 days)		 — 11 January 1735
Podmaine Monastery, Venice
(aged 80)		 Elected by the Montenegrin Tribal Assembly
Prince-Bishop
Sava II		 18 January 1702
Njeguši, Montenegro		 11 January 1735
–
9 March 1781
(46 years, 57 days)		 — 9 March 1781
Podmaine Monastery, Venice
(aged 80)		 First cousin of Danilo I Coruled with Basil III from 1750–1766.
Prince-Bishop
Basil III		 1709
Njeguši, Montenegro		 1750
–
10 March 1766
(16 years, 0 days)		 — 10 March 1766
St. Petersburg, Russian Empire
(aged 56–57)		 Nephew of Danilo I Co-ruled with Sava II
Out of power for 3 years, 218 days.
Prince-Bishop
Petar I		 1748
Njeguši, Montenegro		 13 October 1784
–
30 October 1830
(46 years, 17 days)		 — 30 October 1830
Cetinje, Montenegro
(aged 81–82)		 Elected by the Sinod.

Grandnephew of Danilo I
Prince-Bishop
Petar II		 13 November 1813
Njeguši, Montenegro		 30 October 1830
–
31 October 1851
(21 years, 1 day)		 — 31 October 1851
Cetinje, Montenegro
(aged 37)		 The Will of Petar I, his uncle.
Prince-Bishop;
Prince
Danilo II
Danilo I		 25 May 1826
Njeguši, Montenegro		 31 October 1851
–
13 August 1860
(8 years, 287 days)		 Darinka Kvekić
12 January 1855
1 daughter		 13 August 1860
Kotor, Austrian Empire
(aged 34)		 The Will of Peter II, his uncle. Assassinated in Kotor.
Prince;
King
Nicholas I		 7 October 1841
Njeguši, Montenegro		 13 August 1860
–
26 November 1918
(58 years, 105 days)		 Milena Vukotić
8 November 1860
12 children		 1 March 1921
Cap d'Antibes, French Republic
(aged 79)		 Nephew of Danilo I Exiled in January 1916.
Deposed by the Podgorica Assembly.

Heads of the House since 1918

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Picture Name Birth Reign Marriage(s)
Issue 		Death Claim
Nicholas I 7 October 1841
Njeguši, Montenegro		 26 November 1918
–
1 March 1921
(2 years, 95 days)		 Milena Vukotić
8 November 1860
12 children		 1 March 1921
Cap d'Antibes, French Republic
(aged 79)		 Deposed king of Montenegro[17]
Crown Prince Danilo
(Danilo II)		 29 June 1871
Cetinje, Montenegro		 1 March 1921
–
7 March 1921
(6 days)		 Jutta of Mecklenburg-Strelitz
27 July 1899
No children		 24 September 1939
Vienna, Austria, Nazi Germany
(aged 67)		 Eldest son of Nicholas I and Milena Vukotić.
Prince Michael
(Michael I)		 14 September 1908
Podgorica, Montenegro		 7 March 1921
–
24 March 1986
(65 years, 17 days)		 Geneviève Prigent
27 January 1941 – 11 April 1949
1 son		 24 March 1986
Paris, France
(aged 77)		 Nephew of Crown Prince Danilo[17]
Prince Nicholas
(Nicholas II)		 7 July 1944
Saint-Nicolas-du-Pélem, France
(age 80)		 24 March 1986
–
present
(38 years, 242 days)		 Francine Navarro
27 November 1976 – 6 August 2008
2 children[18][19]		 Son of Prince Michael and Geneviève Prigent

Male descendants of Nicholas I

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The list below includes male members of the Petrović-Njegoš dynasty. Bold denotes the current head of the House.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Etnografski muzej Cetinje 1963, p. 75
  2. ^ Reljić 1976, p. 30
  3. ^ Miljanić 1989,

    Odakle su preci Petrovića doselili u Muževice i u koje vrijeme nije dovoljno rasvijetljeno. Prema tradiciji, a i zapisima nekih istoričara, doselili su iz Bosne, iz okoline Zenice, ili Travnika i da su u Drobnjake doselili, kako navodi Kovijanić, krajem 14. vijeka.
  4. ^ a b Srpsko istorijsko-kulturno društvo "Njegoš" u Americi 1983, p. 73
  5. ^ Etnografski muzej Cetinje 1963, p. 70
  6. ^ Miljanić 1989,

    Kovijanić je u kotorskom sudsko-notarskim spisima pronašao i prepisao sljedeće: Od Đurđa Bogutovića iz Drobnjaka i njegovih sinova Vukca, Radina, Heraka, Pribila i Ostoje primio je 1. marta 1399. godine Dapko Vasilijev, ugledni i imućni kotorski vlastelin u depozit ove stvari: šest srebrnih pojaseva, zavijenih u šest marama, težine 19 i po funti, dvije tacne sa izvjesnim srebrnim pucadima, težine pet unči, takođe dvije kutije perla sa svitom i sa četiri puceta perla, težine u svemu 10 unči
  7. ^ Magocsi, Paul Robert (2018). Historical Atlas of Central Europe: Third Revised and Expanded Edition. University of Toronto Press. p. 116. ISBN 9781487523312.
  8. ^ a b Mentzel, Peter C. (2021). For God and Country: Essays on Religion and Nationalism. MDPI. p. 106. ISBN 9783039439058.
  9. ^ Pavlovic, Srdja (2008). Balkan Anschluss: The Annexation of Montenegro and the Creation of the Common South Slavic State. Purdue University Press. p. 38. ISBN 9781557534651.
  10. ^ Djukanovic 2023, p. 6.
  11. ^ Djukanovic 2023, p. 173.
  12. ^ a b Djukanovic 2023, p. 282.
  13. ^ Zakon o statusu potomaka dinastije Petrović Njegoš
  14. ^ Milosevic, Milena (19 July 2012). "Montenegro 'Corrects Injustice' To Ex-Royals". Balkan Insight.
  15. ^ "PM Luksic hosts reception in honour of Montenegrin Royal House of Petrovic Njegos". www.gov.me. 23 July 2011.
  16. ^ "Montenegro Aims to Rehabilitate Dynasty". Balkan Insight. 18 April 2011.
  17. ^ a b Almanach de Gotha (154 ed.). Justus Perthes. 1918. p. 65.
  18. ^ de Badts de Cugnac, Chantal. Coutant de Saisseval, Guy. Le Petit Gotha. Nouvelle Imprimerie Laballery, Paris 2002, pp. 862. French. ISBN 2-9507974-3-1.
  19. ^ Almanach de Gotha (2018). Page 1389.
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